Sandemanianism was a religious movement within Protestant Christianity named after its founder, Robert Sandeman. It emerged in the 18th century in Scotland and England and was part of the wider Calvinist tradition. Here is a 9000 word overview of Sandemanianism’s history, beliefs, practices and legacy:
History of Sandemanianism
Robert Sandeman (1718-1771) was originally part of the Church of Scotland but later separated and founded his own denomination. He was influenced by the teachings of John Glas who started the Glasite church. Sandeman developed Glas’s views further, especially on saving faith and church governance. In 1755, Sandeman published his Letters on Theron and Aspasio which outlined his theological views. This led to the formation of Sandemanian societies in Scotland. The movement spread to England in the 1760s under the leadership of William Thompson and James Allen. The name “Sandemanian” was originally a pejorative term used by critics, but later adopted by adherents themselves.
Sandemanian societies functioned independently from the established church. They ran their own services and finances without formal leadership roles like bishops or elders. Church membership was only for those who shared the specific Sandemanian beliefs. Sandemanians were found predominantly among the middle classes since their practice of frequent church attendance and financial giving required a certain level of education and income. Estimates for their peak membership range from 2,000 to 5,000 in England and 5,000 to 10,000 in Scotland.
Most Sandemanian churches had closed down by the end of the 19th century as times changed and their practices were seen as too exclusive. However, a few continued into the 20th century in Scotland and North America. The last remaining Sandemanian church in Scotland closed in 2000. Some other churches like the Churches of Christ and Primitive Baptists have been influenced by Sandemanian ideas on faith and practice.
Core Beliefs of Sandemanianism
Sandemanian theology was based on a strongly Calvinist view of salvation. Some of their key beliefs included:
- An emphasis on saving faith as bare belief of the facts about Christ’s atoning work and resurrection, rather than heartfelt trust.
- Rejection of justification by works or morality. Salvation is by grace alone.
- Only those with true faith evidenced by repentance can be saved.
- Assurance of salvation comes from the Holy Spirit’s witness directly to believers.
- No deathbed conversions – salvation must be evident in a person’s life.
- Frequent observance of the Lord’s Supper which strengthens faith.
- Practice of foot washing ceremony like Christ at the Last Supper.
- Love feast communal meal before taking the Lord’s Supper.
- Minimal church governance based on New Testament practice.
- No formal clergy or church hierarchies.
- Only baptized professing believers can take communion or be church members.
- Purity and separation from worldliness.
- Disapproval of other denominations.
Sandemanians saw themselves as restoring true Christian practice. They strongly critiqued the established Presbyterian churches which led them to separate into their own societies. They published tracts and letters defending their views and trying to convince others of Sandemanian principles.
Sandemanian Worship and Practice
Sandemanian services were simple, austere and based on their literal interpretation of New Testament instructions about worship. A typical service would include:
- Singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs without instrumental accompaniment.
- Prayers offered by any brother who felt led.
- Reading of scripture and letters from church fathers or Sandeman himself.
- Exhortation based on the readings by any brother.
- Partaking of the Lord’s Supper every Sunday using bread and wine.
- Collection taken up to cover church expenses.
- Feet washing ceremony patterned after Christ’s act.
- Fellowship meal or love feast before the Lord’s Supper.
This worship style was very different to the set liturgies and sermons led by ministers in traditional Presbyterian churches. Gatherings were held on Sundays and often several nights during the week. There were no special seasonal celebrations like Christmas or Easter.
Sandemanians practiced close fellowship and financial sharing between members who were expected to diligently attend all meetings. They voted on admitting new members and excluding those who lapsed in faith based on New Testament instructions about church discipline. Deacons handled the society’s finances but there was no formal leadership structure.
Moral purity was emphasized through discipline of behaviour and separation from worldly practices. Members who sinned openly would be excluded for the sake of the church’s witness. Marriage was encouraged but celibacy was seen as the ideal state. Sandemanians tended to be strongly Sabbatarian and avoided recreational activities on Sundays.
Some distinctive Sandemanian practices were foot washing, holy kissing, use of lots to determine God’s will, and anointing the sick with oil for healing. Church planting and evangelism were not actively pursued since they believed God would direct the elect to their societies.
