Sunday School - Revision history

Quidam65: /* Small Groups versus Sunday School */

2020-02-04T03:30:47Z

Small Groups versus Sunday School

Dataclarifier: /* 19th century */ specified "Catholic parochial" schools

2019-07-30T08:00:44Z

19th century: specified "Catholic parochial" schools

DavidB4-bot: Spelling, grammar, and general cleanup, typos fixed: God’s → God's (4)

2019-01-31T04:50:31Z

Spelling, grammar, and general cleanup, typos fixed: God’s → God's (4)

Quidam65: /* Small Groups versus Sunday School */

2019-01-12T02:07:29Z

Small Groups versus Sunday School

Quidam65: /* Small Groups versus Sunday School */

2018-10-08T23:44:42Z

Small Groups versus Sunday School

Quidam65: /* Small Groups versus Sunday School */

2018-10-08T23:44:02Z

Small Groups versus Sunday School

DavidB4-bot: Spelling, Grammar, and flow, typos fixed: 1800's → 1800s (4)

2018-05-30T22:44:41Z

Spelling, Grammar, and flow, typos fixed: 1800's → 1800s (4)

DavidB4-bot: Spelling, Grammar, and General Cleanup, typos fixed: 1800's → 1800s (4)

2018-04-04T15:23:37Z

Spelling, Grammar, and General Cleanup, typos fixed: 1800's → 1800s (4)

DavidB4-bot: Spelling, Grammar, and General Cleanup, typos fixed: However → However, , 1800's → 1800s (4)

2018-01-12T21:31:14Z

Spelling, Grammar, and General Cleanup, typos fixed: However → However, , 1800's → 1800s (4)

Show changes

Dataclarifier: /* 20th and 21st century */ link to ''The Two Babylons''

2017-01-11T15:08:40Z

20th and 21st century: link to ''The Two Babylons''

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 ==Small Groups versus Sunday School==
-In the 21st century there has been a renewed resurgence of the debate over Small Groups versus Sunday Schools, a debate having roots in the 17th century (1600's) controversy over ''[[Pietism|Pietist]]'' "home churches" versus establishment churches such as the Lutheran and [[Church of England|Anglican]] Churches, and [[John Wesley]]'s technique of "''[[methodism]]''", questioning which of the two ministries, Small Groups or Sunday Schools, is more effective in producing authentically effective Christian disciples, who worship God in spirit and in truth and [[Agape|selflessly serve]] the [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy|needs]] of the whole [[Homo sapiens|human community]], [[Research|assessing]] whether Sunday Schools are needed or even necessary or if both can exist together. Foremost among the denominations chiefly opposed to Sunday School is the independent association of the [[Autonomy|autonomous]] [[Churches of Christ]].
+In the 21st century there has been a renewed resurgence of the debate over Small Groups versus Sunday Schools, a debate having roots in the 17th century (1600's) controversy over ''[[Pietism|Pietist]]'' "home churches" versus establishment churches such as the Lutheran and [[Church of England|Anglican]] Churches, and [[John Wesley]]'s technique of "''[[methodism]]''", questioning which of the two ministries, Small Groups or Sunday Schools, is more effective in producing authentically effective Christian disciples, who worship God in spirit and in truth and [[Agape|selflessly serve]] the [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy|needs]] of the whole [[Homo sapiens|human community]], [[Research|assessing]] whether Sunday Schools are needed or even necessary or if both can exist together. Foremost among groups chiefly opposed to Sunday School are some hardline [[Churches of Christ]] (these congregations also generally oppose a single person as the preacher).
 In the megachurch world Sunday School is virtually non-existent, having been replaced by small groups (which may be organized by geography, age, or other interests) as well as specialized classes on subjects (either based on theology or other needs).  In some churches which still maintain the concept a different term (such as "Bible Fellowship") may be used.

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 Meanwhile, the [http://spartacus-educational.com/IR1844.htm 1844 Factory Act] lowered the 12 hour limit that a child could be worked to six and a half hours.
-European immigrants during the 1800s found little land available to them to farm on the east coast, so they quickly re-migrated to the west. Many were [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]s so some Catholic leaders saw the Sunday school movement as a Protestant plot to capture the Catholic youth of the west. Many private Catholic schools were founded during this period as an answer to the Protestant education that then dominated the nation's public schools. In fact, the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852 specifically urged every Catholic parish in the country to establish its own school for just that reason. In answer to this call, scores of schools were established throughout the country.
+European immigrants during the 1800s found little land available to them to farm on the east coast, so they quickly re-migrated to the west. Many were [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]s so some Catholic leaders saw the Sunday school movement as a Protestant plot to capture the Catholic youth of the west. Many private Catholic schools were founded during this period as an answer to the Protestant education that then dominated the nation's public schools. In fact, the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852 specifically urged every Catholic parish in the country to establish its own school for just that reason. In answer to this call, scores of Catholic parochial schools were established throughout the country.
 Sunday School organization began expanding to include all ages. Sunday School became a way for unbelievers to be introduced to, and then assimilated into, the life of the church.

