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Non-denominational Christianity (ornondenominational Christianity) consists ofchurches, and individualChristians,[1][2] which typically distance themselves from theconfessionalism orcreedalism of otherChristian communities[3] by not formally aligning with a specificChristian denomination.[4]
In North America, nondenominational Christianity arose in the 18th century through theStone-Campbell Restoration Movement, with followers organizing themselves simply as "Christians" and "Disciples of Christ".[note 1][4][5][6][7] The nondenominational movement saw expansion during the 20th centuryJesus movement era, which popularizedcontemporary Christian music andChristian media within globalpop culture.[8][9][10]
Many nondenominational churches adhere tocongregationalist polity, while others are governed by elders. Some nondenominational churches are independent, while others cooperate in loose associations such as theChurches of Christ; in other cases, nondenominational churches are founded by individual pastors such asCalvary Chapel Association established byChuck Smith.[5] Some non-denominational churches have grown quite recently within networks likeActs 29.[11][12] Certain nondenominational churches are associated with various movements in Christendom, such asevangelicalism orCharismatic Christianity.[13][14][15][16][17]
Nondenominational Christianity first arose in the 18th century through theStone–Campbell Restoration Movement, with followers organizing themselves simply as "Christians" and "Disciples of Christ".[4][6][7] Congregations in this tradition of nondenominational Christianity often refer to themselves asChurches of Christ orChristian churches.[5] Sometimes the name "Independent Christian Church" is used to differentiate the congregation from theChristian Church (Disciples of Christ), the group of Stone–Campbell churches which formed a denomination over the course of the early and mid 20th century.
Independent nondenominational churches continued to appear in theUnited States in the course of the 20th century.[18]
Nondenominational congregations experienced significant and continuous growth in the 21st century, particularly in the United States.[19][20] In 2010, there were 35,496 nondenominational churches in the US with over 12 million congregants.[21]
If combined into a single group, nondenominational churches collectively represented the third-largest Christian grouping in the United States in 2010, after theRoman Catholic Church andSouthern Baptist Convention.[16]
In Asia, especially inSingapore andMalaysia, these churches are also more numerous, since the 1990s.[22]
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.[23] Like denominational congregations, nondenominational congregations vary in size, worship, and other characteristics.[24] Although independent, many nondenominational congregations choose to affiliate with a broader network of congregations.[24]
Many nondenominational churches can nevertheless be positioned in existing movements, such asEvangelicalism andPentecostalism, even though they are autonomous and have no formal labels.[25][26][27]
Nondenominational churches may include certainmegachurches, while other megachurches are affiliated with large denominations, such asFrazer Free Methodist Church.[28][29]
Certainneo-charismatic churches often use the termnondenominational to define themselves.[30]
Many non-denominational churches identify solely with Christianity, rather than a specific branch of it (Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy, and Restorationism).[31] Most "other Christians" in America belong to nondenominational churches.[32]
Citing data from theCooperative Congressional Election Study andGeneral Social Survey, political scientist and statisticianRyan Burge noted that nondenominational Christians are very similar toSouthern Baptists, but with some caveats. Burge writes, "Nondenominational churches are typically younger and more racially diverse than Southern Baptist churches. On religious matters, both groups attend church at the same rate, yet nondenominationals are more likely to hold a moderate theological position on the Bible than SBC churchgoers. Finally, when it comes to politics it seems that Southern Baptists and nondenominational Christians are very similar. Nondenominational parishioners are slightly more supportive of same-sex marriage and slightly less supportive of abortion rights, but these differences are small."[33]
Boston University religion scholarStephen 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 overallreligious literacy while increasing the potential for inter-religious misunderstandings and conflict.[34]
Steven R. Harmon, a Baptist theologian who supportsecumenism, 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 celebrateholy 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".[35] Harmon argues that the cause of Christian unity is best served through denominational traditions, since each "has historical connections to the church'scatholicity ... and we make progress toward unity when the denominations share their distinctive patterns of catholicity with one another".[35]
Presbyteriandogmatic 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".[36] Pauw considers denominationalism to be a "unifying and conserving force in Christianity, nurturing and carrying forward distinctive theological traditions" (such asWesleyanism being supported by Methodist denominations).[36]
In 2011, American evangelical professorEd Stetzer attributed toindividualism the reason for the increase in the number of evangelical churches claiming to be nondenominational Christianity.[37]
Ryan Burge argues that nondenominational churches are less equipped to monitor or report sexual abuse cases because they lack national organizations to do so. Because of nondenominational churches lack of organizational structure, accountability is minimal.[38]
In an article on evangelical clergy sex abuse inThe New Republic by Elle Hardy, religious studies scholar Matthew D. Taylor argues that the relative lack of accountability in nondenominational churches attract pastors "who are more megalomaniacal and authoritarian in their personality". Since nondenominational churches lack a hierarchy to answer to, pastors with authoritarian personalities are given more opportunities to exert power and control over their congregants. Nondenominational preachers claim to have oversight from their boards and mentorship from "spiritual parents", but these are usually people they know. Taylor argues, "They’re incentivized to protect their friends and protect the oligarchy. They all have a stake in it, and none of them have personal incentives other than principled theological convictions to actually hold their friends accountable, so that the incentives all push in the direction of abuse and cover-up rather than in the direction of accountability and exposure."[39]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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