Excerpt from Irenicum, to the Lovers of Truth and Peace: Heart-Divisions Opened in the Causes and Evils of Them; With Cautions That We May Not Be Hurt by Them, and Endeavours to Heal Them Hether the fie tryall of contention, or of perfeeution, greater, is hard to deter mine 5 God hath wrought to free us from the one, we have brought upon. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Denominations are one of the primary ways in which Christians attempt to live in a community based around God. Yet there is very little careful theological analysis of denomination available today. Between Congregation and Church offers a constructive theological understanding of denomination, showing its role as an intermediary structure between congregation and church. It places denomination and other intermediary structures within the doctrine of the church. Barry Ensign-George reviews work by theologians and church historians that can contribute to a constructive theological understanding of denomination. The book highlights particular developments in the history of the church that established preconditions for the emergence of denomination. Exploration of unity and diversity is central to this analysis, and individual chapters offer theological analyses of the unity and the diversity to which the Christians are called. Finally, denomination has often been a vehicle for sin, and the relationship between denomination and sin is considered. Between Congregation and Church addresses a major gap in contemporary theology: the failure to offer substantive theological analysis of denomination, a major way Christians together live their faith today.

Excerpt from Irenicum, to the Lovers of Truth and Peace: Heart-Divisions Opened in the Causes and Evils of Them; With Cautions That We May Not Be Hurt by Them, and Endeavors to Heal Them Oflniineflraeh hemehelped the {hooeof the reparation peace, I doe not finde my eet cut. Peace is; pretious to'me, i feele the fweetnefl'e of it 31 I am willing to do whati canto honour it The ubo lique: jarres, contentions, sdifiurbances' abroa in Church and Common-wealth are very griev'ous. They fay there are in the world fuch things in Families all'o, lhave brought here'fome water: if my line hid been longer, my'bucket had. Beene fuller. You have here what [delivered fome things are added, efpeeially quotations of Authors and Hilt'ories. When they grow. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Francis Asbury (1745-1816) was born in England and brought Methodism to North America during forty-five years of ministry. Methodists grew in number from six hundred when Asbury started to over two hundred thousand people in the movement by the time of his death. As he worked with total dedication to reform the nation and spread scriptural, personal, and social holiness throughout the land, he preached, petitioned to abolish slavery, and promoted Sunday schools to teach children reading and mathematics. As a key founder of the American Methodist movement, Asbury observed that it took only a few years for division to emerge among the most passionate and zealous followers of the Wesleyan way. So he repurposed and abridged two earlier works to create The Causes, Evils and Cures of Heart and Church Divisions. This book was recommended for study to early Methodists as a spiritual cure for the human tendency to love self and ideas more than we love others: our colleagues, our neighbors, and our enemies. The study questions found throughout this book are suitable for cultivating spiritual formation within individuals and among a community. As you read about these causes and evils that divide our hearts from each other, nearly every individual will recognize the need for personal improvement in thoughts, words, and deeds.