Branhamism

Branhamism is a controversial name for the distinctive doctrines of William M. Branham (1909-1965), an American faith-healer and preacher of the mid Twentieth Century. The term Branhamism is generally disliked by adherents, but have no problem being referred to as "Branhamites",and they typically refer to themselves as "Message Believers" or simply "Christians" and to William Branham's teachings as the Message of the Hour. Groups of these Message believers can be found around the world without any overall formal affiliation or governance. As such, these groups can range from the comparatively orthodox to groups that would fit the popular definition of cults. A central teaching of many, although not all, of these "Believers" is the idea that Branham was the final major Prophet to the Christian Church as a fulfilment of Malachi 4:5, and had a divinely appointed ministry of restoring the 'true apostolic faith' to the church which had been lost by 'denominationalism'. Major controversial doctrines involve the Godhead, the Baptismal formula, the Serpent's Seed doctrine, attitude toward women and divorce, and eschatology. 
==Doctrine==
===Modalism===
"...not one place in the Bible is Trinity ever mentioned...It's Catholic error and you Protestants bow to it" (Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, p. 182).
"Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is offices of one God. He was the Father; He was the Son; He is the Holy Ghost. It's three offices or three dispensations,..." (Ibid., p. 392)
: See also: Modalism
===Baptism in the name of Jesus only===
"There never was a person baptized in the name of `Father, Son, Holy Ghost' until early Catholic church" (Ibid., p. 178). "Look down on your Bible and see if that says `in the names of...' Does it? No, sir... It said, `in the NAME...'"
"You see, you misunderstand it then. It's one God in three dispensations.... And when He said, `Go baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit,' it was Jesus Christ. And that's why we baptize in Jesus' Name" (Ibid., pp. 181, 184).
: See also: Baptism
===Serpent's seed===
"Branham taught that Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) was sexual in nature. According to Branham, Eve was seduced into a sexual relationship with the serpent and became pregnant with Cain. He explained, "Here is what actually happened in the Garden of Eden. The Word says that Eve was beguiled by the serpent. She was actually seduced by the serpent. He was as close to being a human that his seed could, and did mingle with that of the woman and cause her to conceive" (The Original Sin, pp. 2, 3). The serpent's seed was Cain and all his descendants. They are predestined for Hell. The Godly seed is Seth and his descendants who have been revealed by their call to Branham's ministry. A third group, represented by those still in denominational churches have free will to choose Heaven or Hell. The Godly seed are the Bride of Christ and will be raptured before Tribulation. Denominations are or eventually will be the Mark of the Beast and those who remain therein will go through the Tribulation. (Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, p. 96)." -Phillip Arnn
===Annihilationism===
"Hell, according to Branham, is not a place of eternal torment, as traditional Christianity maintains. Hell will be done away with by God." -Bernie Koerselman
: See also: Annihilationism
===William Branham as last days prophet===
"Now, I'm just your brother, by the grace of God. But when the Angel of the Lord moves down, it becomes then a Voice of God to you...But I am God's Voice to you... Now, see, I can say nothing in myself. But what He shows me" (Footprints On The Sands Of Time, p. 214)
"...we are promised a return of that Spirit [Elijah] just before the end-time. He won't start another church, because there is no more church ages to come... because the Laodicea Church Age is the last age, and the messenger of the Seventh Angel,... is the fellow that is going to reveal, by the Holy Spirit, all of these mysterious things.... Notice. This last message of the last church age is not a reformer, he is a PROPHET!" (The Seven Seals, pp. 144, 45).
"A MAN SENT FROM GOD. That the ministry of William Branham qualifies to be that of a major prophet and thus fulfill Malachi 4, 5 and 6 and Revelation 10:7 should become abundantly clear to any who take time to conduct even a brief investigation..." (The Message, Bible Believers, Inc., p. 7).
"Some of Branham’s followers believed that he (Branham) was virgin-born." -Bernie Koerselman
==External links==
* Watchman Fellowship Profile: Branhamism/William Branham, by Phillip Arnn
* The Teachings of "the Prophet" William Branham, Let Us Reason Ministries
* Apologetics Index: William Branham
* Religious Movements Homepage: Branhamism, by Elisabeth Lindeman
* Branhamism, edited by Bernie Koerselman
* William Branham and His Message, An Examination of the Teachings of William Branham from a Former Follower's Perspective
Category:Religious movements