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Negative sentiments are typically implied when the concepts "cult" and "sect" are employed in popular discourse. Since the Religious Movements Homepage seeks to promote religious tolerance and appreciation of the positive benefits of pluralism and religious diversity in human cultures, we encourage the use of alternative concepts that do not carry implicit negative stereotypes. For a more detailed discussion of both scholarly and popular usage of the concepts "cult" and "sect," please visit our Conceptualizing "Cult" and "Sect" page, where you will find additional links to related issues.
There are no accurate records of the actual size of the movement, but most seem to place its numbers between 40,000 to 600,000 members worldwide. These are estimates based on convention attendance throughout the past years. The following are some calculations done on the attendance figures.
"(The Institute for the Study of American Religion) has a list of conventions held by
the group in 1986. This includes 95 annual conventions at 85 locations in the U.S. with
a typical attendance of 250 to over 1,000 members each. Total membership might total
40,000 in North America and perhaps 40,000 elsewhere...The greatest concentration of
members is in the Northwestern U.S."
"(They are) global. Claim to have preached in every country. Members estimated to
number up to 600,000 worldwide. In 1988, Canada listed 226 "Workers" and the U.S.
listed 845 (of which 63% were female. 37% male)."
The 2x2's trace their roots back to founder William Irvine, born in Kilsyth, Scotland in 1863 and who converted to Christianity at age 30. In 1895 Irvine joined the Faith Mission, for which he traveled throughout Ireland and Scotland as a lay-evangelist. Throughout this time, Irvine became increasingly critical of organized religious institutions. Therefore, in 1897 Irvine took measures toward leading his own religious movement, basing it on the idea that Matthew 10:5-42 and Luke 9:1-5 should still apply to Christian life. However, Irvine did not formally break ties with the Faith Mission until 1901, at which time he took with him George Walker, Edward Cooney, Jack Carroll, and Irvine Weir.
The movement expanded rapidly during the first few years after its founding. Believers
were adamant in their faith, calling it "The Truth" and proclaiming Irvine the "Alpha
Prophet" spoken of in Deuteronomy and Acts.
In 1904 William Irvine announced the "Living Witness Doctrine." He believed that
salvation is only gained through hearing the preaching of a 2X2 worker.
In 1908 William Irvine became enraged at converts who did not heed the call of Matthew
10:8-10. He then authorized the distinction between workers and members. Members did
not travel, but led settled lives and used the profits of their employment to support
the workers, or itinerant preachers within the group. At this point he chose from this
pool of workers certain men, whom he deemed "overseers," to handle the affairs of workers
in specific geographical areas. This second division was told to the workers and to
very few, long-standing members. A third decision was made by Irvine concerning the
movement's finances and was shared only with those directly involved. In order to pool
the money donated by members to the workers, bank accounts in the name of Irvine and
certain individual overseers were established.
In 1912 Irvine began to announce a series of new, unsettling ideas at the conventions
he attended. He taught members that it might be possible to act as saviors to the stars
in the same way that Jesus was a savior to those on Earth. He also referred to his
movement as the 144,000 from the book of Revelation.
In 1914 these new ideas had become threatening to the existence of the movement as
Irvine began to preach of an "Omega Gospel." He stated that it had been revealed to him
that the Age of Grace would end in August of that year and following this time no
additional salvation would be granted. After August 1914 the 2X2's, according to Irvine,
were to cease their missionary activities and wait with him for the coming end of time.
At this point a theological split occurred between Irvine and the workers. The workers
declared that William Irvine had "lost the Lord's anointing" and forbade followers to
associate with him either in person, or through letters.
About 400 followers remained loyal to Irvine and were excommunicated along with him in
1914. They formed a new sect of the 2X2's known as the "Little Ones," "Friends" or
"Message people." Believing that Irvine was correct regarding the conclusion of the Age
of Grace, they witness as individuals when chance allows. As with the 2X2's they
condemn all things institutional, citing Revelation 18:13 as doctrinal proof.
