Congregationalism

I

Introduction

Congregationalism, form of church government, or polity, in which each individual congregation or local church is fully self-governing. The term may be used either generically, or to refer to a specific historical development having its origin in English Puritanism, or to designate a particular denomination within that tradition.

II

Congregationalism as a Generic Term

In this sense, congregationalism contrasts with hierarchical polities, such as episcopacy and presbyterianism (see Church; Clergy). Episcopacy asserts that authority in the church is exercised by the order of bishops. Presbyterianism is organized into a hierarchical structure, which, in ascending order of its parts, consists of the local congregation, the presbytery (representing a number of congregations), the regional synod, and an overall general assembly. Each of these presbyterian bodies exercises a certain amount of authority over its constituent bodies. The differences among these polities may be illustrated by the power to ordain. In episcopacy, it rests with the bishops; in presbyterianism, it is by action of the presbytery; but in congregationalism, the local church may ordain its own minister. Congregationalism is the polity of many religious bodies besides those that have used the term congregational in the name of the denomination. These include the Baptists and the Unitarians.

III

Congregationalism as a Tradition

In a narrower sense, congregationalism is the polity of one wing of English Puritanism, and especially of those Puritans who migrated to New England in the 17th century. Older historical accounts often trace this congregationalism to Robert Browne, who argued as early as 1582 that the Church of England was so corrupt that true Christians should separate from it and form their own autonomous churches. His followers were accordingly referred to as Separatists. In the 17th century they joined with other dissenters and called themselves Independents.

IV

Essential Principles

In this early congregationalism, membership was restricted to those who were regenerated, or spiritually reborn, through a personal experience of conversion. The local church was constituted by a membership agreement called a covenant, and it had the authority to choose its own leaders and discipline its own members. Congregationalists also recognized the communion of the churches, that is, the obligation of autonomous churches to work together, and they insisted on a clear distinction between church and state. Restriction of membership to the regenerate was predicated on the Calvinist distinction between the elect and the nonelect (see Predestination); the intent was to try to make temporal distinctions accord with the eternal ones that would ultimately be revealed on Judgement Day. The covenant was a voluntary statement, by which the members agreed to work together in love and affection; originally it included no credal language and was not a test of correct belief. Discipline by the members and the choice of the minister by the church reflect attempts to correct abuses the Puritans found in the Church of England, where discipline by diocesan courts was ineffective and the appointment of clergy to their posts often was the prerogative of private patrons. The tendency of congregationalism to a narrow parochialism was in some measure counterbalanced by its emphasis on the communion of the churches. And while church and state were thought of as mutually supporting each other, neither was allowed to interfere in the internal affairs and independent operation of the other. These principles were regarded as scriptural, derived from the model of the churches in the New Testament.