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 By 1832 there were more than 8000 Sunday schools in the United States.
-As the relatively novel concept of [[Theology|theological]] [[pluralism]] also began to take hold about this same time in 1832, one of the biggest Sunday school unions, ''The Union'', decided to establish non-denominational Sunday schools in the "New West", the area of the [[Louisiana Purchase]], as a [[missionary]] enterprise. Small communities would select a neutral place and Christians of many backgrounds would come together in what were called Union Schools. They decided to teach the Bible, because "the Bible unites", but catechisms divide. Because of this religious pluralism, Sunday school lessons focused on Bible stories rather than on doctrine, and on application rather than on interpretation. Publication of catechisms began to slow as a result. Sunday school students were often encouraged to memorize large portions of the Bible, earning prizes and incentives for doing so. This idea was dropped when it was realized that the students were more interested in the prizes than in God’s word!
+As the relatively novel concept of [[Theology|theological]] [[pluralism]] also began to take hold about this same time in 1832, one of the biggest Sunday school unions, ''The Union'', decided to establish non-denominational Sunday schools in the "New West", the area of the [[Louisiana Purchase]], as a [[missionary]] enterprise. Small communities would select a neutral place and Christians of many backgrounds would come together in what were called Union Schools. They decided to teach the Bible, because "the Bible unites", but catechisms divide. Because of this religious pluralism, Sunday school lessons focused on Bible stories rather than on doctrine, and on application rather than on interpretation. Publication of catechisms began to slow as a result. Sunday school students were often encouraged to memorize large portions of the Bible, earning prizes and incentives for doing so. This idea was dropped when it was realized that the students were more interested in the prizes than in God's word!
 Most of the lay leadership of ''The Union'' was [[Presbyterian]], and non-Presbyterians—[[Lutheranism|Lutherans]], Methodists, [[Religious Society of Friends|Quakers]], Baptists, [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopalians]]—worried that the movement might be a plot to bring the western youth into Presbyterianism under the guise of a non-denominational movement.
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 Meanwhile, the [http://spartacus-educational.com/IR1844.htm 1844 Factory Act] lowered the 12 hour limit that a child could be worked to six and a half hours.
-European immigrants during the 1800s found little land available to them to farm on the east coast, so they quickly re-migrated to the west. Many were [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]s so some Catholic leaders saw the Sunday school movement as a Protestant plot to capture the Catholic youth of the west. Many private Catholic schools were founded during this period as an answer to the Protestant education that then dominated the nation’s public schools. In fact, the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852 specifically urged every Catholic parish in the country to establish its own school for just that reason. In answer to this call, scores of schools were established throughout the country.
+European immigrants during the 1800s found little land available to them to farm on the east coast, so they quickly re-migrated to the west. Many were [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]s so some Catholic leaders saw the Sunday school movement as a Protestant plot to capture the Catholic youth of the west. Many private Catholic schools were founded during this period as an answer to the Protestant education that then dominated the nation's public schools. In fact, the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852 specifically urged every Catholic parish in the country to establish its own school for just that reason. In answer to this call, scores of schools were established throughout the country.
 Sunday School organization began expanding to include all ages. Sunday School became a way for unbelievers to be introduced to, and then assimilated into, the life of the church.
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 By the late 1800s, Sunday School was looked to as the main hope for church growth, a view that continued until the mid-twentieth century.
-In 1898, Mrs. Walker Aylette Hawes established her “Everyday Bible School” to minister to the immigrant children who spent their summer days running the streets of New York City’s East Side. She rented a beer parlor that was not used during the day (it was the only space available), and for six weeks, she gathered the neighborhood children together for worship music, Bible stories, Scripture memorization, games, crafts, drawing and cooking.
+In 1898, Mrs. Walker Aylette Hawes established her “Everyday Bible School” to minister to the immigrant children who spent their summer days running the streets of New York City's East Side. She rented a beer parlor that was not used during the day (it was the only space available), and for six weeks, she gathered the neighborhood children together for worship music, Bible stories, Scripture memorization, games, crafts, drawing and cooking.
 == Socialist Sunday Schools ==
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 Beginning in the 1920s the CCD program (Continuing Catholic Development) was developed for those children whose parents could not afford to enroll them in the Catholic educational system (parochial schools and high schools). The CYC (Catholic Youth Council) grew out of this program beginning 1941.
-In 1941, the children's program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago laid the foundation for the principles of the AWANA program (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed - [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/2_timothy/2-15.htm 2 Timothy 2:15]). Lance Latham, North Side's senior pastor, collaborated with the church's youth director, Art Rorheim, to develop weekly clubs that would appeal to churched and nonchurched kids. As a pioneer in children’s ministry, Art created new and innovative ways to reach kids with the gospel and lead them to know, love and serve Jesus Christ. Other churches learned about the success of the program and inquired about its availability. In 1950, Latham and Rorheim founded Awana as a ''parachurch'' organization. By 1960, 900 churches had started Awana programs.
+In 1941, the children's program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago laid the foundation for the principles of the AWANA program (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed - [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/2_timothy/2-15.htm 2 Timothy 2:15]). Lance Latham, North Side's senior pastor, collaborated with the church's youth director, Art Rorheim, to develop weekly clubs that would appeal to churched and nonchurched kids. As a pioneer in children's ministry, Art created new and innovative ways to reach kids with the gospel and lead them to know, love and serve Jesus Christ. Other churches learned about the success of the program and inquired about its availability. In 1950, Latham and Rorheim founded Awana as a ''parachurch'' organization. By 1960, 900 churches had started Awana programs.
 In the early 1960s problems began to develop as newer Sunday school curriculums failed to emphasize personal [[conversion]] of life style and [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy|works of mercy]], and neglected [[Christian apologetics]] in favor of a more entertaining style of witness with a "feel-good" approach which contained nothing about personal sacrifice and commitment in the face of doctrinal confusion, [[indifference]], [[secular]]ism, [[pop culture]], the [[new age movement]] and worldly opposition. The realities of [[sin]], the [[Last Judgment|last judgment]] and [[hell]] were ignored. Christian educators began to be at a loss to explain why young people began to leave their churches, and why so many of them entered colleges and universities unprepared to meet [[liberal]] and [[atheist]] challenges to belief in Jesus Christ as the only Savior of the world and the Bible as the inspired word of God.

