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Author Lugger makes a well-considered case that the gradual, historical division of Christian belief into a multitude of denominations that vary widely in their rules, restrictions, doctrines, and implied principles actually goes against biblical truth. Denominationalism creates an unstated competition among believers, defying the unity that Christ conveyed, and can also allow human will to supersede the will of God. To underpin his basic thesis, Lugger has devised two charts. The first shows the expansion of Catholic and Orthodox teachings, and the second lists the further splits that resulted from the Protestant Reformation. In both charts, the one group that stands alone is the Church of Christ, which Lugger depicts throughout his book as the only truly Christian group, as it sprang directly from Pentecost “and has persisted to this day.” His treatise explores in detail the beliefs and practices of other denominations, citing the errors in origin and structure that make them a work of men, not of God and God’s teaching.
Lugger, who was raised as a Lutheran but later became a dedicated member of the Church of Christ, has devoted his writing skills to this wide-ranging, thought-provoking material. He assiduously demonstrates the flaws inherent in most Christian denominations, with particular emphasis on the history, hierarchies, and policies of the Roman Catholic Church. He insightfully notes that Martin Luther asked that his name not title a religious sect, and John Wesley, founder of Methodism, wished that Christians would humbly live as directed by the Master. Lugger expertly traces the growth of the Church of Christ and its doctrinal development, including keeping Jesus Christ as its ruler and strictly maintaining scriptural conventions of the sabbath and communion. Lugger’s work, designated as the first of five volumes, provides an interesting focus for intensive group discussion and private consideration.