The Cambridge Platform
Encyclopedia
The Cambridge Platform was a doctrinal statement for the Puritan Congregational church
es in Colonial America
. It was drawn up in August, 1648 by a synod
of ministers from Massachusetts
and Connecticut
, which met pursuant to a request of the Massachusetts General Court
. The New England
authorities desired a formal statement of polity and a confession of faith because of the current Presbyterian ascendancy in England
and the activities of local Presbyterians such as Dr. Robert Child.
The declaration endorsed the Westminster Confession -- except with regard to ecclesiastical organization, instead upholding the existing Congregational form of church governance
followed by the pilgrims and Puritans. "There is no greater church than a congregation which may ordinarily meet in one place" it says, indicating that the congregation itself is the highest level of ecclesiastical authority. The Cambridge Platform remained the standard formulation in Massachusetts through the 18th century and in Connecticut until the Saybrook Platform
of 1708.
It makes a clear distinction between the power of the state and that of the congregation. While a civil magistrate is obliged to follow a Christian life, and while the magistrate does have the power to convene a church synod for the purposes of admonishing a church or removing it from the communion of churches, the civil magistrate should have no power within the governance of the church itself, nor compel people to attend. The platform is at pains to say that church government stands in no opposition to civil government. That said, this separation of church and state is vastly different than what one finds by the 19th century in America. For example, the platform urges that "idolatry, heresy, blasphemy... open contempt of the word preached, profanation of the Lord's Day... and the like are to be restrained and punished by civil authority."
The preface takes pains to respect the Westminster Confession in all ways except with regard to governance—there are just three chapters of the Westminster Confession that are being disagreed with. It also urges that it is not in any way advocating any schism, change, or revolution in governance among the churches of England.
Chapter 7 establishes Elders, who attend to the boundaries of the church—admitting members to fellowship, excommunicating offenders, be guides and leaders in church administration, admonish the flock when needed—and deacons, who care only for the temporal goods of the church, handling money, paying the ministers and the poor. A third category is included in this officers section, namely that "ancient widows... minister to the church in giving attendance to the sick and to give succor to them and others in the like necessities."
The church body, by vote, has the power to install officers and to depose them. The platform specifies that no higher ecclesiastical authority, nor any civil authority, has the power to choose officers.
Membership requires "a personal and public confession and declaring of God's manner of working upon the soul".
—meaning that churches are independent both of any higher ecclesiastical authority, and of one another. It affirms that authority to choose officers, admit members, admonish or expel members, or restore those who have been expelled rests in the gathered members of each congregation.
Though distinct and without authority over one another, the platform affirms that there is to be a community of churches in relationship with one another. When an internal dispute cannot be resolved within a church, that church, at its own request, could convene a council of nearby churches to hear the dispute and offer non-binding advice which church members could then vote to act on, or not. Six ways of showing the communion of churches are identified:
The document has real ramifications for the polity of some denominations today. For example, the congregations of the United Church of Christ
and Unitarian Universalist churches, and other modern-day descendants of the Puritan churches, continue to organize themselves in this way. When some Churches of the Standing Order in New England
became Unitarian
following the Unitarian Controversy, they kept a congregational polity. That polity continued to deeply influence the polity and organization of the American Unitarian Association, and, in turn, that of the Unitarian Universalist Association
-- an organization that, while radically different theologically than the signers of the 1648 document, nonetheless shares a great deal of the same polity.
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
es in Colonial America
Colonial America
The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...
. It was drawn up in August, 1648 by a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of ministers from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, which met pursuant to a request of the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
. The New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
authorities desired a formal statement of polity and a confession of faith because of the current Presbyterian ascendancy in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the activities of local Presbyterians such as Dr. Robert Child.
