Apostolic Christian Faith

Overview:

10 page paper written for Power, Culture and Ideology class. Explains the origin of the Apostolic Christian Church. Also tries to explain the beliefs, activities, and symbols associated with this faith. Includes 4 references.

Paper:

Origin

Samuel Froehlich, a young seminary student in Switzerland, founded the Apostolic Christian church in the 1830's. His goal was to organize a church based on a literal interpretation of the Bible (Welcome Book). He emphasized the verse, "...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Welcome Book) Froehlich began preaching this gospel in private houses and open fields. He was constantly in danger of being jailed for this, and had to travel at night to avoid being arrested (Philtoth.com). He married, but because he did not belong to the Protestant State Church the officials did not recognize his marriage as legitimate. His wife was thrown in jail for prostitution every time one of their children was born. In 1844 he was finally banished to France (Philtoth.com). Over the next thirty-five years, 110 congregations were formed in Europe (Welcome Book).

Froehlich's attitudes and Biblical understandings were shaped in part by the Anabaptists. These were radical reformers of the sixteenth century. The Anabaptists believed that scriptures alone constituted the only true foundation for life, and they were to be strictly followed (Welcome Book). The church has continued to follow New Testament teachings, and to regard the entire word of the Bible as infallible and inerrant.

The church was known in Europe as Evangilical Baptist, but became known in America as Apostolic Christian. The name, Apostolic Christian, was chosen because the church follows the teaching of Christ and the Apostles (Welcome Book). The first Apostolic Christian church of America was established in New York in 1847. A year later, another church was formed...