Differences between DOC and COC?

[Sors]

I was baptized Disciples of Christ. Eventually may family joined a Non Denominational (Undercover Baptist lol) church growing up. I did a lot of study, eventually embraced Methodist theology and beliefs. But almost all of my extended family was Church of Christ. I bring up my background just to explain my curiosity of the subject because in no way do I have the knowledge to argue with anyone.

How did DOC and COC become so different after emerging from the same Stone Campbell movement and the Restoration movement? I understand that DOC is extremely liberal and COC is extremely conservative. Yes I know musical instruments in worship caused the initial split. I also imagine that many cultural and social issues played a part. I think that is important and want to understand if you have any insight into that, but I am more curious about the theological differences and how these two denominations got so far apart.

Does anyone have any insight?

 

[tall73]

I do not have any insights, but I do have an interest in the topic. We attended an independent Christian Church which in some way traced back to the Stone Campbell movement. We didn't stay long, but did have a chance to get the barest bones of their tradition in an introductory class.

 

[The Liturgist]

Its a very interesting subject which is further complicated by the historic union of the Disciples of Christ with the more formal and liturgical Christian Church: one was founded by Stone and one by Campbell and they have always had a close relationship, and the Church of Christ did break away over musical instruments and a perceived movement of the CC/DOC in the direction of Roman Catholicism (realistically, it was a case of them moving away from militant anti-Catholicism).

But the reason why they became liberal is the same reason the other mainline churches became liberal, and that is liberal theologians endeavored to take over the seminaries, especially those which served multiple denominations. Like the other mainline churches (even the United Church of Christ) there are still conservative parishes in the mainline churches, but in the past 30 years all have embraced gay marriage. The Christian Church/Disciples of Christ was the penultimate hold out. In the case of the UMC, the Traditional Plan was adopted in 2018 but by delaying the General Conference from 2022 to 2024 “due to Covid” the liberals have seized control and are violating the Book of Discipline with impunity.

@Berserk and @bekkilyn might have a further opinion on that.

 

[Berserk]

IIn the case of the UMC, the Traditional Plan was adopted in 2018 but by delaying the General Conference from 2022 to 2024 “due to Covid” the liberals have seized control and are violating the Book of Discipline with impunity.
@Berserk and @bekkilyn might have a further opinion on that.

The departure of the conservative UMC churches, like my own, is as much due to the progressives' low view of biblical inspiration and authority as to the gay marriage and ordination issue.
From my evangelical perspective, what is tragic is that the evangelical UMC churches would be in control of the US denomination, if Covid had not prevented General Conference from convening for several years up to the present. Due to the exploding number of evangelical UMC churches internationally, American evangelicals would not have had to pay huge separation fees and even lost their property rights, if General Conference had convened to reign in the vindictive power plays of American regional, generally progressive UMC conferences.