The declaration endorsed the Westminster Confession -- except with regard to ecclesiastical organization, instead upholding the existing Congregational form of church governance
Congregationalist polity
Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of church governance in which every local church congregation is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous"...
followed by the pilgrims and Puritans. "There is no greater church than a congregation which may ordinarily meet in one place" it says, indicating that the congregation itself is the highest level of ecclesiastical authority. The Cambridge Platform remained the standard formulation in Massachusetts through the 18th century and in Connecticut until the Saybrook Platform
Saybrook Platform
Saybrook Platform refers to conservative religious proposals adopted at Saybrook, Connecticut in September 1708. The document attempted to stem the tide of disunity among the established Congregational churches and restore discipline among both the clergy and their congregations...
of 1708.
It makes a clear distinction between the power of the state and that of the congregation. While a civil magistrate is obliged to follow a Christian life, and while the magistrate does have the power to convene a church synod for the purposes of admonishing a church or removing it from the communion of churches, the civil magistrate should have no power within the governance of the church itself, nor compel people to attend. The platform is at pains to say that church government stands in no opposition to civil government. That said, this separation of church and state is vastly different than what one finds by the 19th century in America. For example, the platform urges that "idolatry, heresy, blasphemy... open contempt of the word preached, profanation of the Lord's Day... and the like are to be restrained and punished by civil authority."
Form
The document is heavily footnoted with 308 scriptural references—the authors wished to show how their understanding of a congregation mirrored that of the family of Sarah and Abraham who they considered the first free church Following that model, the free church is understood to arise out of a covenant. The covenant defines who the members can be, what they are to do, and how they are to relate with one another, the union of actual people in that covenant creates the church.The preface takes pains to respect the Westminster Confession in all ways except with regard to governance—there are just three chapters of the Westminster Confession that are being disagreed with. It also urges that it is not in any way advocating any schism, change, or revolution in governance among the churches of England.
Boundaries of the Church
The church itself is defined as: "a company of saints by calling, united into one body by a holy covenant, for the public worship of God, and the mutual edification of one another in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus".Chapter 7 establishes Elders, who attend to the boundaries of the church—admitting members to fellowship, excommunicating offenders, be guides and leaders in church administration, admonish the flock when needed—and deacons, who care only for the temporal goods of the church, handling money, paying the ministers and the poor. A third category is included in this officers section, namely that "ancient widows... minister to the church in giving attendance to the sick and to give succor to them and others in the like necessities."
The church body, by vote, has the power to install officers and to depose them. The platform specifies that no higher ecclesiastical authority, nor any civil authority, has the power to choose officers.
Membership requires "a personal and public confession and declaring of God's manner of working upon the soul".
Governance
The platform defines and establishes a congregational polityCongregationalist polity
Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of church governance in which every local church congregation is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous"...
—meaning that churches are independent both of any higher ecclesiastical authority, and of one another. It affirms that authority to choose officers, admit members, admonish or expel members, or restore those who have been expelled rests in the gathered members of each congregation.
Though distinct and without authority over one another, the platform affirms that there is to be a community of churches in relationship with one another. When an internal dispute cannot be resolved within a church, that church, at its own request, could convene a council of nearby churches to hear the dispute and offer non-binding advice which church members could then vote to act on, or not. Six ways of showing the communion of churches are identified:
- taking through for each others' welfare
- consulting on any topic of cause where another church has more familiarity or information about a topic
- admonishing another church, even to the point of convening a synod of neighboring churches and ceasing communion with the offending church
- allowing members of one church to fully participate and receive communion in another church
- sending letters of recommendation when a member is goes to a new church, due to a seasonal or permanent relocation
- financial support for poor churches
The document has real ramifications for the polity of some denominations today. For example, the congregations of the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
and Unitarian Universalist churches, and other modern-day descendants of the Puritan churches, continue to organize themselves in this way. When some Churches of the Standing Order in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
became Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
following the Unitarian Controversy, they kept a congregational polity. That polity continued to deeply influence the polity and organization of the American Unitarian Association, and, in turn, that of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Association , in full the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations in North America, is a liberal religious association of Unitarian Universalist congregations formed by the consolidation in 1961 of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of...
-- an organization that, while radically different theologically than the signers of the 1648 document, nonetheless shares a great deal of the same polity.