Which types of churches are sects?

[Lamb]

Which types of churches or denominations does your church consider to be a sect? And why?

 

[Albion]

My church seems never to talk about other churches in those terms, but the word (sects) usually means one or the other of two different things.

There are Secularists who denigrate Christianity and so prefer the term as a substitute for "churches" since it sounds trivial or shady (on the order of "cults").

And then there are people who have no intention of doing that, but who use the term when referring to churches that are smaller "split-offs" from one of the larger denominations.

 

[Josiah]

I don't think "sect" is a useful term. It's usually used in a very derogatory way to refer to any religious movement, church or denomination. It simply is a church that one wishes to condemn.



.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Sect can be used as an insult thus:

DEROGATORY​

a group that has separated from an established Church; a nonconformist Church:​

Or as a noun thus:

NOUN​

a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong.​

From a Catholic perspective one can call all non-Catholic churches sects, but that is rarely done. Catholics usually refer to Protestant Christians as "separated brethren" and to Orthodox Christians as "brethren" - assuming one is discussing males or using the masculine pronouns to cover both males and females.

 

[Albion]

From a Catholic perspective one can call all non-Catholic churches sects, but that is rarely done. Catholics usually refer to Protestant Christians as "separated brethren" and to Orthodox Christians as "brethren" - assuming one is discussing males or using the masculine pronouns to cover both males and females.

...and what they call those Protestant churches that the "separated brethren" belong to is "ecclesial communities" since the Catholic Church doesn't want to call them "churches."

 

[MoreCoffee]

...and what they call those Protestant churches that the "separated brethren" belong to is "ecclesial communities" since the Catholic Church doesn't want to call them "churches."

Yes, that is a term sometimes used for Protestant denominations and protestant derived independent groups. But many Catholics call Protestant bodies churches. It depends on what matters are under discussion. A good number of Protestants call Catholicism idolatrous and Catholics non-Christians. In truth, there are some with ill feelings towards others in every group.

 

[Faith]

I always thought of “sects“ equal to or close to “cults“. I’ve never heard anyone from my church use either word.