The Churches of Christ are a network of charismatic Protestant churches that provide mutual support while accepting the differences between them. The first Tasmanian Church opened in 1865. The Church became known as the Disciples of Christ in 1885 and the Churches of Christ in 1915. The Churches of Christ in Tasmania ran Bethany Boys’ Home.
The first Tasmanian Church of Christ was established at Northdown on the North-West coast on 30 April 1865 by RC Fairlam from the East Brighton Church in Victoria. The first Hobart Church opened in 1872 after some Calvinist Baptists refused to allow a Church leader, OC Carr, to preach to them because they disagreed with his doctrine. Originally known as ‘the Christians’, the congregation acquired 108 new members in its first year.
A donation of land and a cottage at Dover in southern Tasmania appears to have been the impetus for opening Bethany Boys’ Home in 1947. It closed in 1978. Managing the Home fitted in with the Churches’ belief in the importance of community work.
In 2013, the Churches of Christ continue to operate in Tasmania.
From
1865
To
Current
Alternative Names
The Christians
Disciples of Christ