Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Congregationalism
(734 words)

Congregationalism – from congregation – is a church polity in which individual congregations govern themselves and choose their own pastors, which they believe was the practice in the New Testament. It places great emphasis on the fellowship of believers who have entered into a covenant relationship with God. This conception often entailed separation of church and state (Church and state, separation of). In a broad sense, congregationalism is an umbrella term for many Christian denominations, including the Baptists. In a narrower sense, it refers to a denominat…

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Wallace, Dewey, “Congregationalism”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_022511>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



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