Talk:Congregationalist polity
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I'm curious about how this article might be expanded to include the sort of Congregationalism that was characteristic of German Lutheranism and German Lutheran bodies in the United States. In German Lutheran style congregationalism, there seems to be the independence of the local church characteristic of English Puritan style congregationalism, but without necessarily the same theological rationale. Also, German Lutheran style congregationalism was/is much more clergy-centric than Purtian style congregationalism.
I don't know all the details necessarily to write this material myself, but think it might be a good rounding out of this article--it is still a form of congregationalist church governance, but somewhat different from that described already. Emerymat 22:03, 13 January 2006 (UTC)
Who on earth wrote this article? The understanding of Congregationalism is so very very wrong, it sure would be nice if the authors learned something about their subject and corrected it. You could start here: http://www.naccc.org/Cong_Way_Series/CWSMain.htm. You could also look here: http://oll.libertyfund.org/Home3/Author.php?recordID=0127 Nkb —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.131.243.206 (talk • contribs).
[edit] Further comments
I came to this article because I need to link to it to explain the polity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the polity of the Unitarian Universalist Association. I find several things lacking: 1. A mention of the congregationalist theory of ministerial ordination. It is the congregation who ordains the minister, not the presbytry or the bishop. This is one of the most important hallmarks of congregationalism, no? 2. A mention of the non-Christian churches that are congregationalist in their governance...specifically the Unitarian Universalist churches, congregations and fellowships, and the association that they have formed. There is the UUA in the USA, and then there are the Canadian UUs, and so on... The Christian assumptions and explanations need to be moderated and qualified because of this fact. Emyth 01:11, 2 April 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Distinctions between Presbyterian and Congregational polity
As a Catholic who has studied Calvin's ecclesiology but who is not familiar with the development and practice of it historically, I am unclear about the differences between Congregational and Presbyterian polities. The concept of the local congregation being the full expression of the Church and the founding covenant are clearly from him.
It would be helpful to myself and the average reader to have a "compare amd contrast" paragraph. Also, the supporting scriptures for this "primitive" form of the church would also be instructive.
Thanks, --Vaquero100 13:56, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
