churches of Christ History
Preservationist-Separatist-Restorationist

In 422 the Catholic Bishop Germanus complained of the British church that it practised believers baptism and rejected the authority of the pope and other Catholic doctrines.  The Edict of pope Innocent 1 had made infant baptism (by immersion) compulsory in 407.

From around the late 500s starting in the east a sect of Christians who were called Paulicians, because of their ability to defend their doctrine from the New Testament, particularly from the letters of the apostle Paul came to the notice of the authorities.  They said that they were “Christians who were chosen of God” and called each other “brother or sister”.  They had rejected the infant baptism of the Catholic church teaching that faith is required before baptism. 

It would seem on examination that these were Christians holding to the pattern of the New Testament.  They are also known elsewhere as Publicans particularly in England (Publicani from Paulikanoi from Paulicians).  Their teachings quickly spread throughout Europe.  The Irish/Scottish church of this time still practised believers baptism and generally rejected Roman Catholic teaching.  It can be assumed that contact was made as the Celtic church at this time was working effectively in Europe.   After severe persecution the Paulicians ended up in Bulgaria and other Balkan countries and there they assisted the French church during it’s persecution in the twelfth century when they became known as the Bougre (in middle English ‘Bugger’).  We can establish with some certainty that New Testament Christianity was being propagated through out Europe and the east by the end of the eighth century.

The teachings Gundulphus (also known as Gundulf) were examined by the Bishop of Cambray (Cambrai) and Arras, northern France, in the year 1025. Gundulphus was opposed to the doctrines of the Catholic church and taught against infant baptism, ‘Because to an infant, that neither wills nor runs, that knows nothing of faith, is ignorant of its own salvation and welfare’. Gundulphus it seems was a itinerant travelling evangelist who established and strengthened congregations of the Lord’s people throughout northern France and Belgium.

Berengarius was followed later by Pierre de Bruis and Arnold of Brescia who were opposed to many Catholic teachings including infant baptism, the Mass, church buildings and altars (because any place is suitable for prayer and meeting), prayers for the dead, veneration of the cross, celibacy, good works and transubstantiation.

Pierre de Bruis was possibly a Priest who was certainly removed from office and began to preach in Dauphine and Provence, southern France. He seems to have been active from around 1100.  His followers were known as Petrobusians, although they referred to themselves as Christians.  They appealed for a return to the authority of the Scriptures and believers baptism quoting “Go out into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: he that beliveth, and is baptised, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” also he is quoted as saying, “But we await a time suitable to faith, and baptise a man, after he is ready to recognise God and to believe in Him, we do not, as you charge us, rebaptise him, because the man who has not been washed with the baptism by which sins are washed away ought never to be called baptised”.

Peter de Bruis was able to preach for a while under the protection of Earl Hildephonus.

A Papal Bull (formal papal pronouncement) was made against preachers who were teaching doctrines contrary to the RC Church by Pope Urban 11 in 1096 and the ‘second Lateran Council of 1139’.  As a result Bruis was burnt alive at St. Giles, near Nimes, southern France (about 50 miles from Marseille) by the local people infuriated by his teaching in 1140.

Pierre de Bruis is considered by Catholic and later Protestant historians as a heretic and it has been suggested by these historians that he rejected a large proportion of Scripture, against any evidence.

His associate ‘Arnold of Bresia’ who tried to reform the RC Church was executed (by burning) under the authority of the prefect of Rome in 1152/5 and his ashes were thrown into the Tiber.

In 1118 Gregory Grimm of Ensisheim, France died after being tortured, because he had been baptised by his grandfather who in turn had been baptised (by immersion for the remission of sins) by a travelling merchant from Venetia who was from the “only church of the saints”.  In 1143 a congregation of over 100 Christians was seized on the lower Rhein.  Under torture they confessed that such congregations were everywhere but in concealment.  Because there was no organised hierarchy (following the Biblical pattern) it was extremely difficult for the authorities to find congregations as each had its own Bishops and Deacons.

During the severe persecution that took place during the burning of many ‘heretics’ across France and other parts of Europe, evangelists came to support the churches that were being forced out of existence, from the Balkans and in particular Bulgaria so that the term ‘Bulgare’ became the equivalent of ‘Heretic’.  Mutilation of the word ‘Bougre’ is still used as an insult (sodomite) and found its way into middle English and continues today as the word ‘Bugger’.  By 1146 Henry of Toulouse was preaching the same doctrine and evangelists were undertaking missionary work throughout Europe and into England.

In the year 1147, Bernard a Cistercian monk and abbot of Clareval wrote a letter to the Earl of St. Giles complaining that he was harbouring ‘Henry of Toulouse, a heretick’ who practised believers baptism and denied Catholic teachings.  He was also opposed to the clergy.

Bernard said in his letter “The churches are without people, the people with out priests, the priests without honour, and Christians without Christ.  The churches are no longer conceived holy, nor the sacraments sacred, nor are the festivals any more celebrated.  Men die in their sins, souls are hurried away to the terrible tribunal, without penitence or communion, baptism is refused to infants, who thus are precluded from salvation”.

Henry managed to avoid capture but was later arrested, and sent in chains to the bishop of Ostia, under whose orders he died.

Everinus wrote to Bernard in 1146 complaining of a ‘sect’ who had rejected infant baptism in favour of Believers Baptism, they had formed a ‘church of Christ’ separate and apart from the Catholic church.  Their Elders offered to debate with the Catholic Church their beliefs in light of the teaching of the Scriptures.  This was rejected and instead they were burnt at the stake and the congregation was destroyed.  Bernard was involved in oppression against ‘hereticks’ throughout Europe and many died under his instructions.  Today he is revered as a saint in the Catholic church.

This French picture circa 1415 shows the expulsion of the 'Albigensians' from Carcassone in 1209.  What is forgotten today is that the first crusades were against Christians who had separated from the Catholic Church in Europe.