RESTORATIONISTS: Cane Ridge / Brethren /Irvingian

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

Romans 10:2

Restorationists stem from the early 1800's Restoration Movement to unify all of Christendom and prepare for the coming kingdom. 

1) At the time many were Post-Millennial and believed the 1,000 was about to begin on earth. It is sometimes referred to as the "Cane Ridge" Revival.

Today most are Amillennial but are divided between Free Will or Calvinism to a degree. 

It began with 3 revivals broke out (in the Ohio River valley, Appalachia and the backwoods of Vermont). When they found out about each other they joined as the Disciples of Christ. You only had to believe 4 things: 1) The Trinity 2) That Christ died and rose for your sins and 3) the virgin birth. Their Creed was "In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things love."

2) Another major attempt at unity was started between the Lutherans and Mennonites and spread to others. It called itself the United Brethren. They would later divide into the New Constitution (Liberal) and Old Constitution (Conservative). The United Brethren New Lights would later merge with the Methodists forming the United Methodists leaving the Old Constitution as todays United Brethren Church.

3) Irvingian: Started by Edward Irving. Began in the British Isles around the same time and came to America. The goal was to restore both Catholics and Protestants in unity to prepare for the Return of Christ. Before the Charismatic / Pentecostal Movement Irvingians already began "speaking in tongues". Like future Pentecostals they viewed it as the Gift of the Holy Spirit, but in this case for the unifying of the Church for the End. Also the only group on the continuum beyond the Anglicans that use the Apocrypha.

1) CANE RIDGE

Disciples of Christ Church (Liberal/Congregational)

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***Christian Union (Calvinistic)

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*      ***Churches of Christ in Christian Union (Arminian/Holiness)

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***Christian Church & Churches of Christ (Conservative/Non-Denominational)

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***Churches of Christ (Holiness/No Musical Instruments/Non-Denominational)

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        ***International Churches of Christ (allowed back Musical Instruments)

2) BRETHREN

United Brethren (Arminian/Conservative/General Conference)

3) IRVINGIAN

Catholic Apostolic Church (Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican Liturgies)

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***New Apostolic Church (Splinter group led by "Prophets" from Germany. Communion is the wafer with 3 dots of wine on it to represent the Trinity--adopted Dispensationalism after visiting the Plymouth Brethren in England. Became first Denomination in America to hold the view.)