Why are some Christians so consumed with their denomination?

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
Christ died for his elect and God calls them His children. Why, then, do people identify so strongly with their denomination when there is no biblical support for denominations?
 

faramir.pete

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2017
Messages
152
Age
67
Location
Peterborough
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Liberal
Marital Status
Married
Now there is a good question, I look forward to reading the responses of our learned brothers and sisters.


Pete from Peterborough UK
 

Albion

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Messages
7,492
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Anglican
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Here on CH, it seems that the folks who self-describe as *non-denominational* spend more time being concerned about it than anyone else does--and I do mean concerned with other peoples denominations and with their own as well.
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,084
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Christ died for his elect and God calls them His children. Why, then, do people identify so strongly with their denomination when there is no biblical support for denominations?

I guess you'd have to ask the people who are more like that.

Just one thing though, John 3:16.... God so loved the world that he gave....
 

Andrew

Matt 18:15
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Messages
6,645
Age
39
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
You will know them by their fruits, seriously unless they tell me what denomination they are I could never guess. No difference between a Catholic and a Protestant, they only argue with each other and it doesn't bother me, we all fight the good fight.
Never call your brother a fool

Sent from my LGLS755 using Tapatalk
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
I guess you'd have to ask the people who are more like that.

Just one thing though, John 3:16.... God so loved the world that he gave....
Go to the Christian thread and rehash what John 3:16 is saying in the context of Jesus discussion with Nicodemus. You might find universalism isn't being talked about.
In this thread we are talking about denominationalism, as it relates to the Bible, and why people are drawn to denominationalism.
Why are some Christians so consumed with their denomination?
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,084
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Go to the Christian thread and rehash what John 3:16 is saying in the context of Jesus discussion with Nicodemus. You might find universalism isn't being talked about.
In this thread we are talking about denominationalism, as it relates to the Bible, and why people are drawn to denominationalism.
Why are some Christians so consumed with their denomination?

I wasn't talking about universalism.
 

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Christ died for his elect and God calls them His children. Why, then, do people identify so strongly with their denomination when there is no biblical support for denominations?

I would guess that many people don't think very deeply about it and simply go to the church they do because that is what they are use to.
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
I would guess that many people don't think very deeply about it and simply go to the church they do because that is what they are use to.
Yet we have two threads about why switch from X denomination to Y denomination.
 

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Yet we have two threads about why switch from X denomination to Y denomination.

Yes, that's true. But, I doubt that reflects what most people do. From what i have seen most people go to the church they do because either.
They were invited by someone else
Their family goes to that church and they have family ties there
Or sometimes a particular program or pastor is popular and they want to take part that activity or hear that person.
 

Albion

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Messages
7,492
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Anglican
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Yes, that's true. But, I doubt that reflects what most people do. From what i have seen most people go to the church they do because either.
They were invited by someone else
Their family goes to that church and they have family ties there
Or sometimes a particular program or pastor is popular and they want to take part that activity or hear that person.
No offense, but I think that's unfair to those who have commented on those threads and told their life stories. Person after person wrote that they were motivated by the pursuit of religious truth, that they changed denominations because their consciences and their study of church history and Holy Scripture led them to the church which, in their judgment, was the most correct. While many people do simply attend whatever church is handy or familiar, etc. it is wrong IMHO to suggest that this is the main factor in the selection process for most people.

And look...people who call themselves non-denominational have often posted their reasoning, why they made the choice they did; and it was because of something that amounts to wanting to be in step with what they perceive to be Christs intent--no less than those here who chose to be Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, or affiliate with some other denominational faith.
 
Last edited:

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Okay, let's get back on topic. The original question was:

"Christ died for his elect and God calls them His children. Why, then, do people identify so strongly with their denomination when there is no biblical support for denominations?"

Which leads to the question of if that premise is true that there is no biblical support for denominations? If so, then where is there so many of them?
 

Albion

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Messages
7,492
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Anglican
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Okay, let's get back on topic. The original question was:

"Christ died for his elect and God calls them His children. Why, then, do people identify so strongly with their denomination when there is no biblical support for denominations?"

Which leads to the question of if that premise is true that there is no biblical support for denominations? If so, then where is there so many of them?
Excuse me, but the topic certainly was not "Why are there so many of them (denominations)?" Rather, it was "Why are some Christians so consumed with their denominations (assuming that they are)?"
 

