Restoration Worship

The restoration movement of the early eighteenth century in Britain and the United States attempted to return to the practices of worship outlined in the New Testament. This movement has shaped the worship life of several Protestant groups that use the name "Christian Church" or "Church of Christ. " Worship practices of the restoration movement took shape during the eighteenth century, beginning in Britain. However, the idea of restoration can best be understood as a particular expression of the Reformation. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Knox sought, in various ways, to restore the faith and doctrine of the church to conformity with the Scriptures. During the 1600s, reformers shifted their attention to the issue of administration: Should the church be governed by bishops, by synods, or by independent congregations? Asking this question threatened the entrenched authority of state churches; spectacular power struggles typify Christianity during the seventeenth century. As opportunities …