Mark G. Toulouse

I believe this is an important book to read by anyone interested in learning about the history and development of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Ecumenical, so called "mainline" churches such as this one have continued to experience a huge membership decline for 50 years or more.

While the book is beginning to be "long in the tooth," it still provides important information about the background and beginnings of this relatively new denomination. The author strives to describe the theological moorings as well as historical distinctives of the denomination.

Chapter 5 - The Eschatological Principle and Chapter 10 - What is the Role of a Denomination in a Post-Denominational Age? were added in the 1997 "revised and expanded" edition of the book.

The book is well researched and includes an index.… (more)

Considering its intended purpose -- to be a study guide for lay persons who are interested in learning something about the history of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) -- I gave the book four stars considering the magnitude of the task and the constraints imposed.

The 208 page book, which includes a nice six page index, consists of 14 chapters (to fit a quarterly study) that, after “Chapter 1: Disciples and History,” are grouped into five parts:

Part One – 1804-1832: Restoration Movements (five chapters, pp. 25-66)
Part Two – 1832-1861: A United Church Develops (two chapters, pp. 67-90)
Part Three – 1861-1906: Disagreement and Division (two chapters, pp. 91-112)
Part Four – 1890-1968: Culture and Theology in a Developing Church (three chapters, pp. 113-152)
Part Five – 1968-Present: Decline, Identity, and Unity in Diversity (two chapters, pp. 153-178)

I quote what I believe to be an important point that is included in Part Four: "By 1920, however, Disciples leaders were clearly set in their trajectory to join mainline Protestantism as full participants. As evangelical Protestantism divided into liberal and conservative streams during the first half of the century, Disciples paddled their boat toward the left fork." (p. 134) Some may believe that the "stream" has, over the years, become but just a "trickle" -- due to the significant and continuing decrease in the numerical size of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

A helpful Study Guide covers pp. 179-202. The author suggests five additional books be read as study aids:

a. Duane D. Cummins, The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation (Chalice Press, 2009).
b. Michael Kinnamon and Jan G. Linn, Disciples: Reclaiming Our Identity, Reforming Our Practice (Chalice Press, 2009).
c. Mark G. Toulouse, Joined in Discipleship: The Shaping of Contemporary Disciples Identity (Chalice Press, 1997).
d. Fran Craddock, Martha Faw, and Nancy Heimer, In the Fullness of Time: A History of Women in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (Chalice Press, 1999).
e. Douglas A. Foster, et. al., Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement (Eerdmans, 2005).

I am pleased to report that reviews of each of these books may be found at my LibraryThing site.

The author also includes teaching/learning goals and a lesson plan for each chapter. Each chapter closes with a brief list of books one may use for further reading and several questions for discussion.

The book is the third and final one in a series on the history of Stone-Campbell religious heritage churches, published by Abilene University Press. Several nice sketches and photos are included.

I believe that the book would nicely serve as a brief introduction to the history of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for teenage through adult learners.… (more)