After the excommunication of Irvine, the overseers attempted to increase the secrecy
Irvine had installed within the group. Their first step was to cover Irvine's role as
founder of the movement. They then encouraged the members to keep a much lower public
profile, contrary to their earlier approach and Irvine's boisterous and condemning
manner. Neat and conservative dress replaced prior shabbiness and conventions became
calm, private affairs of little interest to the outside world.
There was, however, one man who threatened the authority of the overseers. Edward
Cooney, a follower of Irvine since the time of his departure from the Faith Mission, saw
himself as Irvine's rightful successor and denounced the overseers' goals of conforming
the group to a more conventional lifestyle. As flamboyant as Irvine, he publicly
attacked the overseers' desires at conventions he attended and called for a reaffirmation
of the instructions of Matthew 10. In addition to his support of the following of
Matthew 10 by every individual within the group, he also believed that a grave mistake
had occurred with the adoption of the Living Witness Doctrine in 1903-04. He stated as
his reason that he was not converted through Irvine and that he and Irvine both had
committed to Christ prior to the birth of the movement.
Cooney also faced inner tension over the overseers' allotment of preachers to specific
regions and his belief in individual dependence on God for spiritual guidance. He
wished to abolish the two tiered structure and called for the ending of conventions,
believing they were unnecessary and unscriptural, instead wishing that all members give
up material possessions to preach where the Lord saw fit.
Throughout World War I Cooney preached his message throughout Britain, posing a direct
threat to the overseers in charge there. In 1921 the British overseers, hoping to
silence Cooney, persuaded him to travel abroad.
However, he lost most of his support when he called attention to the little regarded
message of Matthew 10 and Luke 9 to "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and
cast out devils."
Workers in New Zealand found this meeting intolerable and banned from their house
meetings any member who associated with Cooney. Upon Cooney's arrival in North America,
Jack Carroll, the overseer there, decided that Cooney was not to be heard in his
territory and advised his members not to attend Cooney's Seattle mission. A complete
ban was then placed on him throughout the United States and Canada. At this point
William Irvine once again stepped in, summoning Cooney to Ireland. When Cooney chose to
heed the request of the fallen leader he was promptly excommunicated from the movement.
On October 12, 1928 a meeting was held in Lurgen, Ireland to finalize justification for Cooney's dismissal. An agreement was drawn up to make the actions of the workers more uniform. It stated the following:
Edward Cooney refused to abide by these rules and Jack Carroll, American overseer and
the most outspoken advocate of this agreement, declared he would not have further
fellowship with him. The other overseers soon followed Carroll's lead and Cooney was
banned from the movement.
Edward Cooney deemed himself a "Tramp preacher" after giving up his secular employment
to follow William Irvine in 1901. Thus, the small sect that branched off the 2X2's to
follow Cooney following his excommunication has been called "Tramp Preachers" or
"Cooneyites"
After the excommunication of Cooney, the movement sank into obscurity. Still, it has
persisted under the guidance of the overseers for over sixty-five years. Their lack
of a name, church building, or printed material allows them to exist with anonymity.
They evangelize mainly in rural areas to an audience of mostly evangelical Protestants.
The 2X2's do not have a systematic theology and doctrine is rarely discussed. Because
there is nothing officially written by the group themselves, there is much haziness and
controversy as to the actual beliefs of the group. The following is what appears most
accurate regarding the beliefs and practices of the 2X2's.
The 2X2's do not have any official statement of belief but profess that the Bible is
their only Doctrine. They rely heavily on the King James version of the New Testament,
especially Matthew 10 and Luke 9. They believe that God is a solitary entity and do not
adhere to the concept of the Trinity. Instead they believe that Jesus is God's son,
separate from the Father, who lived a perfect life to establish a ministry pattern to be
followed from that day forward. After establishing this pattern, Jesus was crucified,
died and then rose again in body before ascending to Heaven. They see the Holy Spirit
as a power separate from both God and Jesus given as a feeling from them to a believer.
