ot commanded in the Bible, an example of which is not givenin the Bible, or which is not a "necessary inference" from a Biblical command or example,is termed "unbiblical" and is rejected by mainline Churches of Christ. A common sayingamong them is that, "We speak where the Bible speaks, and keep silent where it is silent.""We are also of opinion that as the Divine word is equally binding upon all, so all lieunder an equal obligation to be bound by it, and it alone; and not by any humaninterpretation of it; and that, therefore, no man has a right to judge his brother, except in sofar as he manifestly violates the express letter of the law." -- Thomas Campbell "Declaration and Address", 1809 In their view of religious authority, the Churches of Christ are extreme evangelicalProtestants who reject the notion that the Church itself has any authority to developdoctrine or initiate practices. All authority devolves in theory upon Christ Himself, inpractice upon the written Scriptures since the Churches of Christ reject any post-NewTestament revelation or direct guidance from the Holy Spirit.While in practice the mainline Churches of Christ do not object to the doctrines in theNicene Creed, they do not repeat it in worship or teach it because they believe it is a creedof men, and not a command of God. Churches of Christ are generally trinitarian, althoughsome respected ministers and teachers in the Churches of Christ were not trinitarian andthis was not considered sufficient reason to split the church. Churches of Christ believe that one must hear the gospel, believe it, repent of sin, confessbelief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and be baptized by immersion for remission ofsins, in order to be saved. (Among irreverent mainline people this is called the "five fingerexercise".) They baptize only believers, so they don't baptize infants or young children.They believe that the act of baptism actually saves a repenta...