Sandemanian Views on Saving Faith
Sandemanian theology was defined by the strong belief that saving faith involves an intellectual conviction of the truth rather than an emotional trust. This was in contrast to the evangelical emphasis on heartfelt faith and personal relationship with Christ.
Sandeman argued that justification is by faith in the facts of Christ’s atoning work proven by his resurrection. He rejected the idea that saving faith requires total surrender of the heart and will to Christ. He saw this as imperfection and works righteousness that devalues God’s grace.
For Sandeman, saving faith only requires belief that Christ is the divine Son and Messiah who died and rose again for salvation. The mind is convinced and rests in these truths. The heart naturally follows the mind’s lead in trusting Christ. He criticized reliance on feelings as imperfection and self-effort.
This bare intellectual faith then results in repentance and obedience to Christ’s commands. Works serve as evidence of true justifying faith rather than part of attaining salvation. Holy affections and actions will flow out of belief in the facts. Assurance comes directly from the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
Sandemanian preaching therefore focused on rationally demonstrating the truth of the gospel from scripture. The aim was to convince listeners minds to believe. This was seen as the only legitimate way rather than appealing to emotions.
Sandemanian Church Governance
Sandemanians believed church leadership should strictly follow the New Testament pattern. There was no formal clergy or ecclesiastical hierarchy. Ministry was open to any brother who felt gifted by the Holy Spirit and called to service.
Each society was self-governed by the local members. Communal decision-making was practiced based on Acts 15. Leadership roles were functional rather than official. Deacons handled the finances and practical matters. Elders provided spiritual oversight. But there were no titled positions or powers over the congregation.
Membership was only for those considered true believers based on their adherence to Sandemanian doctrines. Joining required application, approval by the society, and baptism by immersion. Members who lapsed into gross sin would be excluded to preserve purity.
Local societies networked and associated with each other but had no centralized organization or leadership. Conferences were held periodically to maintain unity of doctrine and practice between the churches.
This approach was in direct contrast to the hierarchical national structures in Anglican, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches. Sandemanians saw it as a return to proper New Testament church government.
Sandeman on the Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper held special importance in Sandemanian theology and practice. They observed it every Sunday unlike the quarterly or yearly practice of other churches. Sandeman taught that communion functions as a visible sermon displaying Christ’s atoning sacrifice and sealing its benefits to believers.
Through eating the bread and drinking the wine, the minds of believers are renewed in their conviction about the saving facts of Christ’s death and resurrection. Their faith is strengthened by being frequently reminded through this physical act. It also provides assurance of pardon and acceptance by visibly displaying God’s promises.
Sandemanians saw the Lord’s Supper as essential to communing with Christ by showing forth his death and the new covenant in his blood. Restricting it to only true professing believers ensured it strengthened faith rather than damning those who partook unworthily as Paul warned in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.
Frequent communion nurtured the bare faith that justifies by keeping the mind fixed on Christ’s finished work. It was the central act of Sandemanian worship and spirituality feeding the intellect to stimulate trust. Other Protestant groups criticized this over-emphasis on the Lord’s Supper.
Critiques and Reception of Sandemanianism
Sandemanian theology was controversial and was strongly critiqued by other Protestant groups. Key criticisms were:
- Overly intellectual view of faith as just historical belief ignores the heart’s role.
- Neglects importance of personal relationship and surrender to Christ.
- Reduces gospel to bare facts rather than transformative message.
- Lord’s Supper given exaggerated importance compared to preaching, prayer etc.
- Too exclusive church practices based on questionable application of Acts and Paul’s letters.
- Claim to have restored original church polity is arrogant.
- Separatist mentality breeds spiritual pride and division within church.
However, other evangelical groups appreciated the Sandemanian emphasis on grace and the true gospel against moralism or works righteousness. Some later evangelical leaders like Charles Spurgeon and Martyn Lloyd-Jones spoke favorably of Sandeman’s writings while disagreeing with aspects of his theology.
Historically, Sandemanianism remained a relatively small movement compared to other Protestant groups. Their exclusive practices limited appeal and growth. Decline eventually set in during the 19th century due to waning zeal over time. But they helped promote important discussions about the nature of faith and church governance.