@@ Line 129: / Line 129: @@
 In the 21st century there has been a renewed resurgence of the debate over Small Groups versus Sunday Schools, a debate having roots in the 17th century (1600's) controversy over ''[[Pietism|Pietist]]'' "home churches" versus establishment churches such as the Lutheran and [[Church of England|Anglican]] Churches, and [[John Wesley]]'s technique of "''[[methodism]]''", questioning which of the two ministries, Small Groups or Sunday Schools, is more effective in producing authentically effective Christian disciples, who worship God in spirit and in truth and [[Agape|selflessly serve]] the [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy|needs]] of the whole [[Homo sapiens|human community]], [[Research|assessing]] whether Sunday Schools are needed or even necessary or if both can exist together. Foremost among the denominations chiefly opposed to Sunday School is the independent association of the [[Autonomy|autonomous]] [[Churches of Christ]].
-In the megachurch world Sunday School is virtually non-existent, having been replaced by small groups (which may be organized by geography, age, or other interests) as well as specialized classes on subjects (either based on theology or other needs).
+In the megachurch world Sunday School is virtually non-existent, having been replaced by small groups (which may be organized by geography, age, or other interests) as well as specialized classes on subjects (either based on theology or other needs).  In some churches which still maintain the concept a different term (such as "Bible Fellowship") may be used.
 See [[Home schooling]] and [[Seminary|Seminaries]], also [[Martyr]].

@@ Line 129: / Line 129: @@
 In the 21st century there has been a renewed resurgence of the debate over Small Groups versus Sunday Schools, a debate having roots in the 17th century (1600's) controversy over ''[[Pietism|Pietist]]'' "home churches" versus establishment churches such as the Lutheran and [[Church of England|Anglican]] Churches, and [[John Wesley]]'s technique of "''[[methodism]]''", questioning which of the two ministries, Small Groups or Sunday Schools, is more effective in producing authentically effective Christian disciples, who worship God in spirit and in truth and [[Agape|selflessly serve]] the [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy|needs]] of the whole [[Homo sapiens|human community]], [[Research|assessing]] whether Sunday Schools are needed or even necessary or if both can exist together. Foremost among the denominations chiefly opposed to Sunday School is the independent association of the [[Autonomy|autonomous]] [[Churches of Christ]].
-In the megachurch world Sunday School is virtually non-existent, having been replaced by small groups (which may be organized by geography, age, or other interests).
+In the megachurch world Sunday School is virtually non-existent, having been replaced by small groups (which may be organized by geography, age, or other interests) as well as specialized classes on subjects (either based on theology or other needs).
 See [[Home schooling]] and [[Seminary|Seminaries]], also [[Martyr]].

