Worldwide Church Of God
The Worldwide Church of God (Grace International Communion since 2009) was created in 1933 by Herbert W. Armstrong as the Radio Church of God.
First Quaker , he was minister of the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventist Church , and his church - then a tiny group of worshipers gathered through sermons by radio - was not initially an entity separate, but part of that conference. His skills minister who was subsequently withdrawn, Armstrong dissented.
During its first 50 years the Worldwide Church of God Church was a Sabbatarian and observed other laws prescribed in the Old Testament , whose dietary laws (similar to traditional Jewish Orthodox). The church also rejected the doctrine of the Trinity.
After Armstrong's death in 1986, the administration of the Church was provided by Joseph W. Tkach (1986-1995), then by his son Joseph Tkach Jr. (since 1995). They have brought profound changes in doctrines , which have become more in tune with the views Christian traditional. Several ministers of the world cult that had opposed the changes doctrinal left the Church and dissident groups have created (the Church of God in Philadelphia, founded in 1989, the global Church of God, the Living Church of God 1993, the United Church of God in 1995 and the restored Church of God). The Church has lost many followers because of these changes theological and groups from all it has a relatively small size. With these amendments, the Church wanted to bring the community evangelical , joining its U.S. branch of the National Association of Evangelical (USA).
Summary |
History
Beginnings Radio
The Worldwide Church of God is rooted in the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong themselves influenced by the movement Adventist of William Miller. In 1927, Armstrong himself was baptized in a church belonging to this movement, the Church of God. Ordained minister of that church in 1931 by the Conference of Oregon , he began to lead a congregation in Eugene, the Oregon and started his ministry by radio station KORE. On November 4, 1933, the Church of God and dissenting Armstrong align themselves with a faction which has its headquarters in Salem, West Virginia (the Church of God Seventh Day).
The radio broadcast has been supported by an unincorporated association of members meeting under the name Church of God. In 1934, Armonstrong starts editing a magazine, 'The Plain Truth'. The radio ministry is now known to be issued by the Church of God , and faithful living far from Eugene starting to be attracted to teaching. Meanwhile, Armstrong has developed a theology distinct from the Adventism : he claims that the Anglo-Saxons and the West Europeans are descendants of the ten tribes of Israel , said he must observe the holy days for Jews mentioned in the Torah , while most groups Christians do not observe them. Thus, in 1937, the Church of God in Armstrong withdrew his ministerial qualifications, although he continued his preaching over the radio.
Subsequently, Armstrong moves to Pasadena and founded his own the Church first recorded March 3, 1946, under the name Radio Church of God Church of God or by radio, and January 5, 1968, when the Church changed its name to Worldwide Church of God.
The prelude to change
The late '60s was the period of the first changes to the Church. To some extent, these changes had already been long planned. Indeed, January 7, 1953, issue The future world broadcast by radio in Luxembourg has, according to Herbert Armstrong, ended the first period of his ministry, knowing that his ministry after he had two periods of 19 prophetic years each. The first was thus the beginning of the broadcast by radio until 1953, while the second would end in 1972. Armstrong has for the first time detailed his vision of Interpretation in 1956 his ministry in 1975 in his booklet prophecy!, Which announced a nuclear war at that time, followed by the return of Jesus Christ. This led Armstrong to rename his radio show The world to come, others have also been influenced by this new interpretation. For example, Michael Dennis Rohan, a citizen of Australia , set fire to the mosque of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on 21 August 1969 , being influenced by the teachings of the Worldwide Church of God (without being a member).
In 1966 , Armstrong's wife, Loma, died. The following year, improvements in the structure of the Church are considered.
The name change
On 5 January 1968 , the name of the church was changed to that of the universal church of God. The reasons for the name change remain unclear, however, the events predicted for 1972 by the Church seem indicative of a fundamental change in the department of Armstrong.
From 1970 , many groups from the Church began to emerge. Karl O'Beirne has led to Cleveland in the Ohio , the first dissident group, namely the Church of God. Other movements have taken from that year, including Top of the line of John Kerley, the Restored Church of God, the Church of God Boise ( Oklahoma ), the Church of God Sabbatarian Martin Faulhaber , and the followers of the Fountain of Life of James Porter and Virginia.
Current Status
In 2004, the Worldwide Church of God were about 64 000 members in 860 churches scattered in 90 countries, including France , which counted 700 believers. The headquarters of the Church are currently in Glendora, in California. Since 1997 , the church was financed as a member of the National Association Gospel (USA).
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