EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of articles on the various denominations in North America, written by Robert W. Caldwell III, who serves as professor of church history at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. What is Congregationalism? In church history, the term Congregationalism refers to that form of ecclesiastical polity (or church governance) which envisions the church’s spiritual authority to reside in the local congregation. According to Congregationalists, … [Read more...]

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a series of articles on the various denominations in North America, written by Robert W. Caldwell III, who serves as professor of church history at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In the previous article we examined Anglicanism (and its American counterpart, Episcopalianism) and observed that the denomination’s uniqueness stemmed from the way its founders sought to unite the best features of Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. They sought, … [Read more...]

This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. In recent columns, we explored the Incarnation – God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Before moving on in our study of the Trinity, we should note a number of heretical views that have plagued Christianity throughout its history. The church has effectively countered some of these false teachings, while others continue to rear … [Read more...]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a series of articles on the various denominations in North America, written by Robert W. Caldwell III, who serves as professor of church history at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Two hundred years ago frontier revivalist Barton Stone was fed up with Presbyterianism. He found the denomination too theological, too elitist, and out of touch with the common frontier folk he ministered to in southern Kentucky. His biggest problem was that he … [Read more...]