Nondenominational Christianity

{{Short description|Churches which are not aligned to a Christian denomination}}
{{globalize|seems to deal with the US only|date=September 2023}}
{{Christianity}}
'''Nondenominational Christianity''' (or '''non-denominational Christianity''') consists of [[Simple church|church]]es, and individual [[Christians]],<ref name="Silliman 1970">{{cite web | last=Silliman | first=Daniel | title=‘Nondenominational’ Is Now the Largest Segment of American Protestants | website=News & Reporting | date=January 1, 1970 | url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/november/religion-census-nondenominational-church-growth-nons.html | access-date=March 9, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Anderson 2003 w223">{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=George M. | title=Of Many Things | website=America Magazine | date=December 8, 2003 | url=https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/463/many-things/many-things | access-date=March 9, 2024}}</ref> which typically distance themselves from the [[confessionalism (religion)|confessionalism]] or [[creed]]alism of other [[Christianity|Christian]] communities<ref>Confessionalism is a term employed by historians to refer to "the creation of fixed identities and systems of beliefs for separate churches which had previously been more fluid in their self-understanding, and which had not begun by seeking separate identities for themselves—they had wanted to be truly Catholic and reformed." (MacCulloch, ''The Reformation: A History'', p. xxiv.)</ref> by not formally aligning with a specific [[Christian denomination]].<ref name="Hughes1997"/> According to [[Arizona Christian University]]'s Cultural Research Center, nondenominational faith leaders typically maintain a [[Christian worldview|biblical worldview]] at higher percentages than those of other Christian groups.<ref name="Foley 2022">{{cite web | last=Foley | first=Ryan | title=Nondenominational pastors found to hold more biblical views than pastors of other denominations: survey | website=Christian Post | date=September 4, 2022 | url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/nondenominational-pastors-most-likely-to-have-biblical-views-crc-survey.html | access-date=March 9, 2024}}</ref>

In North America, nondenominational Christianity arose in the 18th century through the [[Restoration Movement]], with followers organizing themselves simply as "[[Christians (Stone Movement)|Christians]]" and "[[Disciples of Christ (Campbell Movement)|Disciples of Christ]]".{{refn|group=note|The first nondenominational Christian churches which emerged through the [[Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement]] are tied to associations such as the [[Churches of Christ]] or the [[Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)]].<ref name="Hughes1997"/><ref name="Barnett2020"/>}}<ref name="Hughes1997">{{cite book |title=The Journal of American History |date=1997 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page=1400 |language=en |quote=Richard T. Hughes, professor of religion at Pepperdine University, argues that the Churches of Christ built a corporate identity around "restoration" of the primitive church and the corresponding belief that their congregations represented a nondenominational Christianity.}}</ref><ref name="Barnett2020"/><ref name="HughesRoberts2001"/><ref name="Cherok2011"/> The nondenominational movement saw expansion during the 20th century [[Jesus movement]] era, which popularized [[contemporary Christian music]] and [[Christian media]] within global [[pop culture]].<ref name="Young 2017">{{cite web | last=Young | first=Neil J. | title=The Summer of Love ended 50 years ago. It reshaped American conservatism. | website=Vox | date=August 31, 2017 | url=https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/8/31/16229320/summer-of-love-jesus-people-religious-right-history | access-date=March 9, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Norcross 2023">{{cite web | last=Norcross | first=Jonathon | title=The Incredible True Story Behind 'Jesus Revolution' | website=Collider | date=March 2, 2023 | url=https://collider.com/jesus-revolution-true-story/ | access-date=March 9, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Cluver 2021">{{cite web | last=Cluver | first=Ross | title=LoveSong: The Music. The Ministry. The Movement | website=CCM Magazine | date=December 13, 2021 | url=https://www.ccmmagazine.com/features/lovesong-the-music-the-ministry-the-movement/ | access-date=March 9, 2024}}</ref>

