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Christ Church is a Reformed and evangelical church in Moscow, Idaho, pastored by Douglas Wilson, and a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. The congregation is known for conservative ideology and a number of institutional projects, including a publishing operation (Canon Press), a magazine (Credenda/Agenda), a three-year ministerial training program (Greyfriars Hall), a private accredited college (New Saint Andrews), and a campus ministry (Collegiate Reformed Fellowship). The church has about 900 members.[1]
| Christ Church | |
|---|---|
 Nu Art Theatre on Main St, Moscow, where Christ Church meets. | |
 | |
| Location | Moscow, Idaho |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches |
| Membership | 900 |
| Website | christkirk.com |
| Clergy | |
| Pastor(s) | Douglas Wilson |
Beliefs
Christ Church is a traditional Calvinist church, holding to conservative Reformed theology. It is known for its promotion of Christian education and biblical courtship, and for its opposition to liberalism and feminism as being contrary to the Christian faith. Christ Church also holds to biblical inerrancy and adheres to the Westminster Standards, the Three Forms of Unity, and the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. It is a charter member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.
Work
New Saint Andrews College
New Saint Andrews College takes a “classical Christian liberal arts” approach to higher education patterned after the Harvard curriculum of 1643 consisting of small group recitations and oral exams. The college limits enrollment to no more than 200 students. Studies include "the languages, history, philosophy, and culture of classical antiquity and Western tradition in the light of Scripture".
The ISI Guide to All-American Colleges describes New Saint Andrews College as “intellectually rigorous and firmly grounded in the Christian tradition." It also offers graduate programs in Trinitarian theology and classical Christian education.[2]
Greyfriars' Hall
Greyfriars' Hall is a three-year ministerial training program. The philosophy of Greyfriars is that pastoral training should be conducted not as professional graduate education under the direction of professors in an academic institution, but as practical learning under the direction of the elders of the local church. Although the curriculum features rigorous study, including biblical Hebrew and Greek and an extensive reading list that spans numerous genres, Greyfriars' emphasis is on biblical worldview. A code of conduct requires students to maintain personal, doctrinal and academic integrity.[3]
Bakwé Mission
The Bakwé Mission is the church's foreign mission ministry to the Bakwé people of southwest Côte d'Ivoire. It mainly consists of translating the Scriptures for the Bakwé Church as well as training teachers to teach the Bakwé reading and writing.[4]
Mission churches
Christ Church has helped a number of new congregations over the years and currently has four mission churches. Christ Church Missoula, Missoula, Montana; Emmanuel Chapel, Helena, Montana; Trinity Covenant Church, Santa Cruz, California; Christ Covenant Church, Yangon, Myanmar.[5]
2020 anti-mask protests
In late September 2020 Christ Church organized and led two anti-mask protests at Moscow's City Hall. The protests consisted of members of the church and local community gathering mask-less at City Hall and singing psalms and hymns to protest Moscow's mandatory mask policy which required people to wear a mask in public places or at large gatherings. These protests occurred on Wednesday September 23, and Friday September 25. At the Wednesday psalm sing/protest about 150 people showed up and five people were cited and three were arrested with the most notable arrestee being 2020 Latah County Commissioner Candidate and Christ Church deacon Gabriel Rench.[6] At the second psalm sing/protest on Friday September 25 the protesters were joined by counter protesters who beat drums to try to drown out the singing. About 400 protesters showed up and no one was arrested.[7] Charges against Gabriel Rench were later dismissed.[8]
Sexual assault allegations
In September 2021, Vice published an article regarding a number of sexual assault victims that came forward with testimony against Christ Church.[9]
References
- ^ Simmons, Tracy (17 November 2019). "Controversial church aims to 'make Moscow a Christian town'". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "New Saint Andrews College Classical. Christian. Liberating Arts". Nsa.edu. 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2012-10-01.
- ^ [1] Archived March 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Bakwé Mission - Bringing the Word". Bakwe.christkirk.com. Retrieved 2012-10-01.
- ^ [2] Archived July 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cabeza, Garrett (September 23, 2020). "Candidate Rench arrested at downtown Moscow event". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Cabeza, Garrett (September 26, 2020). "Second singing event ends with no citations or arrests". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Charges dropped against deacon arrested for singing hymns outdoors". www.christianpost.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
- ^ "Inside the Church That Preaches 'Wives Need to Be Led with a Firm Hand'". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.