Discover the enduring principles of Congregational church governance in one essential reference.
This historical volume gathers key elements from the Cambridge Platform, adopted in 1648, and the Confession of Faith, adopted in 1680, along with a Manual of Church Discipline. It presents the argument for a clearly defined, scripture-based system of church government that guided Puritan churches in Massachusetts and beyond. The book aims to clarify duties, rights, and procedures for ministers and member churches alike, while highlighting the practice and spirit of Congregationalism.
Readers will encounter foundational topics about how churches are formed, how officers are chosen and supported, how members are admitted, and how discipline and communion are handled. The material foregrounds the relationship between church governance and the wider civil context, offering a practical framework for ecclesiastical life grounded in historic principles.
- Clear articulation of church government principles drawn from the Cambridge Platform.
- Guidance on admission of members, church officers, and discipline.
- Discussion of the Lord’s Supper, baptism, and the duties of congregations toward one another.
- Excerpts and context from the Confession of Faith to illuminate theological foundations.
Ideal for readers interested in church history, Congregational polity, and the theological and practical roots of the tradition.