Nondenominational churches adhere to [[congregationalist polity]], every local church is independent, take for example [[cowboy church]]es. Often congregating in loose associations such as the [[Churches of Christ]], or in other cases founded by individual pastors such as [[Chuck Smith (pastor)|Chuck Smith]]'s [[Calvary Chapel Association]], few are affiliated with historic denominations,<ref name="Barnett2020">{{cite web |last1=Barnett |first1=Joe R. |title=Who are the Churches of Christ |url=https://www.southsidehopkinsville.com/who-are-the-churches-of-christ/ |publisher=Southside Church of Christ |access-date=7 December 2020 |language=en |date=2020 |quote=Not A Denomination: For this reason, we are not interested in man-made creeds, but simply in the New Testament pattern. We do not conceive of ourselves as being a denomination–nor as Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish—but simply as members of the church which Jesus established and for which he died. And that, incidentally, is why we wear his name. The term “church of Christ” is not used as a denominational designation, but rather as a descriptive term indicating that the church belongs to Christ.}}</ref> but many adhere to a form of [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Christianity]].<ref name="Nash2020">{{cite web |last1=Nash |first1=Donald A. |title=Why the Churches of Christ Are Not A Denomination |url=https://www.thecra.org/files/WhyNotDenom.pdf |publisher=The Christian Restoration Association |access-date=7 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>Allan Anderson, ''An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity'', Cambridge University Press, UK, 2013, p.  157</ref><ref name="Pew Research Center/ America's Changing Religious Landscape>{{cite web|url=https://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/appendix-b-classification-of-protestant-denominations/|title=Appendix B: Classification of Protestants Denominations|date=12 May 2015|publisher = Pew Research Center - Religion & Public Life / America's Changing Religious Landscape|access-date= 13 October 2019}}</ref><ref>[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cong/nondenom.html Nondenominational Congregations Research at Hartford Institute for Religion Research website]. Hirr.hartsem.edu. Retrieved on 2010-11-03.</ref> Though some non-denominational churches have elder-ruled non-denominational churches have grown quite recently within networks like [[Acts 29]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.acts29.com/about-us/distinctives/ | title=Distinctives }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.acts29.com/faq/#:~:text=Acts%2029%20is%20not%20a,desire%20to%20join%20Acts%2029 | title=FAQ }}</ref>

==History==
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| footer            = [[Alexander Campbell (minister)|Alexander Campbell]] and [[Barton Stone]] believed in a nondenominational Christianity, which they spread in what is known as the [[Restoration Movement]].<ref name="HughesRoberts2001">{{cite book |last1=Hughes |first1=Richard Thomas |last2=Roberts |first2=R. L. |title=The Churches of Christ |date=2001 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-23312-8 |page=63 |language=en|quote=Barton Stone was fully prepared to ally himself with Alexander Campbell in an effort to promote nondenominational Christianity, though it is evident that the two men came to this emphasis by very different routes.}}</ref><ref name="Cherok2011">{{cite book |last1=Cherok |first1=Richard J. |title=Debating for God: Alexander Campbell's Challenge to Skepticism in Antebellum America |date=14 June 2011 |publisher=[[ACU Press]] |isbn=978-0-89112-838-0 |language=en |quote=Later proponents of Campbell's views would refer to themselves as the “Restoration Movement” because of the Campbellian insistence on restoring Christianity to its New Testament form. ... Added to this mix were the concepts of American egalitarianism, which gave rise to his advocacy of nondenominational individualism and local church autonomy, and Christian primitivism, which led to his promotion of such early church practices as believer's baptism by immersion and the weekly partaking of the Lord's Supper.}}</ref>
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[[File:LEAKEY'S CHURCH OF CHRIST AFTER SUNDAY SERVICES - NARA - 546233.jpg|thumb|Christians gather at a nondenominational congregation of the [[Churches of Christ]] in [[Texas]]]]
Nondenominational Christianity first arose in the 18th century through the [[Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement]], with followers organizing themselves simply as "[[Christians (Stone Movement)|Christians]]" and "[[Disciples of Christ (Campbell Movement)|Disciples of Christ]]".<ref name="Hughes1997"/><ref name="HughesRoberts2001"/><ref name="Cherok2011"/> Congregations in this tradition of nondenominational Christianity often refer to themselves as [[Churches of Christ]].<ref name="Barnett2020"/>