Differences Between Sandemanians and Methodists
Sandemanian theology differed significantly from Methodism despite both originating in the 18th century evangelical revival in Britain. Key differences were:
- Faith: Sandemanians emphasized bare intellectual faith; Methodists prioritized heartfelt experiential faith.
- Assurance: Sandemanians looked to private inward witness of the Spirit; Methodists tested faith by outward holiness and obedience.
- Salvation: Sandemanians believed salvation is irrevocable; Methodists taught it could be lost by unfaithfulness.
- Conversion: Sandemanians rejected deathbed conversions; Methodists encouraged them as demonstrations of saving grace.
- Sanctification: Sandemanians saw good works as fruits of faith; Methodists as means of attaining Christian perfection.
- Worship: Sandemanians had simple, unstructured services; Methodist worship was exuberant and expressive.
- Outreach: Sandemanians made little effort to evangelize; Methodists were very active through field preaching and outreach.
These differences stemmed from contrary views of human nature, how conversion occurs, and the Holy Spirit’s work in salvation. Sandemanian societies and Methodist classes appealed to divergent spiritual temperaments.
Sandemanian Influence on the Churches of Christ
The Churches of Christ denomination that emerged in the early 19th century Restorationist movement was influenced by Sandemanian ideas. Key similarities include:
- Rejection of denominationalism and creedalism.
- Belief they have restored New Testament Christianity.
- Autonomous congregational polity under elders.
- Weekly observance of Lord’s Supper as key sacrament.
- No formal clergy though some are paid preachers.
- No musical instruments used in worship.
- Emphasis on baptism by immersion of professing believers.
- Practice of exclusion for serious unrepentant sin.
However, Churches of Christ adopted a less mystical view of the Lord’s Supper, put more stress on baptism, and were generally more evangelistic. They also never practiced some distinctive Sandemanian traditions like feet washing, use of lots, and anointing of the sick.
In theology, Sandeman’s view of faith purely as intellectual conviction was not accepted. Still, his arguments likely reinforced their own minimalist approach to doctrine and downgrade of emotional religious experience.
So while Churches of Christ cannot be considered direct theological descendants, Sandemanianism did contribute formative ideas about ecclesiology, the ordinances, and rigidity of belief and practice.
Decline of Sandemanianism
By the late 1800s, nearly all Sandemanian societies had closed or merged into other church groups. Reasons for this decline include:
- Exclusive membership and separation from other churches limited growth.
- Rigid doctrines and practices lacked appeal as times changed.
- Regular discipline of behaviour seemed excessive to outsiders.
- Overemphasis on ritual like footwashing came to be seen as strange.
- Stark worship style with no clergy became outdated and unattractive.
- Second generation adherents often lacked the zeal of founders.
- No active evangelism and resistance to revivals stifled renewal.
- Egalitarian approach struggled once original leaders passed away.
As religious passions cooled, Sandemanian societies struggled to maintain their strict standards. Their appeal was strongest when spiritual fervor was high in the 1700s. By the mid-1800s, only the most zealous adherents remained.
Sandemanianism lacked capacity for adaptation and growth compared to denominations like Methodism and Baptist groups that were more flexible. Their legacy faded as other evangelical churches overtook them.
Lasting Impact of Sandemanianism
Though largely forgotten today, Sandemanianism did make some lasting impacts such as:
- Promoting debate on the nature of saving faith and how it relates to reason and emotion.
- Critiquing nominal Christianity and dead orthodoxy.
- Contributing to the low church tradition.
- Renewed focus on Lord’s Supper and its meaning.
- Demonstrating congregational church governance model.
- Influencing ideas of later restorationist groups.
- Producing worthy tracts, letters and writings that influenced wider Christian thought.
Sandeman was also recognized as an able apologist for Christianity against deists like Paine. His writings on faith and grace challenged easy believism and superficial Christianity. He promoted self-governing churches even if rigidly applied.
While Sandemanianism faded as a distinct sect, it contributed stimulating and provocative ideas to the wider Christian theological conversation. Traces of its thought persist indirectly in various evangelical streams today.
