Items related to Church And Congregation: A Plea For Their Unity

Church And Congregation: A Plea For Their Unity - Softcover

Cyrus Augustus Bartol

 
9780371849491: Church And Congregation: A Plea For Their Unity

Synopsis

Church And Congregation: A Plea For Their Unity by Cyrus Augustus Bartol. This work argues that the Christian Church should not be divided into two separate bodies—Church and Congregation—and it advocates open communion, proposing that the Lord's Supper be accessible to all Christian worshippers rather than restricted to a select few. Bartol surveys Congregational practice, critiques the notion of a twofold church, and maintains that symbols—especially the Lord's Supper—are meant to unite believers, not divide them. He develops a wide-ranging argument across themes such as design, position, reason, symbol, profession, baptism, discipline, development, sincerity, sacredness, commonness, veil, means, analogy, crisis, wholeness, form, person, place, organization, and proportion to show how unity can be achieved by extending participation, democratizing ritual, and reinterpreting tradition. The text champions humility, openness to the world, and a humane approach to church life, arguing that the gospel's call to love and truth requires a universal fellowship transcending denominational lines.

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