This article explores the role of historiography in the developing identity of congregationally autonomous churches by examining the process and meaning behind the historical myth-making associated with pioneering church leadership. In the absence of a clerical hierarchy or recognised historical expertise, four competing claims for the title of “first evangelist” emerged in the Churches of Christ (Disciples of Christ) denomination in colonial Victoria. Each of these claims is critically analysed in the light of rapidly developing church identity, the work of the evangelists in the 1860s, the influence of Australian nationalism, and historiographical portrayals which sought to make these four men heroes even in their absence. Finally the article examines absence of another kind — historiographical omission — and the question of the heroic in denominational church history.

中文翻译：

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先驱领导：维多利亚州基督教会的历史神话制作、缺席和身份认同

本文通过研究与先驱教会领导相关的历史神话背后的过程和意义，探讨了历史编纂在发展会众自治教会身份中的作用。在缺乏神职人员等级或公认的历史专业知识的情况下，维多利亚殖民地的基督教会（基督门徒）教派中出现了四个相互竞争的“第一福音传道者”头衔。根据迅速发展的教会身份、1860 年代福音传教士的工作、澳大利亚民族主义的影响以及试图使这四个人在他们不在的情况下成为英雄的历史写照，对这些主张中的每一个都进行了批判性分析。