OLD COUNTRY AND PROMISED LAND
Restoration History #2

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1. Protestant Reformation

   16th century challenges to authority of the Pope in Western Europe

   • Lutheran Reformation [Luther, 1517]
   • Reformed Reformation [Zwingli & Calvin, 1518]
   • Radical Reformation/Anabaptists [Menno Simons, 1520’s]
   • English Reformation [Henry VIII & Cromwell, 1530's]
   • Scottish Reformation [John Knox, 1559]

   “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils ... my conscience is captive to the Word of God.” -- Martin Luther

   “We acknowledge and confess that we now ... have two sacraments only, instituted by the Lord Jesus ... baptism and the supper, or table of the Lord Jesus.” -- Scottish Confession of Faith (1560)

   Legacy of the Reformation

   1. Papal authority rejected
   2. Biblical authority emphasized
   3. Worship simplified
   4. Baptism and Communion essential sacraments

2. The Enlightenment
   • Philosophical movement during 17th and 18th century.
   • Confidence in the power of human reason.
   • Knowledge comes through experience and observation.
   • All assumptions about life, world and humanity are reconsidered.

   René Descartes (1596-1650)

   “I think, therefore I am.”

   Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

   • Introduced empirical method
   • Promoted Christian unity as reasonable
   • Truth is fruit of experience, not authority

   John Locke (1632-1704)

   • Founder of Empiricism
   • Human Reasoning and the Tabula Rasa
   • Separation of Church and State
   • Power resides with the people

   Thomas Reid (1710-1796)

   • Scottish “Common Sense” School of Philosophy
   • We know things directly
   • University of Glasgow professor

   Legacy of the Enlightenment

   1. Emphasis on Human Reason
   2. Truth is perceived through experience and human senses
   3. Common Sense - “We know things directly and do not infer them through ideas.”

3. Religious Revival
   • Religious revivals generated new religious movements.
     • Anglican
       • Congregationalists (Cotton, 1636)
       • Quakers (Fox, 1647)
       • Methodists (Wesley, 1729)
     • Reformed
       • Baptists (Williams, 1639)

   • The Great Awakening of 18th century [Johnathan Edwards & George Whitefield] split some mainline churches.
     • Presbyterians
     • Episcopalians

   Legacy of the Revivals

   1. Church autonomy
   2. Evangelicalism - personal saving faith rather than routine membership in the national church
   3. Fractured fellowships - Presbyterians & Anglicans especially

4. American Democracy
   • The American Colonies are religiously diverse and a refuge from persecution.
   • America is regarded as uncorrupted
   • American democracy appeared to be God’s government.
   • America was destined to be the land of the millennial dawn.

   Great Seal of the United States
   
   ANNUIT COEPTIS = He has smiled on our beginnings
   NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM = A New Order of the Ages
   “There’s an all-seeing eye ...”

   God’s Promised Land

   A battle flag of the Revolution read: “Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God”

   Freedom from Church Control

   • Casting out the Anglican Bishop (1769)
   • “No lords spiritual or temporal in New England!”
   • Banner: “Liberty and Freedom of Conscience.”

   The U.S. Constitution

   • If God-ordained nation was possible, why not religion?
   • Many churches organize to become independent American churches.

   Primitive Religion

   “When we shall have unlearned everything which has been taught since [Jesus’] day, and got back to the pure and simple doctrines ... if nothing had ever been added ... the whole world would at this day have been Christian.” -- Thomas Jefferson (1821)

   Christians Only

   • James O’Kelly (1735-1826)
   • Methodist; North Carolina & Virginia
   • “I am for Bible government, Christian equality, and the Christian name.”

   Religious Freedom

   • Abner Jones - Vermont
   • Elias Smith - New Hampshire
   • Baptists
   • New England Christian Connection
   

   Legacy of American Democracy

   1. Millennial expectations
   2. Independence from older state churches
   3. Primitive, simple religion
   4. Independent churches - religious freedom

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Evening Sermon, 9 March 2008

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