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:44, October 8, 2018
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	In the 21st century there has been a renewed resurgence of the debate over Small Groups versus Sunday Schools, a debate having roots in the 17th century (1600's) controversy over ''[[Pietism\|Pietist]]'' "home churches" versus establishment churches such as the Lutheran and [[Church of England\|Anglican]] Churches, and [[John Wesley]]'s technique of "''[[methodism]]''", questioning which of the two ministries, Small Groups or Sunday Schools, is more effective in producing authentically effective Christian disciples, who worship God in spirit and in truth and [[Agape\|selflessly serve]] the [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy\|needs]] of the whole [[Homo sapiens\|human community]], [[Research\|assessing]] whether Sunday Schools are needed or even necessary or if both can exist together. Foremost among the denominations chiefly opposed to Sunday School is the independent association of the [[Autonomy\|autonomous]] [[Churches of Christ]].		In the 21st century there has been a renewed resurgence of the debate over Small Groups versus Sunday Schools, a debate having roots in the 17th century (1600's) controversy over ''[[Pietism\|Pietist]]'' "home churches" versus establishment churches such as the Lutheran and [[Church of England\|Anglican]] Churches, and [[John Wesley]]'s technique of "''[[methodism]]''", questioning which of the two ministries, Small Groups or Sunday Schools, is more effective in producing authentically effective Christian disciples, who worship God in spirit and in truth and [[Agape\|selflessly serve]] the [[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy\|needs]] of the whole [[Homo sapiens\|human community]], [[Research\|assessing]] whether Sunday Schools are needed or even necessary or if both can exist together. Foremost among the denominations chiefly opposed to Sunday School is the independent association of the [[Autonomy\|autonomous]] [[Churches of Christ]].
		+
		+	In the megachurch world Sunday School is virtually non-existent, having been replaced by small groups (which may be organized by geography, age, or other interests).

	See [[Home schooling]] and [[Seminary\|Seminaries]], also [[Martyr]].		See [[Home schooling]] and [[Seminary\|Seminaries]], also [[Martyr]].

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 * [http://www.equip.org/article/the-two-babylons/ Christian Research Institute. ''The Two Babylons'', by Ralph Woodrow (equip.org)] ''a critique and rebuttal of anti-Catholic arguments used by Alexander Hislop, the 19th century author of "The Two Babylons"''
-<br>
 * [http://www.docsouth.unc.edu/church/intro.html The Church in the Southern Black Community (docsouth.unc.edu)]
 * [http://www.nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nromcath.htm Roman Catholics and Immigration in Nineteenth-Century America, Julie Byrne, Dept. of Religion, Duke University, National Humanities Center (nationalhumanitiescenter.org)]

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 *A Holy Catechism, or Explanation of the Divine and Holy Liturgy, and Examination of Candidates for Ordination, by Nicolas Bulgaris, Revised and Edited, the standard catechism in English of the Eastern Orthodox Church, first printed in Venice in 1681.
 *The Episcopal Catechism, from the Book of Common Prayer, the standard catechism of the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]], first compiled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and published in 1789.
-*The Two Babylons: ''The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife'', by [[Alexander Hislop]], a primary catechetical source for Scottish Presbyterians, and later for all anti-Catholic churches and organizations, first published in 1853 as a pamphlet and greatly expanded in 1858.
+*[[''The Two Babylons''|The Two Babylons]]: ''The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife'', by [[Alexander Hislop]], a primary catechetical source for Scottish Presbyterians, and later for all anti-Catholic churches and organizations, first published in 1853 as a pamphlet and greatly expanded in 1858.
 *A [[Puritan]] Catechism, by [[Charles Haddon Spurgeon|Charles Spurgeon]], the standard catechism of the [[Congregationalism|Congregationalist]] churches, first published in 1885
 *The Baltimore Complete Catechism, The Baltimore Larger Catechism, The Baltimore Smaller Catechism, of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, Maryland, the standard catechisms of the Roman Catholic Church throughout the United States (to 1962), first published in 1885.