Congregationalist polity


Congregationalism is not limited only to organization of Christian congregations; the principles of congregationalism have been inherited by the Unitarian Universalist Association. Jewish synagogues in the U.S. operate under congregational government as well, with no hierarchies.

Theological foundations of congregationalism








Ministry and ordination in the Congregational Christian Churches/UCC

The understanding of ministry in the Congregational Christian Churches (pre-1957) generally followed a "priesthood of all believers" model in the sense that all Christians have ministry roles within the church, but that God calls certain people to be ordained ministers. The process of calling and ordaining ministers was managed by the congregation through an established system of process, but the ordination ceremony usually involved more than just the congregation calling the pastor. Typically, neighboring congregational churches within, originally, a vicinage council or, since the early 20th century, an association were invited to lay hands on the confirmed candidate, in a ceremony of ordination.

Since the formation of the United Church of Christ in 1957, most of the former CC churches largely follow a more centralized system coordinated by their associations and conferences to help them procure pastors or send candidates into the ministry from their churches, one largely designed to ensure a professional, credentialed pool of clergy. Meanwhile, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches and the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, two bodies formed in reaction to the dominant liberalism (in the first instance, political; the second, theological) of the majority of Congregationalists, have retained something closer to the older, more autonomous practices where associations do not supervise clergy.

Some other mainline groups governed by congregational polity, such as the American Baptist Churches USA, the Alliance of Baptists, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), employ a system of clergy placement and supervision similar to that of the UCC.

Congregationalism as a theory of union


An older, competing, but somewhat related theory, is sometimes called nationalism (in the Reformed churches tradition), or autocephaly (in the Eastern Orthodox Church tradition). Between these latter two there are further differences. In both nationalism and autocephaly, one unifying doctrine is given local expression, according to differences in language and customs. Autocephaly is strictly episcopal, and assures the self-government of distinct patriarchates within a structure of common doctrine, comparable practices, with some degree of mutual accountability through which they remain in communion with one another. In nationalism (in recent times, more accurately called "culturalism"), there is no institutional accountability to churches with separate general assemblies, although churches with separate histories typically form voluntary confederations with one another. Congregationalism, in contrast, guarantees a completely independent government for all of the uniting parties, down to the level of every local congregation.

The congregationalist principles of complete autonomy and strictly voluntary union produces a practically indescribable diversity of beliefs within the congregational unions. The UCC is the result of a union constructed according to congregationalist theory between the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. These uniting congregations were themselves the result of several previous unions. The General Council of Congregational Christian Churches was formed from a merger between the National Council of Congregational Churches and the General Convention of the Christian Church, also known as Christian Churches or Christian Connection (not to be confused with, although partially related to, the Disciples of Christ). The Evangelical and Reformed Church was the result of a partial union of the Reformed Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod of North America (a union of Lutherans and Reformed). The UCC is by far the most diverse of the Reformed churches in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, the United Reformed Church was formed in 1972 by the merger of the Presbyterian and the Congregational churches, on presbyterian principles of union but within a continuing congregational regard for local diversity.

Diversity and theology

Churches such as the Unitarian Universalists and the United Church of Christ are often reported by the press as being politically liberal. However, conservatives and more orthodox believers can also be found in large numbers in other congregations (in the UCC). In short, while the idea of congregationalism itself is tolerant of differences between congregations, this liberal theory in principle assures a place for both conservatives and liberals, as far as their uniting covenants allow. At least in principle, this kind of diversity may be regarded as both inevitable and tolerable under a congregational theory of union.

In theory, the UCC is tolerant of all types of theology. Paragraph 18 of the UCC constitution is a provision that was specifically requested by the Congregational Christian Churches, and it declares,

"The autonomy of the Local Church is inherent and modifiable only by its own action. Nothing in this Constitution and the Bylaws of the United Church of Christ shall destroy or limit the right of each Local Church to continue to operate in the way customary to it; nor shall be construed as giving to the General Synod, or to any Conference or Association now, or at any future time, the power to abridge or impair the autonomy of any Local Church in the management of its own affairs, which affairs include, but are not limited to, the right to retain or adopt its own methods of organization, worship and education; to retain or secure its own charter and name; to adopt its own constitution and bylaws; to formulate its own covenants and confessions of faith; to admit members in its own way and to provide for their discipline or dismissal; to call or dismiss its pastor or pastors by such procedure as it shall determine; to acquire, own, manage and dispose of property and funds; to control its own benevolences; and to withdraw by its own decision from the United Church of Christ at any time without forfeiture of ownership or control of any real or personal property owned by it.
In practice, some UCC ministers and congregations embracing conservative and/or evangelical theology have criticized the denominational leaders for representing a more "progressive" national identity through the Justice and Witness Ministries, the Open and Affirming program of the UCC Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (a lobbying group), and the "God is still Speaking" denominational advertising/identity campaign. As a result of their perceptions of the UCC, some congregations have sought refuge in other Congregationalist denominations such as the NACCC and the CCCC, or have opted to simply operate independently.

