ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Restorationism (Christian primitivism)

Restorationism means going back to how things used to be. In Christianity, restorationism or Christian primitivism means going back to the way things were during the times of the first Christians, when they were following the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is like trying to be a good Christian the way that the apostles were.

Christian primitivists believe that the early Christians had the best way of following Christ and that over time, the Christian church has strayed from that path. They think that the original teachings of Jesus have been changed or lost, and that the modern church has become too complicated and has added lots of unnecessary rules and traditions that do not come from the Bible.

So, restorationists seek to bring back the original form of Christianity by following the Bible very closely and focusing on the teachings of Jesus and the early church. They try to imitate the way the first Christians worshipped, celebrated the sacraments, and organized their communities.

Restorationists believe that if they go back to the way things were, they can experience the true meaning of Christianity and have a closer relationship with God. They feel that by rejecting many of the changes that have been added to Christianity over the centuries, they can avoid the mistakes and the corruption that have infiltrated the church. It is like trying to be a pure Christian the way it was done in the beginning, without all of the other stuff that modern Christianity has picked up from various sources.

Overall, restorationism or Christian primitivism is about going back to the original way of being a Christian, and trying to follow the teachings of Jesus as closely as possible, without any additional changes or traditions that have accumulated over time.