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Excuse me, but the topic certainly was not "Why are there so many of them (denominations)?" Rather, it was "Why are some Christians so consumed with their denominations (assuming that they are)?"

There are several assumptions in the OP, one of which is that there is no biblical support for denominations. While there are no specific guidelines for denominations, i believe they exist because of serious disagreements in theology some of which we have debated and discussed on this forum. Such as baptism and who can be baptized, communion, church polity, worship style and traditions, who can be ministers or priests, who can be elders or deacons and the place of tradition within the church. These differences are important distinctions between the church denominations. Even issues of man's will verses God's Sovereignty which we have discussed on this forum in detail.

But, Jesus prayed in his high priestly prayer in John 17 that we are to be one. It seems sometimes there is more that divides us than brings us together. Which seems strange in what is called the Body of Christ or the church
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
No offense, but I think that's unfair to those who have commented on those threads and told their life stories. Person after person wrote that they were motivated by the pursuit of religious truth, that they changed denominations because their consciences and their study of church history and Holy Scripture led them to the church which, in their judgment, was the most correct. While many people do simply attend whatever church is handy or familiar, etc. it is wrong IMHO to suggest that this is the main factor in the selection process for most people.

And look...people who call themselves non-denominational have often posted their reasoning, why they made the choice they did; and it was because of something that amounts to wanting to be in step with what they perceive to be Christs intent--no less than those here who chose to be Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, or affiliate with some other denominational faith.
So why the focus upon the denomination. I understand enjoying a worship format or preaching style, but the clinging to a particular denomination is interesting to me. It seems to be much like the person who will only buy a Ford and won't consider anything else, even if the Fords grade out as inferior products.
Why focus on denomination and cling to a particular denomination?
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,084
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Red herring. Not here.

Red herring? Maybe the basis for a - ahem - denominational difference. Scripture doesn't tell us to split into a thousand different denominations but given how many aspects of Scripture are interpreted in multiple ways it's hardly surprising that peopel do it.

Some issues are minor, some may even be a matter of preference. Others may be more significant.

To take an example, I personally believe in baptism of adults by full immersion. If someone else believes in baptism by sprinkling, or baptism of infants, I'm not going to claim they aren't a proper Christian or that I can't fellowship with them because of our disagreement. On the other hand, some teachers within the extreme fringes of the charismatic movement present material that leaves me struggling to conclude anything other than that I don't recognise the god they are describing. It's not for me to judge what is in their heart but based on their teaching I would write them off as false prophets or false teachers and not follow them at all. It's hard to see how I could engage in Christian fellowship, when I can't even be sure they are following the God I follow.
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,084
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Excuse me, but the topic certainly was not "Why are there so many of them (denominations)?" Rather, it was "Why are some Christians so consumed with their denominations (assuming that they are)?"

Being consumed with denominatons is an interesting issue, and I suspect much of it is more about the people who were raised in the church and never really stopped to think about what they were being taught. If your only exposure to Scripture was a few Sunday school lessons in the distant past, maybe a children's lesson where you all went to the front and got candy at the end of it, and the only reason you continue to go to church is becaue that's just what you do on a Sunday, maybe you will be readily minded to insist that yours is the right way because, well, if it wasn't you wouldn't be doing it and your parents wouldn't have done it, and their parents wouldn't have done it.

I'm always puzzled by an attitude that asks "what does my denomination say Hesitations 4:15 means?" as opposed to "what does Hesitations 4:15 mean?"
 

popsthebuilder

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 17, 2015
Messages
1,850
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Go to the Christian thread and rehash what John 3:16 is saying in the context of Jesus discussion with Nicodemus. You might find universalism isn't being talked about.
In this thread we are talking about denominationalism, as it relates to the Bible, and why people are drawn to denominationalism.
Why are some Christians so consumed with their denomination?
Pride, fear, and indoctrination at youth.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 

Lamb

God's Lil Lamb
Community Team
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
31,566
Age
57
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
So why the focus upon the denomination. I understand enjoying a worship format or preaching style, but the clinging to a particular denomination is interesting to me. It seems to be much like the person who will only buy a Ford and won't consider anything else, even if the Fords grade out as inferior products.
Why focus on denomination and cling to a particular denomination?

The answer to those questions lies in the fact that those in the denominations believe that the belief system of that particular denomination is the most biblically correct one. To stray outside of it would mean going into unbiblical territory and why risk that?
 
Top Bottom