Restoration Theory Part 2
Churches of Christ as an institution were officially recognized in 1906, but historically are rooted in the Restoration Movement. In my 30 years as a Church of Christ member, I’ve discovered three origination theories of the Church of Christ. These are, Remnant Theory, Seed Theory, and Restoration Theory. This entry will focus on Remnant Theory.
I grew up on Remnant Theory. As a child, I went to a Church of Christ which had on its sign “Established AD 33.” The idea is that Church of Christ existed continuously from AD 33 (See Fig. 1).
Keith Sisman in his work Traces of the Kingdom attempts to highlight churches of Christ before the Restoration Movement. Most of his cases are from England and Scotland in the 1600’s. However his examples relate commonly to Calvanist or proto-Baptist movements.
This isn’t really different from the Trail of Blood as written by Baptist James Carroll. (See Fig. 2). Carroll attempts to show Baptists were always around, just under different names. But a close study of these groups such as the Donatists shows they were as far from Baptist theology as a cat is from a rock.
I will concede that the name Church of Christ can certainly be found before the Restoration Movement, but a name of a church is not enough evidence to conclude they teach what the Churches of Christ teach today. If Church of Christ teachings existed before the Restoration Movement, then we should find proof of it. Sermons, minutes, journals, diaries, court trials, legal documents, testaments of enemies and neutral observers. If the Church of Christ truly has preserved the teachings of the early Church, we should see clear examples of this preservation and identical Gospel message throughout history. If worship requires a certain order, than that order should be visibly advocated and witnessed by its members.
If I claimed the United States existed before 1776, and dates back to the days of Rome, I would need to show archaeological and narrative evidence to back my claim. I would need to show the current US government, the political boundaries, and infrastructure existed since the 1st century. But any history book will tell you the first shots in Lexington and Concord as well as the Continental Congress’s signature on the Declaration of Independence is when the United States was born.
There is no credible historical record of the United States existing as political entity before 1776 just as there is no record of Baptist Churches nor Churches of Christ existing before the Restoration Movement. If we are going to be honest with history, than we at least have to say that the evidence supporting Remnant Theory is at best circumstantial. The Catholic Church is visible in history, both in its theology and its works on Earth. It has hospitals, schools, and martyrs to mark it in history. Clear evidence supports the Catholic Church has the stronger claim to the AD 33 date.
Fig. 1
This tract by Glad Tidings Publishing implies Churches of Christ are the original 1st century Church, and the Catholic Church broke off of their movement (GTP, n.d.).
Fig. 2
This poster written by James Carroll, implies the Baptist Church pre-dates all other Churches, including the Catholic Church. Under this view, the Baptist Church as founded in AD 33 (Carroll, 1931).
References
Carroll, J. (1931). Landmark Missionary Baptist Church. https://www.landmark-lakewood.org/trailofblood-chart.php
GTP. (n.d.). Glad Tidings Publishing. https://gladtidingspublishing.com/products/bookmark-0023