Independent nondenominational churches continued to appear in the [[United States]] in the course of the 20th century.<ref>Roger E. Olson, ''The Mosaic of Christian Belief'', InterVarsity Press, USA, 2016, p. 43</ref>

Nondenominational congregations experienced significant and continuous growth in the 21st century, particularly in the United States.<ref> Aaron Earls, [https://research.lifeway.com/2017/08/08/what-does-the-growth-of-nondenominationalism-mean/ What Does the Growth of Nondenominationalism Mean?], research.lifeway.com, USA, August 8, 2017</ref><ref>Vincent Jackson, [https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/how-non-denominational-churches-are-attracting-millennials/article_309ceeb6-5908-551f-882f-acf0c8a8a9a3.html How non-denominational churches are attracting millennials], pressofatlanticcity.com, USA, February 2, 2017</ref> If combined into a single group, nondenominational churches collectively represented the third-largest Christian grouping in the United States in 2010, after the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and [[Southern Baptist Convention]].<ref>[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cong/nondenom.html Nondenominational & Independent Congregations], Hartford Seminary, Hartford Institute for Religion Research.</ref>

In Asia, especially in [[Singapore]] and [[Malaysia]], these churches are also more numerous, since the 1990s.<ref>Peter C. Phan, ''Christianities in Asia'', John Wiley & Sons, USA, 2011, p. 90-91</ref>

== Characteristics ==
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| footer            = [[Church service|Worship services]] at [[Christ's Commission Fellowship]] in the Philippines (top) and [[Lakewood Church]] in the U.S. (bottom)
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Nondenominational churches are by definition not affiliated with any specific denominational stream of Christianity, whether by choice from their foundation or because they separated from their denomination of origin at some point in their history.<ref>Gabriel Monet, L'Église émergente : être et faire Église en postchrétienté, LIT Verlag Münster, Switzerland, 2013, p. 135-136</ref> Like denominational congregations, nondenominational congregations vary in size, worship, and other characteristics.<ref name=MeidingerGoreharm>Nicole K. Meidinger & Gary A. Goreharm, "Congregations, Religious" in ''Encyclopedia of Community: From the Village to the Virtual World'' (Vol. 1: eds Karen Christensen & David Levinson: SAGE, 2003), p. 333.</ref> Although independent, many nondenominational congregations choose to affiliate with a broader network of congregations.<ref name=MeidingerGoreharm/>

Many nondenominational churches can nevertheless be positioned in existing movements, such as [[Evangelicalism]] and [[Pentecostalism]], even though they are autonomous and have no formal labels.<ref>Pew Research Center, [http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/appendix-b-classification-of-protestant-denominations/ AMERICA'S CHANGING RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE], pewforum.org, USA, May 12, 2015</ref><ref>Ed Stetzer, [https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/12/living/stetzer-christian-nones/index.html The rise of evangelical 'nones'], cnn.com, USA, June 12, 2015</ref><ref>Peter C. Phan, ''Christianities in Asia'', John Wiley & Sons, USA, 2011, p. 90</ref>

Nondenominational churches are particularly visible in the [[megachurch]]es.<ref>Sébastien Fath, ''Dieu XXL, la révolution des mégachurches'', Édition Autrement, France, 2008, p. 25, 42</ref><ref>Bryan S. Turner, Oscar Salemink, ''Routledge Handbook of Religions in Asia'', Routledge, UK, 2014, p. 407</ref>

