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The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC. These two denominations, which were themselves the result of earlier unions, had their roots in Congregational, Christian, Evangelical, and Reformed denominations. The UCC's 5,320 congregations claim about 1.1 million members, primarily in the United States.[1] The UCC maintains full communion with several other mainline Protestant denominations and participates in worldwide ecumenical efforts. The national settings of the UCC have historically favored progressive or liberal views on civil rights, gay rights, women's rights, abortion, and other social issues. However, United Church of Christ congregations have freedom in matters of doctrine and ministry, and may or may not support the national body's theological or moral stances. It is self-described as "an extremely pluralistic and diverse denomination".[2] A joint resolution by delegates of two Protestant churches, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches, established the United Church of Christ in 1957. [3] [4] This union adopted an earlier general statement of unity between the two denominations, the 1943 "Basis of Union".[5] At this time, the UCC claimed about two million members.[4] In 1959, in its General Synod, the UCC adopted a broad "Statement of Faith".[6] The UCC adopted its constitution and by-laws in 1961.[4] There is no UCC hierarchy or body that can impose any doctrine or worship format onto the individual congregations within the UCC.[7] While individual congregations are supposed to hold guidance from the general synod "in the highest regard," the UCC's constitution requires that the "autonomy of the Local Church is inherent and modifiable only by its own action."[8]
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