Members of the group firmly believe that their's is the only path to salvation and that
an individual can only be saved through hearing the Truth from a worker (Living Witness
Doctrine). From this belief stems their strong sense of missionary duty. To maintain
its anonymity the group funds no hospitals, schools, or other charity operations.
Two ordinances are practiced by the 2x2's: baptism and communion. Baptism is done by
complete immersion rather than by the sprinkling of water, following the example set
forth by Jesus. Because a member must conform to the standards set by the workers
before baptism, it is practiced only in adulthood. The group does not acknowledge any
baptism done by a different religious institution. The second ordinance, communion, is
given only to those members who have been baptized. It is celebrated each week at the
Sunday meeting, during which eligible members partake of bread and grape juice shared in
a common cup.
The 2x2's do not believe that Jesus' death on the cross will wash away the sins of all
who accept him as savior. Instead they believe that salvation comes through a life of
sacrificial obedience to the instructions and examples of Jesus.
Services in the 2x2 movement consist of Sunday and Midweek Services, Union Fellowship
Meetings, Gospel Meetings, Conventions, and Special Meetings. The 2x2's do not own
their own church buildings as they are opposed to any form of institutionalized
religion. Depending on the type of service, members will meet either in the home or a
rented hall.
Sunday/Midweek Meeting:
Service is held in the homes of members and led by the "presiding member" or the man
of the house where the meeting is held. Hymns are sung unaccompanied from their hymnal
Hymns Old and New
. Testimonies of private Bible study are shared and prayer is offered by individual
members with none referring to individual needs, problems or events. Toward the end of
the service Communion is given to those members who have been baptized and approved by
the group's local workers. Following communion the presiding member says a final prayer
and the group is dismissed.
Union Fellowship Meetings:
These meetings are the same as the Sunday or midweek meetings but occur on a much
larger scale than the twenty members groups present in the first. Both types of
meetings occur ONLY in the home, as the 2x2's take literally Acts 7:48 and 17:24:
"God dwells not in temples made with hands."
Gospel Meetings:
There are no regulations on where a gospel meeting can be held. They usually take
place in a rented facility and are for the purpose of recruiting and teaching new
members. Existing members are also expected to attend as they are needed to help educate
the converts, allowing them to gain salvation through the Living Witness Doctrine.
Testimonies, hymns with piano accompaniment, preaching of workers and prayer are all
performed.
Conventions:
The first convention was held a few years after the movement's founding in 1903 and
since then it has become prevalent. Members are encouraged to attend at least one convention
per year. The convention itself usually lasts for four days with three meetings per
day. They are held on the private property of members within the group, usually in
rural areas in buildings constructed and maintained for this purpose through the
donations of members. Believers spend the days in fellowship with each other, listening
to the preaching of workers, and giving their own testimonies.
Special Meetings
are one day versions of conventions held throughout the year.
The 2x2's have condensed much of these beliefs into the phrase
"The ministers without a home, and the church in the home."
The 2x2's rely on secrecy both within the movement and throughout relations with
secular society for their survival. On the whole, the group has managed to avoid any
kind of public detection. The movement does not have a name, and if an individual is
asked what church he belongs to the most frequent answer is that he worships privately
among friends.
Counter-cult groups find the 2x2s a heretical Christian movement because of their view
against the trinity and salvation through grace. They see the movement's disdain for
religious institutions as a threat to their interpretation of the Truth and believe the
movement's secrecy to be a direct attempt to mislead potential converts, especially
those who feel mainstream churches have become too liberal or materialistic into believing
the group holds to the same doctrine as other Christian institutions.
A second threat to the movement is the number of apostates willing to speak out against it. Upon leaving, many members see the strict guidelines and constant accountability as a way of controlling their lives and are quick to denounce the validity of the movement, saying it offers a sense of guilt more than a promise of salvation. The creation of the Internet opened the door for both counter cultists and apostates to spread their message accross the world while the 2x2s, whose lifestyle does not permit the use of a computer, do little in defense.
