1500 to 1800 Europe, Going to America, and the English version of the Bible
As we begin to look at Christianity going to America, let's wrap up the Reformation in Europe with an emphasis on what happened in England.
England was a power house. There were breakaway groups from the Catholic church and Lutheranism was gaining popularity in the mid to late 1500s. By 1600 it was on equal ground in some European communities as Roman Catholism.
It is important to note how the Bible went from only the priest being able to read it to every home having a copy.
List translations here.
The English Bible
John Wycliff
William Tyndale
Miles Coverdale - 1535
Matthew’s Bible - 1537 (a reprint of Tyndale)
Great Bible - 1539
Geneva NT- first to have verses.
Bishop's Bible
King James
Revised
American Revised
More info
https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/how-we-got-our-bible-timeline
John Wesley and his followers had a big impact on creating the denominations we have today. His group became known as the Methodist because they focused on the method of worship.
From the Reformation to the 1800s the tendency was to divide into more and more denominations. Since the 1800s to the 1950s the tendency has been towards unity.
Proposed basis for unity can be classified into three concepts: authoritarian, interdenominational and nondenominational or non denominational.
Authoritarian concept is seen with the Roman Catholic church. The basis of unity is an agreement with the Roman church. One must accept the Doctrine and Organization of the church and submit to rule of the Roman hierarchy.
Interdenominational basis for unity rests upon the premise that Christianity contains no divine pattern or organization, doctrine or worship.
Undenominationalism is the philosophy that the New Testament is the revealed Word of God and calls upon man to intelligently search the Bible to find the pattern? Organization, doctrine, worship, and work of the New Testament church.
Sincere Christians have had the goal in every age to be undenomenational. The early reformers had no intention of forming denominational churches. Luther told his followers to call themselves Christians- not Lutherans. The followers of these great institutions however crystalize their progress by institutionalizing their fellowship. Those that succeeded them referred to their interpretations and defended their conclusions.
However not all me were so content. Independently some emerged to reevaluate the past in light of scripture and search for the ancient order, the New Testament pattern.
Key individuals who worked on the Restoration of the NT church in America.
James O'Kelley
Abner Jones
Barton W Stone
John Wright
Thomas Campbell
