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TMI BlogCongregationalism and episcopalX X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Congregationalism has for its sign manual the words of Jesus: 'Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them'." In Black's Law Dictionary 'Congregation' is explained thus: "An assembly or gathering; specifically, an assembly or society of persons who together constitute the principal supporters of a particular Parish, or habitually meet at the same church for religious exercises." The word is explained in the Faiths of the World Vol.1 at page 589 thus: "This word, like the term Church (which see) is sometimes used in a more extended and at other times in a more restricted sense. In its widest acceptation, it includes the whole body of the Christian people. I ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Faiths of the World by James Gardner, Volume I, at page 836 as under:- "that form of church government which recognises a distinction of ranks among the ministers of religion, having as its fundamental article that a bishop is superior to a presbyter". 'Bishop' in the same book is defined as under:- "one who in Episcopalian churches has the oversight of the clergy of a diocese or district". These definitions of 'congregationalism' and 'episcopal' have been extracted to give an idea how the expressions are understood as the entire submission of autonomy of the Churches is based on whether the Parishes are congregational or episcopal. The basic or essential characteristic as appears from the ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... The essential features of Congregationalism are stated to be the autonomy or independence of the individual Churches or organisations, though in matters in which the individual charges are interested as a whole and in order to enable the churches to effectively fulfil their responsibilities, they may enter into unions. Congregationalims is stated to be the opposite of Episcopacy which means Government of the Church by the Bishops on the theory of apostolic succession. In other words, the Bishops are supposed to be the successors of the apostles of the Christ. The Congregationalism believe that every Christian has the right to perform all functions pertaining to the priestly office and permits the laymen to celebrate sacraments whereas in Ep ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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