The [[Neo-charismatic movement|neo-charismatic]] churches often use the term ''nondenominational'' to define themselves.<ref>Allan Anderson, ''An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity'', Cambridge University Press, UK, 2013, p.  66</ref>

Some non-denominational churches identify solely with Christianity.<ref> Walter A. Elwell, ''Evangelical Dictionary of Theology'', Baker Academic, USA, 2001, p. 336-337</ref>

==Criticism==
[[Boston University]] religion scholar [[Stephen Prothero]] argues that nondenominationalism hides the fundamental theological and spiritual issues that initially drove the division of Christianity into denominations behind a veneer of "Christian unity". He argues that nondenominationalism encourages a descent of Christianity—and indeed, all religions—into comfortable "general moralism" rather than being a focus for facing the complexities of churchgoers' culture and spirituality. Prothero further argues that it also encourages ignorance of the Scriptures, lowering the overall religious literacy while increasing the potential for inter-religious misunderstandings and conflict.<ref>{{cite book|last=Prothero|first=Stephen|author-link=Stephen Prothero|title=Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know - and Doesn't|year=2007|publisher=HarperOne|location=[[New York City|New York]]|isbn=978-0-06-084670-1}}</ref>

Steven R. Harmon, a Baptist theologian who supports [[ecumenism]], argues that "there's really no such thing" as a nondenominational church, because "as soon as a supposedly non-denominational church has made decisions about what happens in worship, whom and how they will baptize, how and with what understanding they will celebrate [[holy communion]], what they will teach, who their ministers will be and how they will be ordered, or how they relate to those churches, these decisions have placed the church within the stream of a specific type of denominational tradition".<ref name=Harmon>Steven R. Harmon, ''Ecumenism Means You, Too: Ordinary Christians and the Quest for Christian Unity'' (Cascade Books, 2010), pp. 61-62.</ref> Harmon argues that the cause of Christian unity is best served through denominational traditions, since each "has historical connections to the church's [[catholicity]] ... and we make progress toward unity when the denominations share their distinctive patterns of catholicity with one another".<ref name=Harmon/>

[[Presbyterian]] [[Dogmatic theology|dogmatic theologian]] Amy Plantinga Pauw writes that Protestant nondenominational congregations "often seem to lack any acknowledgement of their debts and ties to larger church traditions" and argues that "for now, these non-denominational churches are living off the theological capital of more established Christian communities, including those of denominational Protestantism".<ref name=Pauw>Amy Plantinga Pauw, "Earthen Vessels: Theological Reflections on North American Denominationalism" in ''Theology in Service to the Church: Global and Ecumenical Perspectives'' (ed. Allan Hugh Cole: Cascade Books, 2014), p. 82.</ref> Pauw considers denominationalism to be a "unifying and conserving force in Christianity, nurturing and carrying forward distinctive theological traditions" (such as [[Wesleyanism]] being supported by Methodist denominations).<ref name=Pauw/>

In 2011, American evangelical professor [[Ed Stetzer]] attributed to [[individualism]] the reason for the increase in the number of evangelical churches claiming to be nondenominational Christianity.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stetzer |first1=Ed |title=Do Denominations Matter? |url=https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-blogs/154507-ed_stetzer_do_denominations_matter.html |website=ChurchLeaders.com |access-date=30 December 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Evangelical Christianity|Christianity|Religion}}
* [[Evangelicalism]]
* [[Protestantism in the United States]]
* [[History of Protestantism in the United States]]
* [[Community Church movement]]
* [[Jesuism]]
* [[Local churches (affiliation)|Local churches]]
* [[Non-church movement]]
* [[Non-denominational Muslim]]
* [[Non-denominational Judaism]]
* [[Postdenominationalism]]
* [[Sunday Christian]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cong/nondenom.html Nondenominational Congregations Study]

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[[Category:Ecclesiology]]
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