Restorationism - Historical Models

Historical Models

The restoration ideal has been interpreted and applied in a variety of ways. Four general historical models can be identified based on the aspect of early Christianity that the individuals and groups involved were attempting to restore. These are:

• Ecclesiastical Primitivism;
• Ethical Primitivism;
• Experiential Primitivism; and
• Gospel Primitivism.

Ecclesiastical primitivism focuses on restoring the ecclesiastical practices of the early church. Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin and the Puritans all advocated ecclesiastical primitivism. The strongest advocate of ecclesiastical primitivism in the US was Alexander Campbell.

Ethical primitivism focuses on restoring the ethical norms and commitment to discipleship of the early church. The Anabaptists, Barton W. Stone and the Holiness Movement are examples of this form of restorationism. The movement often requires observance of universal commandments, such as Biblical Sabbath as given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the Hebrew calendar to define years, seasons, weeks, and days. Circumcision, animal sacrifices, and ceremonial requirements, as practiced in Judaism, are distinguished from the Ten Commandments, Noahide laws and High Sabbaths as given to, and in effect for, all humanity. The Sermon on the Mount and particularly the Expounding of the Law warn against antinomianism, the rejection of Biblical teachings concerning observance of the Law.

Experiential primitivism focuses on restoring the direct communication with God and the experience of the Holy Spirit seen in the early church. Examples include the Latter Day Saint movement of Joseph Smith, Jr. and Pentecostalism.

Gospel primitivism may be best seen in the theology of Martin Luther. Luther was not, in the strictest sense, a restorationist because he saw human effort to restore the church as works righteousness and was sharply critical of other Reformation leaders who were attempting to do so. On the other hand, he was convinced that the gospel message had been obscured by the Roman Catholic Church of the time. He also rejected church traditions and insisted on scripture as the sole authority for the church.

These models are not mutually exclusive, but overlap; for example, the Pentecostal movement sees a clear link between ethical primitivism and experiential primitivism.