In "The Age of Reason," published in 1794 and 1795, Paine wrote, "All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit".
By comparing evidence from these groups to the early Jesus groups (especially those lying behind Paul's letters), we can generate new insights about meetings among Jesus' followers before the formal institutions of churches arose.
The Scottish model of civic nationalism that has emerged over the last 30 years, was built on the basis of the distinct Scottish institutions of church, law and education.
The consequence is to lend credence to the widespread misconception that the secular state seeks to suppress religion, when all it need do is separate the institutions of church and state.
"As you look at the history," said Ms. Mellowes, 64, who is the series producer, "it's just a historical fact that while the founding fathers may have wanted to separate the institutions of church and state, they didn't want to separate religion and politics.
By then he was already close to Mary, his childhood sweetheart, and he later said that even as teenagers the two of them would have serious conversations around her kitchen table about how they could close the gap between the institution of church as they knew it and the church they read about in the New Testament.
In Britain, even in the 1700s, centuries-old institutions of the church and royalty provided visions of the past.
In fact, the controversy became a struggle for supremacy between the institutions of the church (sacerdotium) and monarchy (regnum).
However, the Middle Ages may be defined as the era in which the distinctively Roman Catholic forms and institutions of the church were established.
Very soon the monarchy was abolished, and the House of Lords too; the institutions of the church were overthrown and a written constitution was introduced.
The increased speed of change is arguably related to society's connectivity through broadcast and social media and to its lack of connectivity through the more permanent institutions of family, church and community.