No mention of the movement's founding in 1897 by William Irvine is allowed within the
group. Instead, members adamantly insist their mission dates back to the first century,
was founded by Jesus and that all other religious institutions have gone astray from
this Truth.
A third controversy is present in the life of the movement's founder, William Irvine.
Though the group calls for a strict code of morality, including the celibacy of its
workers, Irvine carried with him the burden of an illegitimate son, Archibald Irvine,
born to an unknown woman when Irvine was around twenty-three years old. Archie was
approximately eleven at the time of the movement's founding and sources say that Irvine
supported his son until Archibald decided to go off on his own.
Religious Tolerance Page on No Name
Church
This site is an excellent resource for unbiased information about the 2X2's and other
religious movements. It provides a brief history of the group and its beliefs as well
as controversy the movements has faced. It also includes links to a variety of other
sources and a bibliography of books and articles written.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_2x2.htm
"Christians in Hiding: The No
Name Sect"
This essay by Benton Johnson, also appearing in the book
Sex, Lies and Sanctity: Religion and Deviance in Contemporary North America
, is an unbiased sociological paper on the history, doctrine, and underlying ideas
behind the movement.
http://home.wwdb.org/resource/BRG1-3-1BJohnson.htm
Biography of William Irvine
The book
The Life and Ministry of William Irvine
by Cherie Kropp is posted here on a chapter by chapter basis. It details the life of
William Irvine and his role in the founding of the 2X2's.
http://wwwdb.org/resource/BRG4Wml-Index.htm
Biography of Edward Cooney
This Chapter from
The Life and Ministry of William Irvine
(see link above) is dedicated solely to Edward Cooney, self appointed successor to
Irvine following his excommunication.
http://home.wwdb.org/resource/BRG5-4-5Cooney.htm
In Defense of Truth
This site, maintained by Lynn Cooper author of
The Church with No Name
contains a great overview of the 2x2's as well as some interesting links and passages
from the book itself.
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~lynnc/page4.html
Friends of Truth
The site is maintained by a group of people claiming membership to the 2x2 movement in
order to inform people about the movement. It offers various articles and editorials on
both the group and topics such as love, suicide, and sin.
http://www.friendsoftruth.net/
Telling the Truth: The No Name Cult
This counter-cult site is biased in its approach to explaining the 2x2's. However, it
does have a fairly complete fact sheet and a vast listing of links along with chat rooms
and message boards of interest.
http://home.earthlink.net/~truth/
Who are the Two-by-Twos?
This counter-cult site is run by Research and Information Services (RIS). In addition
to a basic outline of beliefs and practices of the group, it also includes articles on
Cult Mind Control and disputes over 2x2 doctrine.
http://www.workersect.org/2x201.html
The Cooneyites or "Go-Preachers"
and their doctrines
This counter-cult site is a refutation of the beliefs of the followers of Edward
Cooney, one of two sects of the 2x2's. It is run by the Central Bible Truth Depot and
is based in Sydney, Australia, where the sect is most popular.
http://home.wwdb.org/resource/BRG1-1-5Rule.htm
Workers,
Friends, and the Church without a Name
This site is run by apostates of the 2x2 movement. Calling themselves Veterans of
Truth (VOT) they offer biblical arguments against the group's doctrine and testimonies
of ex-members.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/2x2info_namelesshousesect/homepage.htm
Send an Email to LISTSERV@HOME>EASE>LSOFT>COM and enter in the body of the message:
SUBSCRIBE 2X2 CHURCH and your name. If you wish to remain anonymous, then add the word anonymous between CHURCH and your name. Otherwise your email address will appear on any message posted. Please direct any questions to 2X2-CHURCH-REQUEST@HOME>EASE>LSOFT>COM (Religious Tolerance)
Created by
Shannon Leigh Vivian
For Soc 257: New Religious Movements
Fall Term, 2000
University of Virginia
Last modified: 07/25/01