CHAPTER 3 The Congregation-Led Church Congregational Polity JAMES LEO GARRETT, JR. What Is Congregational Polity? The church polity or governance known as “Congregational” has been normally differentiated from other types of church polity either by a threefold or a fourfold differentiation. The threefold, common to Baptist authors, has demarcated Episcopal, Presbyterial, and Congregational types of polity.1 The fourfold, found among non-Baptist authors, has distinguished Papal, Episcopal, Presbyterial,
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