Baptist churches/Churches of Christ

Contrary to the congregationalism to which the above-mentioned churches adhere, congregationalism obtains in two large fundamentalist groups mainly found in the Southern U.S. A large number of Baptist churches and the Churches of Christ are two traditions whose churches stand autonomously from each other.

These churches have developed ideas about independence of congregational authority that are quite different from the UCC and its New England-heritage predecessors, usually deriving from intense convictions about supposed patterns of government among the early churches described in the New Testament. Both traditions were also shaped culturally by the agrarian traditions in the rural South from the late 19th through the middle 20th centuries, the poverty of which largely did not permit much of the population to acquire significant formal education. These conditions enabled preachers to disseminate highly sectarian viewpoints such as the Landmarkist Baptist movement and doctrinare Restorationism without significant opposition on the part of potential converts.

Independent Baptist churches and Churches of Christ typically do not condone the theories of unity and "merger" outlined above, as such consolidation constitutes a threat to the sovereignty of individual congregations. Interdenominational unity is generally eschewed; calls for tolerance are almost invariably viewed as attempts to weaken their distinctive doctrines and separatist ecclesiologies. Church government beyond the level of the congregation does not exist. Even in small towns or in rural areas, most independent Baptist and Churches of Christ preachers do not meet on a regular basis. Preachers are not formally ordained in the Churches of Christ, because of the belief that performance of such a rite would constitute a transcongregational authority. Practices likely vary on this point among independent Baptists, according to local customs.

The CoC base these convictions upon their general consensus that the New Testament practice of epistle-writing had some practical, doctrinal, or interpretational authority because the letters were written by apostles and/or those directly inspired by God, but do not retain similar authority in modern times. The practice of writing rather than meeting is what gave rise to a colloquial maxim that "Churches of Christ don't have Bishops; they have editors instead." These editors (usually elders) publish such magazines as the Gospel Advocate and the Herald of Truth. Other than these editors and the occasional lectureship (in which preachers from many churches come together to speak publicly on pressing issues), the only ways in which Churches of Christ generally coordinate is in disaster relief.

Such rigorous independence even extends to some CoC-founded colleges, such as Florida College, which does not accept donations from churches for fear of undue influence and because the college's leaders hold to a policy that strict adherence to certain Biblical passages does not permit churches to donate money to education. However, most mainstream universities and colleges affiliated with the Church of Christ, such as Pepperdine, Harding University, and Lipscomb University, do accept money from churches; the schools, in turn, generally reflect the peculiar doctrinal platforms of those contributing churches. The Churches of Christ have steadfastly refused to organize along national or regional lines.


Most Southern Baptist congregations and African-American Baptist churches, by contrast, generally relate more closely to external groups such as mission agencies and educational institutions than do those of independent persuastion. However, they adhere to a very similar ecclesiology, refusing to permit outside control or oversight of local affairs.

Congregation Polity as The Preferred Method of Government.

1. Seen in the installment of the Acts era church (6:1-6; 15:2-3) there was the formation of what we now call the congregational form of government. Though from biblical times there may seem to be evidences of Episcopal (Acts 14:23; 20:17,28; Titus 1:5) however, there are no longer apostles or delegated apostolic authority. There is however their instructions and guidelines concerning church government. Also of importance is the presbyterial form (Acts 15:6; 1 Timothy 4:14), but even in these instances, there is somewhat of an illusion to a congregation being involved.
2: Biblically the example of the body being the decision maker, though the pastor leads and shepherds (Acts 20:28-31), the body has a crucial part as well. Early on in the formation of church government, it was a combination of both the congregation and the leaders. It was the flock that chose the shepherd and in turn the leaders acted in accordance with the dictums and suffrage of the constituents. This is primarily seen in Acts 6 where with the election of the officers.
3: The Congregational form gives better opportunity for non-partisan choices. There is with the congregational structure no room for “favorites” or the “preferred”. The true leader and decision maker is Christ, who in turn works in the hearts and minds of the believers. Also notable is Colossians 2:18-20, which states that one who separates from the body and in turn attempts to go his own way, removes himself from both the “head” and the body. It can then be resolved then that it is Christ who holds his church body together and as one spiritually organic being offers sacrificial worship, personal edification, and worldwide evangelization. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).
4: The congregational government structure gives the best balance for being both organization and organism. The church is by no means just an organization, but rather in scripture we see it defined as an organism, a living breathing manifestation (1 Corinthians 12). So just as the body exists as one being, there are multiplicities of parts that work together in order for it to be one. In Acts 9:31 it says that the church “…grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” This then means that though the body follows the instructional and organization rules laid out in the New Testament, there is a livelihood that must be in the forefront of each individual, possessing heart and mind.

See also


Grudem, Wayne. Electronic Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Whitefish, MT, Bits & Bytes Computer Resources, 2000.
Horton, Stanley M., ed. Systematic Theology, A Pentecostal Perspective, rev. Springfield, MO: Logion Press, 1994.
Klaus, Byron D. Systematic Theology. Ed. Stanley M. Horton. Springfield, MI: Logion P, 2007. 567-96
Dusing, Michael L. Systematic Theology. Ed. Stanley M. Horton. Springfield, MI: Logion P, 2007. 525-66

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