User talk:DonaldRichardSands/Comity (faith groups)

Comity among faith groups
I am considering starting a section on the practice of comity among faith groups for this article. In mission work, denominations sometimes make agreements among themselves not to work the same territory. Anyone know of these practices? drs (talk) 00:36, 26 April 2012 (UTC)

This article deals with the legal concept, (Comity) which would likely be the primary meaning of topic in light of its impact on international law. The religious usage would go into a separate article at Comity among faith groups, although the concept may not be notable enough to merit an article. bd2412 T 02:04, 26 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Hi bd2412. I was wondering about which way to go. I appreciate the nudge regarding a separate article. I don't think there will be any problem demonstrating notability. The sources already provided seem to demonstrate that it is a notable topic among faith groups. If it is not too much of a problem, I think I will continue collecting sources here. Hopefully, you and other editors, will be able to provide me with some helpful feedback. If I go to a sandbox at this point, I would end up working completely alone on this, and that would not be as good. If you have some further thoughts on the notability of the article, I am interested in reading them. Once it is obvious that the information supports an independent article, this material can be, should be, removed from this talk page. Also, if it becomes an annoyance on this talk page, a sandbox can easily be established. Thanks. drs (talk) 04:11, 26 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Obviously, my thinking has developed since the last note to bd2412. DonaldRichardSands (talk) 05:30, 26 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Good job collecting sources. I retract my concern about the notability of the topic. bd2412  T 02:56, 1 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Thanks, your assessment is appreciated. DonaldRichardSands (talk) 03:51, 1 May 2012 (UTC)

I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty of making these page moves. This way, when the draft is ready to be moved to mainspace, both it and its talk page will be at the title most in accordance with naming conventions. Cheers! bd2412 T 17:57, 22 May 2012 (UTC)


 * I can use all the help you can offer. Thanks. DonaldRichardSands (talk) 21:06, 22 May 2012 (UTC)

Comity Chronology

 * 1820

Comity practice begins, though name not in common use until the 1880s


 * 1826

The annual Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church took place from February 15-23 at Portsmouth. Sixty to 70 preachers attended. Public preaching was held three times a day in Portsmouth and two times a day in Norfolk. The churches of the different denominations in both communities, "with becoming Christian comity" offered their pulpits on Sunday to the preachers attending the conference.


 * 1860

[http://www.missionworldview.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Mission-Unity-and-Comity.pdf Conference on Missions Held in 1860 at Liverpool. 1860. London: Nisbet Publishers.]


 * 1880s

The term 'comity' comes into common usage

Josiah Bushnell Grinnell in his Men and events of forty years: Autobiographical reminiscences of an active career from 1850 to 1890 (p. 112) tells of his coaxing good men wishing to start rival churches to move on by paying their coach fare. He speaks of "Christian comity" in his defense, and then recalls, "In one rather typical western town not far from us (Grinnell, Iowa), there were recently thirteen religious organizations, and but thirteen hundred inhabitants."
 * 1891


 * 1910

"The Missionary Conference of 1910 in Edinburgh can be seen as a significant milestone in missionary cooperation, provided the opportunity and impetus for subsequent ecumenical, as well as missionary, developments." Oxbrow, Mark (2010). Edinburgh 2010 Study Theme: Forms of Missionary Engagement. Better together : Partnership and collaboration in mission


 * 1947

In India, comity agreements starting in the early 1800s led to the formation of the Church of South India.


 * 1970

In India, comity agreements starting in the early 1800s led to the formation of the Church of North India.

The role of comity agreements in India re: ecumenical action
Christian Mission to Muslims: The Record : Anglican and Reformed Approaches in India and the Near East, 1800-1938 Lyle L. Vander Werff William Carey Library, 1977, P. 94 - 366 pages, ISBN 9780878083206

Some Comity agreements led to a dictatorship in matters of discipline
Comity agreements could also bestow a monopoly leading to a dictatorship in matters of discipline.

From C. 1940 to C. 1975, Volume 8 Andrew D. Roberts, Roland Anthony Oliver, John Donnelly Fage Cambridge University Press, 1984 - 1011 pages, p. 146

Other useful sources
[http://www.padfield.com/acrobat/taylor/denominations.pdf Taylor, Gene (1999). A Study of Denominations. (pdf file)]
 * Regarding Adventism, Taylor's report of the White's involvement and particularly Ellen White's is rather simplistic and thus inaccurate. Other than that, his analysis is helpful. This tendency to miss the complexity of an organization's thought leaders should create a caution regarding the things he writes about the various organizations in his seventy page work. DonaldRichardSands (talk) 16:07, 25 May 2012 (UTC)

Resistance to comity

 * Hale, J. Willis (October, 1954). Resistance to Comity. Vol. 1, No. 1. The Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary.

This essay reports about those pushing for comity mostly in the Philippines and gives reasons why comity arrangements were resisted and considered "High Treason against the King of Kings".