Christadelphians
Jon Mayled continues our series on off-mainstream groups and churches
CHRISTADELPHIANS HAVE NO CENTRAL AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH A STANDARDISED SET OF BELIEFS
The Christadelphians are a millenarian Christian group who hold a view of biblical Unitarianism. Christadelphian congregations are traditionally referred to as ‘ecclesias’ (ἐκκλησία) and until recently would not use the word ‘church’ because of its use in mainstream Christianity.
Millenarianism is the belief that a major transformation of society is coming and that afterwards things will be changed. Biblical Unitarianism is a Christian belief in which the Bible teaches that God is a singular person (the Father) and that Jesus is a distinct being (his son).
Christadelphian beliefs are based solely on the Bible (sola scriptura) and as such differ considerably from those of mainstream Christian denominations. They reject the Doctrine of the Trinity and the immortality of the soul.
John Thomas
John Thomas M. D. (1805–71) was the son of a dissenting minister. At 16 he began studying medicine in Chorley, Lancashire, and later continued his training at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ hospitals in London. He qualified as a surgeon and published learned medical articles in The Lancet.
In 1832 he emigrated to America. He narrowly escaped a shipwreck on the journey and determined to find out the truth about life and God. He did this through personal Bible study. He wanted to avoid the kind of sectarianism he had seen in England, and in America found sympathy with the Restoration Movement. The Restoration Movement rejected all creeds and looked for a reform based solely on the Bible.
As his personal beliefs developed, John Thomas started to question mainstream orthodox Christian beliefs. The Restoration Movement accepted his right to hold his own beliefs, but he then started to preach that they were essential to salvation and this led to a series of debates with a leader of the movement, Alexander Campbell. Thomas believed that scripture could not be used to support different beliefs, and that the movement’s leaders should continue to restore first-century Christian beliefs through a process of debate.
Thomas was baptised twice — the second time after renouncing the traditional beliefs he had previously held. He believed that the correct position to adopt was one based on an appreciation of the reign of Christ on the throne of David. This rejection of traditional beliefs eventually led to the Restoration Movement disfellowshipping (excommunicating) him.
Beliefs
Christadelphians have no central authority to establish a standardised set of beliefs, but there are formal statements. The central fellowship, the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith (BASF), has 30 doctrines to be accepted and 35 to be rejected.
Christadelphians refuse to take part in any military or police operation because they are conscientious objectors. Men and women are treated equally in all aspects of life and worship.
The following are core to Christadelphian beliefs.
The Bible
Christadelphian beliefs are based solely on the Bible; no other writings are inspired by God. They believe in biblical inerrancy in its original form and that there are later errors created by transcription or translation.
God
Christadelphians believe that God is the creator of all things and that he is a separate being from his son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is not understood to be a separate person as in the Trinity, but the power of God in creation and salvation. They do not believe that people need power, strength or guidance. Rather they have the spirit of the mind of God within them from reading the Bible.
Jesus
Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. He is the Son of Man because he was born of a human mother and Son of God because of his divine conception. He committed no sins and was therefore a perfect sacrifice for the salvation of humanity. Christadelphians believe God raised Jesus from death and gave him immortality. He will personally return to Earth to establish the kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of Israel restored.
Salvation
Humanity can be reconciled with God by becoming disciples of Jesus Christ — through belief in the Gospel, repentance and baptism by total immersion. After death, believers will know nothing until the resurrection at the second coming. The kingdom will be centred on Israel, but Jesus will also reign over all other nations on Earth.
The historic Commandments of Christ (1877) state the recognition of the importance of the biblical teaching on morality. Sexual relationships must be limited to heterosexual marriage, ideally between two baptised believers.
Traditional beliefs that are rejected
Christadelphians reject infant baptism, the divinity of Jesus, the possession of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the immortality of the soul, the personhood of the Holy Spirit and the preexistence of Christ. They teach that the word ‘devil’ is a reference to sin and human nature opposing God. ‘Satan’ is a reference to an adversary (good or bad). ‘Hell’ refers simply to death and the grave and is not a place of everlasting torment. Christadelphians do not believe that anyone will ‘go to Heaven’ after death. When Jesus comes back to Earth there will be a resurrection and God’s kingdom will be established here.
Development
The Christadelphian community in Britain originated from Thomas’ first lecturing tour (May 1848 to October 1850). His teachings were particularly popular in Scotland, and friends separated from their denominations to form groups of ‘baptised believers’. In 1849, Thomas completed Elpis Israel in which he laid out his beliefs about the principal doctrines found in the Bible.
Thomas did not seek to make disciples. Early groups who followed his teachings variously called themselves Baptised Believers in the Kingdom of God, Baptised Believers, Believers, Nazarines, Royal Association of Believers and The Antipas.
During the American Civil War (1861–65) church affiliation was required in the United States and in the Confederacy in order to register for conscientious objector status. In 1864 Thomas chose for registration purposes the name Christadelphian.
CHRISTADELPHIANS REJECT INFANT BAPTISM, THE DIVINITY OF JESUS, THE POSSESSION OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL, THE PERSONHOOD OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PRE- EXISTENCE OF CHRIST.
Robert Roberts (1839–98), a Scotsman, was certain that John Thomas had found the truth and continued the work of organising and establishing the Christadelphian movement. He edited Christadelphian Magazine (1864–98).
Today there are approximately 50,000 Christadelphians across 120 countries, including 18,000 in the UK.