联合基督教会
联合基督教会[1]（英語：United Church of Christ，縮寫為UCC）是美国的主流新教（Oldline Protestant）教會之一，主要遵循改革宗的傳統，但在历史上也深受信義宗的影响，教會體制主要是會眾制又帶有些許長老制的特點（Covenantal Polity）[2]，其總部在克里夫蘭。
| 联合基督教会 United Church of Christ | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 宗派 | 新教 |
| 組織 | 普世教會協會 |
| 區域 | 美國 |
| 總部 | 俄亥俄州克里夫蘭 |
| 起源 | 1957年 |
| 教堂 | 4794 |
| 信徒 | 773539人（2020） |
联合基督教会是一間神学思想上比较开放的教會，支持民權、女權、墮胎權和LGBT權利。在2009年，联合基督教会是少数公開支持同性婚姻的教會，并且为同性伴侶举行宗教祝福儀式的教会之一[3]。不過UCC採取會眾制，各會堂在教義和會務上保有高度的獨立自主權，不必然採取和總會決議一致的立場[4]。
UCC參與普世教會協會以及世界改革宗聯會（World Communion of Reformed Churches），並和基督會（Disciples of Christ）、美國歸正教會、美國長老教會、美國福音路德教會、Union of Evangelical Churches（德國）、加拿大聯合教會達成共融[5]。UCC重視和不同信仰傳統的對話[6]，以及參與普世教會合一運動。
在2017年，世界改革宗聯會投票決定採納《關於稱義教義的聯合聲明》，該聯合聲明由世界信義宗聯會和羅馬天主教會在1999年發表，宣稱雙方教會對「通過對基督的信念，憑藉神的恩典稱義」這一觀點的一致[7]。
历史
联合基督教会是由福音复初会(E&R)和公理基督教会(CC)在1957年联合而成的，这两个教都是由之前的一些小教會联合而成。UCC自我描述為「基督的、改革宗的、會眾的、福音的」（Christian, Reformed, Congregational and Evangelical）[8]，其福音主義源自德國的敬虔主義運動[9]。社會福音運動和進步主義的早期代表人物之一華盛頓·格拉登，是UCC的代表人物。
联合基督教会共有5320个大小规模不同的教堂，并且宣称有一百一十万信众，这些信众主要集中在美国[10]。美國前總統巴拉克·歐巴馬過去曾經是這個教會的成員。
信仰文件
UCC將歷史上的信條、信仰聲明等文件，視為「信仰告白」（testimonies of faith），而非要求教義標準答案的「信仰測驗卷」（tests of faith）[11]。以下為該教會認為可表達其信仰的典籍與文書：
- 《使徒信經》
- 《尼西亞信經》
- 《海德堡要理問答》 (inherited from both the German Reformed and German Evangelical heritages),
- 《信義宗教理問答小冊》 (inherited from the German Evangelical heritage),
- 《堪薩斯信仰宣言》(a 1913 statement in the Congregationalist tradition),
- The Evangelical Catechism (a 1927 catechism in the German Evangelical tradition), and
- 《聯合基督教會信仰宣言》 (written at the founding of the denomination).
神學院
- 芝加哥神學院 (Chicago, Illinois)
- Eden Theological Seminary (Webster Groves, Missouri and St. Louis, MO)
- Lancaster Theological Seminary (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
- Pacific School of Religion (Berkeley, California)
- United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (New Brighton, Minnesota)
参考文献
- ^ 美国驻华大使馆将 United Church of Christ 翻译为联合基督教会，见此文：存档副本. [2010-05-30]. （原始内容存档于2009-01-06）.
- ^ United Church of Christ Constitution and Bylaws：「Within the United Church of Christ, the various expressions of the church relate to each other in a covenantal manner. Each expression of the church has responsibilities and rights in relation to the others, to the end that the whole church will seek God's will and be faithful to God's mission. Decisions are made in consultation and collaboration among the various parts of the structure. As members of the Body of Christ, each expression of the church is called to honor and respect the work and ministry of each other part. Each expression of the church listens, hears, and carefully considers the advise, counsel and requests of others. In this covenant, the various expressions of the United Church of Christ seek to walk together in all God's ways」
- ^ GOODSTEIN, LAURIE, Episcopal Bishops Give Ground on Gay Marriage, NY Times, 2009-07-15 [2010-01-22], （原始内容存档于2020-11-09）
- ^ Who are you calling liberal?. [2017-11-19]. （原始内容存档于2020-10-20）.
To be sure, many UCC members relish the denomination"s left-wing identity. A quick internet search reveals that a number of UCC churches use the words "liberal" or "progressive" to describe either their individual congregations or the denomination as a whole. But for the UCC"s more-conservative members and congregations, the L-word is akin to fingernails on a chalkboard. The 2001 International Congregational Life Survey, which included 21,000 UCC respondents from more than 800 congregations, found that UCC members were slightly more likely to self-identify as "conservative" rather than "liberal"—both theologically and politically.
- ^ Ecumenical partnerships and relationships of full communion. [2017-11-14]. （原始内容存档于2020-09-28）.
- ^ Interfaith relations. [2017-11-14]. （原始内容存档于2021-02-28）.
- ^ Lutherans, Catholics, Methodists, Reformed and Anglicans “drawn into deeper communion”. anglicannews. [2017-11-16]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-09）.
- ^ What is the United Church of Christ?. [2017-11-19]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-01）.
- ^ The German Evangelical Movement. [2017-11-19]. （原始内容存档于2021-03-14）.
- ^ 2008 Annual Report. [2009-01-23]. （原始内容存档于2014-07-02）.
- ^ Constitution and Bylaws. United Church of Christ. [2017-11-14]. （原始内容存档于2021-03-14）.