Back to Restoration Movements Overview Divisions

Churches of Christ, the Christian Church, the Disciples of Christ, and the causes of division.

The Restoration Movement's plea for unity produced three distinct families. The Churches of Christ rejected instrumental music, missionary societies, and denominational structure as unauthorized by Scripture. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) accepted expedients and developed a denominational body, especially after the 1968 restructure. The independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ took a middle path, cooperating through agencies while keeping congregations autonomous. The same question that united the movement divided it: does the silence of Scripture permit, or forbid, what it does not command?

Division ClaimEach family claimed to be faithful to the original plea: the Churches of Christ by restoring the ancient order strictly, the Disciples by adapting the plea to a changing world, and the Christian Churches by cooperating voluntarily.

Main ReceiptsCensus records of 1906; the American Christian Missionary Society records after 1849; the 1968 Disciples restructure documents.

Live DisputeThe families still debate whether missionary societies, instrumental music, and denominational organization are scriptural, expedient, or forbidden, and which reading most truly honors the plea for unity.

Component Map

6 pieces that have to be kept distinct.

The Three FamiliesFrom the one 1832 union grew three traditions: the non-instrumental Churches of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and the independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

The Missionary Society DebateThe American Christian Missionary Society organized in 1849 began the controversy over whether Scripture authorizes such societies or whether congregations alone are authorized to do the work.

Instrumental MusicThe most famous division: Churches of Christ rejected instrumental music in worship as unauthorized, while Disciples and Christian Churches accepted it as an expedient.

The 1906 Census SplitThe United States Census of 1906 listed Churches of Christ as a separate body for the first time, marking the public separation of the conservative wing.

Restructure of 1968The Disciples of Christ adopted a covenanted, denominational structure in 1968; independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ refused it and remained autonomous.

Continuing DiversityAll three families continue the original plea in different ways, and each contains its own debates about authority, unity, and how strictly to restore the ancient order.

Receipt Trail

Start here before drawing conclusions.

The 1906 CensusThe official public record of the separation of Churches of Christ from the Disciples.

American Christian Missionary Society recordsDocuments of the 1849 organization that opened the society controversy.

1968 restructure documentsThe covenanted structure of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the reactions of the other families.