A Podcast All About Christianity
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), often referred to as the Mormon Church, is one of the most significant religious movements to emerge from North America. With more than seventeen million members worldwide, it has grown from a small frontier movement into a global faith. Understanding its origins requires exploring the lives … Read More “The Origins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: From Joseph Smith to Brigham Young” »
Among the many unusual religious movements that emerged in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, few were as distinctive as the Shakers. Officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, the Shakers became famous for their ecstatic worship, communal living, celibacy, craftsmanship, and radical commitment to equality between men and women. At their … Read More “The Origins of the Shakers: Visionaries, Celibates, and Radical Communal Christians” »
The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is one of the most distinctive Protestant denominations to emerge in North America during the 19th century. Known for its emphasis on the Sabbath, health reform, and the imminent return of Jesus Christ, the movement arose out of a particular religious climate and has since grown into a global denomination … Read More “The Origins and Development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church” »
Christian Science is a religious movement that emerged in the 19th century, blending elements of Christianity, metaphysical healing, and idealist philosophy. It was founded by Mary Baker Eddy, who claimed to have discovered a spiritual system of healing based on the teachings of Jesus. This article explores the origins, inspirations, beliefs, and evolution of Christian Science, as well as what it looks … Read More “The Origins and Development of Christian Science” »
One of the most common sectarian religious groups that we might encounter are the Jehovah’s Witnesses. You likely have had them know at your door. But where did this group come from? They appeared for the first time in the nineteenth century. It was a time of expectation of Jesus’ return, of private Bible study … Read More “Origin of the Jehovah’s Witnesses” »
One of the most successful sects of Christianity is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called Mormons) founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the nineteenth century. Probably as a result of that success, it has spawned a number of sects of its own. The largest of these was originally called the Reorganized … Read More “What is the Difference Between the Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ?” »
Heresies have been connected to Christianity from the beginning. Because this is a historical more than theological blog, I’m defining a heresy as a smaller group breaking off from the main group with significantly different doctrines. Some time ago I taught a course on what are often called cults or sects. I was amazed at … Read More “Heresies: Now and Then” »
I am especially interested in the development of new religions in the 19th century, including the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. I taught a course on this for Tyndale University College. As a part of the background, I put together a bit of timeline of the major religious figures from the 19th century (and early 20th … Read More “Historical Timeline of Religion in the 19th Century” »
I just finished teaching a course on Contemporary Religious Movements at Tyndale University College. One of the things that I enjoyed about the course was seeing the connections between the different groups. We focused on groups that developed during the 19th and early 20th centuries. What was interesting was that there were two basic types of … Read More “Prophets and Bible Teachers in New Religions” »
