Congregational
Protestant, locally governed
Congregational describes a form of Protestant church governance where each local congregation is self-governing and independent, rather than subject to a hierarchy of bishops or central authority.
Congregational churches trace to English Puritans and were influential in early New England.
The term also applies to anything relating to such churches: Congregational polity, Congregational tradition. (Lowercase congregational means relating to any congregation.)
Place of Christian worship
- parishLocal church community
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- denominationNamed religious group
- assemblyConstructing from components
minister · Protestant · Puritan · meetinghouse · autonomy · covenant · fellowship · deacon
Collection of people meeting
- collectiveJointly organized group
- sharedHeld in common
- togetherIn union or proximity
- groupAssembled collection of things
united · joint · participatory · inclusive · belonging · community · mutual · collaborative
Controlling one's own affairs
- autonomousSelf-directed and free
- democraticGovernment by the people
- independentFree from external control
- localOf this area
decentralized · voting · membership · council · bylaws · decision-making · authority · lay
church
Place of Christian worship
- parishLocal church community
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- denominationNamed religious group
assembly · minister · Protestant · Puritan · meetinghouse · autonomy · covenant · fellowship · deacon · sermon
gathering
Collection of people meeting
- collectiveJointly organized group
- sharedHeld in common
- togetherIn union or proximity
group · united · joint · participatory · inclusive · belonging · community · mutual · collaborative · assembled
self-governing
Controlling one's own affairs
- autonomousSelf-directed and free
- democraticGovernment by the people
- independentFree from external control
local · decentralized · voting · membership · council · bylaws · decision-making · authority · lay · grassroots
- religionsChristianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism
- Christian GroupsBaptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian
- American ProtestantismBaptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian
- DenominationsBaptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal
- Mainline ProtestantsEpiscopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, United Methodist
- Reformed TraditionCalvinism, predestination, John Calvin, Westminster Confession, Heidelberg Catechism
CongregationalEpiscopal
U.S. Anglican denomination
Presbyterian · hierarchical · papal · Catholic · centralized
- preached to the congregationDelivered religious message publicly
- religious congregationsOrganized bodies of worshippers
- church congregation
- congregational prayerGroup supplication in unison
- congregational singingCollective vocal worship