Nazarene fellowship
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The Nazarene fellowship is a small and widely scattered[1] offshoot from Christadelphians, being founded in 1873 by Edward Turney (1820-1879) of Nottingham and David Handley (1822-1886) of Maldon. They were sometimes called Renunciationists by Christadelphians as they had renounced Christadelphian teachings concerning the nature of man and the nature of Jesus Christ.
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[edit] History
Edward Turney was the editor of The Christadelphian Lamp (later renamed The Christian lamp). In 1873, two years after the death of Dr Thomas (founder of Christadelphians), Edward Turney and Robert Roberts (editor of The Christadelphian magazine) fell out over their understanding of the theological significance of the death of Christ. Roberts, without the assent of his "managing brethren" or the Birmingham ecclesia, unilaterally announced in The Christadelphian that he "withdrew fellowship" from Turney and all who held his beliefs. Andrew Wilson in The History of the Christadelphians 1864-1885 (Shalom Publications 1997) commented that "By this action, Roberts established a precedent for dealing with doctrinal dissidence ... However, stirring deep in the sensitivities of Roberts's brethren was the impression that this type of action was altogether too summary and abrupt amongst a congregation of brethren. In 1885, many Christadelphians reacted to a repetition of Roberts's conduct of 1873 by forming an entirely new sub-sect, known as the 'Suffolk Street fellowship'." (p.144).
The fallout for Christadelphians was significant. In 1872 more conversions to Christadelphianism (as baptisms) were recorded in Nottingham as a result of Turney's preaching than in Birmingham where Roberts was based. A similar situation occurred in Essex where all the baptisms prior to 1873 occurred at Maldon as a result of Handley's preaching. After 1873 the number of baptisms in Nottingham and Essex dropped off sharply, and the Christadelphian ecclesias in these areas never regained their momentum. Wilson noted that "Apart from the Inspiration Controversy, which came to a head in 1885, no other schism appears from official figures to have influenced the Christadelphian movement so much as the 'Clean Flesh' heresy" (by which he means Renunciationism. p. 345).
Edward Turney's main writings (still in print) were “The Sacrifice of Christ" (transcribed from a very long lecture delivered on Thursday 28 August 1873 in the Temperance Hall, Birmingham) and "The Two Sons of God". Robert Roberts' response to what he saw as Edward Turney's error is found in his booklet called The Slain Lamb.
David Handley while being a leading figure in the division later returned to Christadelphianism and was re-baptised by Christadelphians in London in 1881.
Other prominent figures in the Nazarene fellowship included Fred Pearce who was a miner from South Wales, and a very prolific writer. He communicated his thoughts to the Renunciationists through the Nazarene Fellowship Circular Letter, inviting correspondence and freely discussing Bible topics unhindered by sectarianism.
In the 1950s Ernest Brady, who had been a Christadelphian from his youth, came to the view that some Christadelphian doctrines were not supported by Scripture. He was turned out of that community but wrote more strongly than ever before through the medium of the Nazarene Circular Letter which, following the death of Fred Pearce, he edited for many years. Brady wrote extensively in opposition to Christadelphian teachings on the atonement, sin-in-the-flesh, God-manifestation, mortal resurrection, judgment and baptism, and he produced a large number of booklets dealing with these and other controversies. The Nazarene Circular Letter continues to this day. In his Thinking It Over (Birmingham, 1963) Brady noted from his discussions with Christadelphians on a private basis that "a large proportion of Christadelphians" were in agreement with Nazarene views. His works include Doctored Christadelphianism (1974) and the Gospel that is Never Preached (nd).
[edit] Beliefs
The Nazarene Fellowship states that it has no constitution, creed or statement of faith outside the pages of the Bible. It has reached its present understanding by reading and discussion of Scripture and study of any and every variety of opinion, past and present.
- That God is the creator and designer of the universe, and that He cares about the welfare of humankind.
- That God gave the Old Testament Scriptures to the Israelites through Moses and the Prophets and the New Testament Scriptures to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ and His Apostles.
- That the Bible is the only source of knowledge of God’s will and purpose with the earth; of the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.
- That Jesus will return to set up His Kingdom on the earth to rule the world from Jerusalem.
- That Jesus is the Messiah and Saviour; miraculously conceived and born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem; He grew up in Nazareth, and at age 30 He began His ministry of preaching and healing.
- That He was executed by crucifixion by the highest religious authority, the Sanhedrin; and the highest civil authority, the Roman governor representing the Emperor. After the crucifixion He remained in the tomb until the third day when He was raised to eternal life in an incorruptible body.
- Nazarene fellowship does not believe that Jesus existed before His conception and birth, nor that He became God incarnate nor that He is the second person of the Trinity. They reject the doctrine of the Trinity, which they believe was fabricated in the third century AD, and adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in the fourth century by a narrow margin of votes.
- That God's word existed in the beginning, then in the Apostle John's time God's Word was incarnate in the Jewish man Jesus, and the world beheld His glory. Though He was God's only-begotten Son, He did not have divine nature, but normal human nature during His earthly ministry.
- That the death of Jesus was a voluntary substitution for Adam and therefore for Adam’s descendants. They believe Jesus voluntarily paid the penalty of inflicted death which passed upon Adam for eating the forbidden fruit, but which God remitted so that Adam could live out his life. This penalty/debt, in due time, would be paid by God's sinless Son. Nazarene fellowship does not believe that Jesus’ death was a punishment inflicted on Him by God so that we might be forgiven: and they reject the Christadelphian teaching that Jesus death was necessary for His own salvation.
- That baptism must be by total immersion following a belief in Jesus, and a desire to make a commitment to Him and His teachings. Baptism is a public declaration that one accepts Jesus as their Saviour and as they go down into the water, it is a sign that they die to their old worldly way of life, and emerge from the water to a new life in Jesus.
- That the committed Christian should be involved in prayer, Bible study, righteous living, and witnessing wherever possible; always ready to give a reason for the hope within them.
- Nazarene fellowship does not concur with the popular theological concepts of immortal souls that after death go to a paradise in heaven beyond the skies; that there is a fiery hell where sinners will suffer eternal torment; or that baptism is valid by sprinkling or pouring on babies or young children or unbelievers.
