Restorationism
A perspective seeking to restore early Christian beliefs and practices.
Restorationism, also known as Christian primitivism, is a religious perspective holding that the early beliefs and practices of the followers of Jesus were either lost or adulterated after the deaths of his apostles, and therefore require restoration. It is a view that often seeks to correct faults or deficiencies in other branches of Christianity by appealing to the primitive church as a normative model. Efforts to restore an earlier, purer form of Christianity are frequently a response to denominationalism, with the motive being to tear down walls of separation by a return to the practice of the original, essential, and universal features of the Christian religion.
- field
- Christian theology and religious movements
- known_for
- Advocating restoration of primitive Christian beliefs and practices
- related_movements
- Stone–Campbell Movement, holiness movement, Latter Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians
- historical_models
- Ecclesiastical, Ethical, Experiential, Gospel Primitivism
- taxonomic_grouping
- One of six major groupings of Christianity
Lore & Background
Restorationism has been expressed to varying degrees in the theology of the Protestant Reformation, and Protestantism has been described as a form of Christian restorationism, though some forms—for example the Churches of Christ—are more restorationist than others. Historical movements described as restoration movements include the Glasites in Scotland and England, the independent church led by James Haldane and Robert Haldane in Scotland, the American Restoration Movement, the Landmarkists, and the Mormons. The term has also been used by more recent groups describing their goal to re-establish Christianity in its original form, such as some anti-denominational Charismatic Restorationists that arose in the 1970s in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
Reader's Guide
Restorationism has been interpreted and applied in a variety of ways, with four general historical models: Ecclesiastical Primitivism (focusing on restoring ecclesiastical practices), Ethical Primitivism (focusing on ethical norms and discipleship), Experiential Primitivism (focusing on direct communication with God and the Holy Spirit), and Gospel Primitivism (focusing on the gospel message obscured by tradition). These models are not mutually exclusive but overlap; for example, the Pentecostal movement sees a clear link between ethical and experiential primitivism. The term has also been used more narrowly to describe a number of unrelated non-Trinitarian movements, such as the Christadelphians, Swedenborgians, Irvingians, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, La Luz del Mundo, and Iglesia ni Cristo. In this sense, Restorationism has been regarded as one of the six taxonomic groupings of Christianity: the Church of the East, Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Restorationism. These groups share a belief that historic Christianity lost the true faith during the Great Apostasy and that the Church needed to be restored.
Did You Know?
- Restorationism is also called Christian primitivism.
- The term has been used in reference to the Stone–Campbell Movement in the United States.
- Some Restorationist groups, such as the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), do not keep membership rolls.
- The term 'restorationism' can also include the belief that the Jewish people must be restored to the promised land before the Second Coming of Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Restorationism in Christianity?
Restorationism is a theological stance arguing that the original teachings and worship practices of Jesus's earliest followers were corrupted or lost after the apostolic era, and that the church must deliberately recover that earlier form. It is recognized as one of the six broad taxonomic categories used to classify Christian traditions.
Which well-known movements fall under the Restorationist umbrella?
The Stone–Campbell tradition (Churches of Christ, Christian Church), the Latter Day Saint movement, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Christadelphians, and various holiness denominations are all commonly cited as Restorationist expressions. Each claims to be rebuilding what it sees as a more authentic version of first-century Christianity.
What problem is Restorationism primarily trying to fix?
At its core, Restorationism pushes back against denominationalism—the fragmentation of Christianity into competing human institutions. Restorationists believe that returning to apostolic-era practices can dismantle the artificial walls separating Christian groups.
What are the main models or types of Restorationism?
Scholars typically sort Restorationist approaches into four patterns: Ecclesiastical (restoring church structure), Ethical (restoring moral standards), Experiential (restoring spiritual experience), and Gospel Primitivism (restoring the original gospel message). A single movement may blend several of these at once.
How does Restorationism differ from the Reformation or liberal theology?
While the Reformation sought to reform an existing institution and liberal theology tends to adapt Christianity to modern thought, Restorationism rejects the current institutional form entirely and looks backward to the apostolic period as the binding standard. Its normative anchor is the concrete practice of the first-century community rather than a council, confession, or philosophical framework.
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