Congregational Church

Congregational Church, Protestant church that holds that each local congregation should have complete autonomy, though congregations may form loose associations. In the 16th century Robert Browne first stated Congregational doctrine. In the 17th century Congregationalists established churches in the New England colonies and founded Harvard and Yale universities. Most U.S. Congregationalists merged (1931) with the Christian Church and then with the Evangelical and Reformed Church (1957) to form the United Church of Christ.

See also: Protestantism.