Right hand of christian fellowship
Encyclopedia
The Right Hand of Fellowship is a ritual intended to welcome a new member into the fellowship of a congregation or welcoming a new minister into the fellowship of ministers. It is based on Paul's letter to the Galatians
, chapter 2 verse 9, where Paul says that three disciples of Jesus "gave me and Barnabas
their right hands of fellowship" (Greek
: ), bonding them together as members of the new Christian church. John Stott
follows the New English Bible
in suggesting that the phrase means the other apostles "accepted Barnabas and myself as partners, and shook hands
upon it." Herman Ridderbos
, however, believes that the "giving of right hands represents more than a reciprocal acknowledgment or testimony of friendship: it suggests rather a covenant
."
The Right Hand of Christian Fellowship is a practice performed by many sects of Christianity
as an extension of brotherhood into the church. When a person who has experienced salvation
desires to join a church, the current members determine whether he or she is eligible. Some groups like the Old Time Missionary Baptists take an actual vote throughout its members. If the person is deemed eligible, then the church then extends the Right Hand of Christian Fellowship as an act of acceptance. This is typically done by having the person shake the right hand of every current member of the church.
The Right Hand of Fellowship can be used as a weekly greeting, similar to the passing of the peace used in liturgical churches.
Additionally, the Right Hand of Fellowship can be viewed as merely an expression of good faith and morals. In this scenario, there is less of a literal sense to the right hand.
Epistle to the Galatians
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, often shortened to Galatians, is the ninth book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of Early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia...
, chapter 2 verse 9, where Paul says that three disciples of Jesus "gave me and Barnabas
Barnabas
Barnabas , born Joseph, was an Early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. In terms of culture and background, he was a Hellenised Jew, specifically a Levite. Named an apostle in , he and Saint Paul undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts...
their right hands of fellowship" (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: ), bonding them together as members of the new Christian church. John Stott
John Stott
John Robert Walmsley Stott CBE was an English Christian leader and Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical movement. He was one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974...
follows the New English Bible
New English Bible
The New English Bible is a translation of the Bible into modern English directly from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts . The New Testament was published in 1961...
in suggesting that the phrase means the other apostles "accepted Barnabas and myself as partners, and shook hands
Handshake
A handshake is a short ritual in which two people grasp one of each other's like hands, in most cases accompanied by a brief up and down movement of the grasped hands.-History:...
upon it." Herman Ridderbos
Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos
Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos was born on February 13, 1909, in Oosterend , the Netherlands, grew up in the Reformed Church and in a strong, conservative Christian home, and died on Thursday, March 8, 2007, at the age of 98...
, however, believes that the "giving of right hands represents more than a reciprocal acknowledgment or testimony of friendship: it suggests rather a covenant
Covenant (biblical)
A biblical covenant is an agreement found in the Bible between God and His people in which God makes specific promises and demands. It is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith. It it is used in the Tanakh 286 times . All Abrahamic religions consider the Biblical covenant...
."
The Right Hand of Christian Fellowship is a practice performed by many sects of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
as an extension of brotherhood into the church. When a person who has experienced salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
desires to join a church, the current members determine whether he or she is eligible. Some groups like the Old Time Missionary Baptists take an actual vote throughout its members. If the person is deemed eligible, then the church then extends the Right Hand of Christian Fellowship as an act of acceptance. This is typically done by having the person shake the right hand of every current member of the church.
The Right Hand of Fellowship can be used as a weekly greeting, similar to the passing of the peace used in liturgical churches.
Additionally, the Right Hand of Fellowship can be viewed as merely an expression of good faith and morals. In this scenario, there is less of a literal sense to the right hand.