One of those who read the blog added this insight, which is both helpful and valuable as he came from a Christadelphian family.
Christadelphians were founded in the nineteenth century by an English doctor, John Thomas, who was influenced by the Campbellites in the US. He concluded that in many respects the Christendom model of Christianity had deviated from the teaching of Jesus and the scriptures in a number of important respects.
Basically, salvation is by being baptised as a Christadelphian (as an adult, by full immersion), which conveys to the candidate forgiveness of their past sins; after that you need to keep your nose clean, though God does forgive minor sins. Like JWs and Mormons they are non-Trinitarian. Jesus is the son of God, but not God the Son, having no existence prior to his birth (well, maybe conception...). The Holy Spirit is simply an impersonal force or power of God at work in the world. These two things put them outside Nicene, orthodox Christianity.
Christadelphians also do not, as I recall, believe anyone goes to heaven. Death is a kind of "soul-sleep", after which everyone is raised in a general resurrection for judgement. Those who are condemned are annihilated (no Hell either); those who merit eternal life live that life on a renewed earth.
The restoration of the state of Israel was a big thing for them in the sixties - I imagine it is much the same today.
Christadelphians place great store in the Bible, but will argue that even the KJV (their favourite version in the 60s) has been inaccurately translated in some places.
Excellent - thank you!
ps. I've dated this earlier than the main piece so it should appear below it. Hope this works!
2 comments:
Christadelphians believe that God had Jesus in His plans, they do not accept that Jesus pre existed, Jesus was on God's mind so He existed only in God's mind. They are fanatical and fundamentalists. They attack most christian teachings as wrong.Some younger generation is more tolerant, they detest catholocism. I had many encounters with them and it is very hard to debate regarding Christ being Father and Son. They say Christ is devine now and is seated at the right hand of the Father, He will come to judge the worthy CD's and they will rull with Him in His earthly Kingdom for 1000 years. Some say others will be there as well. I was told when a member of my family passed away that they will not be resurected because they did not die in the "TRUTH" (meaning their beliefs),also I was told if I don't convert: I will not get salvation. To me they are elitists, self elevated and gratified people. I can understand that triune God is hard to comprehend, however you could see that God,Christ and Holy Spirit is one. I suppose if they have been preached for a long time their version, you need to be a very good theologian to tackle them and the debate would be endless.
The founder of CD's John Thomas refuted trinity, it's not in the Bible and He is correct, Nicean council more or less brought trinity in, however trinity was talked about. JT had his version: "God Manifestation". He said-" there are not three gods in the Godhead, nor are there three in manifestation, nevetheless the Father is God and Jesus is God, and we may add, so are all the brethren gods and a multitude which no man can number. The Godhead is the homogenous fountain of the Diety. These other Gods are the many streams which form this fountain flow". Also JT said about Jesus: "because born of the Spirit therefore God, because God is Spirit". If the trinity is hard to understand, then I don't know about GOD MANIFESTATION, which also is not in the Bible. One fundamentalist, fanatical religion which attack's christianity.
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