Denominational Alternatives

[Albion]

Question--

If for some reason, you felt conscience-bound to change denominations...

which other one, do you think, would be the one most likely to meet your preferences in doctrine and worship style?

Why so?

(This is about a personal decision and is not related to any of the online quizzes that often are inaccurate when predicting a "good fit" and which are based solely upon the questions that the creator of the quiz chose to ask.)

 

[Faith]

Question--

If for some reason, you felt conscience-bound to change denominations...

which other one, do you think, would be the one most likely to meet your preferences in doctrine and worship style?

Why so?

(This is about a personal decision and is not related to any of the online quizzes that often are inaccurate when predicting a "good fit" and which are based solely upon the questions that the creator of the quiz chose to ask.)

I’d go where I’m going now for the past three weeks. A non denominational church that I went to before the LCMS. They allow for my beliefs and I love their music and messages. The preaching is awesome and the people there are so friendly.

 

[Lamb]

I don't think any other denomination fits enough to ever want to change.

 

[Albion]

I don't think any other denomination fits enough to ever want to change.

Right...but it's a "What IF" kind of question. And you know that many denominations in recent years have adopted looser standards or "woke" practices and doctrines, etc. which forced disillusioned members to look for some alternative.

Would you say that if this were to happen in your own church, you'd stay no matter what? If so, that would be the answer to my question, I understand.

 

[Josiah]

IF there was no Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation within 30 miles, I'd look for a parish of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) or Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) or American Association of Lutheran Churches parish. Different denominations but similar in teachings and policies.


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[Lamb]

IF there was no Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation within 30 miles, I'd look for a parish of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) or Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) or American Association of Lutheran Churches parish. Different denominations but similar in teachings and policies.


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But that's still Lutheran. I think Albion wants us to go further out than that?

I'm not sure what would fit even closest...do you?

 

[Albion]

But that's still Lutheran. I think Albion wants us to go further out than that?

I'm not sure what would fit even closest...do you?

Thank you. That is indeed what I was asking, even though I appreciated getting back any thoughtful reply. And by the way, the question wasn't meant to be so realistic as to limit the choices to other churches in one's own city, etc. If the choice were for a certain denomination that doesn't have a local presence, that would still be the answer to this hypothetical move.

 

[Faith]

I’d go where I’m going now for the past three weeks. A non denominational church that I went to before the LCMS. They allow for my beliefs and I love their music and messages. The preaching is awesome and the people there are so friendly.

Ok. Never mind. My husband went with me today and he was so offended by some of the things the pastor said and more than that, how he said it….very arrogant and with an attitude of I’m right and if you disagree with me, you’re wrong. He went off on a tangent about such controversiL subjects such as transgenderism, homosexuality and divorce. He was even laughing about science.
I don’t know where i belong, I thought this particular pastor had changed his approach to preaching…..he was very opinionated and rude before but seemed to have changed. I was wrong.

 

[Albion]

Ok. Never mind. My husband went with me today and he was so offended by some of the things the pastor said and more than that, how he said it….very arrogant and with an attitude of I’m right and if you disagree with me, you’re wrong. He went off on a tangent about such controversiL subjects such as transgenderism, homosexuality and divorce. He was even laughing about science.
I don’t know where i belong, I thought this particular pastor had changed his approach to preaching…..he was very opinionated and rude before but seemed to have changed. I was wrong.

You've raised an important point about a choice of church. It's not always about doctrine, although that's what usually comes to mind first when a question like the one I asked comes up.

 

[Josiah]

But that's still Lutheran. I think Albion wants us to go further out than that?

I'm not sure what would fit even closest...do you?

Okay....

IF I cannot choose any denomination that has "Lutheran" in its name..... I guess I'd HOPE for a very conservative, extremely traditional, "39 Articles" , "Real Presence" affirming Anglican Church that is separate from and in protest against the Episcopal Church in the USA and the Anglican Church in England. Such do exist. But very rare.



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[Josiah]

You've raised an important point about a choice of church. It's not always about doctrine, although that's what usually comes to mind first when a question like the one I asked comes up.

It seems the question is not about individual congregations/parishes but denominations. When it comes to individual parishes, there are good and bad examples in every denomination.



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[Albion]

It seems the question is not about individual congregations/parishes but denominations.

That's correct.

When it comes to individual parishes, there are good and bad examples in every denomination.

Also correct.

There's nothing wrong with the question that was asked by the OP, however. Faith reported on her experience with a non-denominational church, and I commented on her message, that's all.

...Anglican Church that is separate from and in protest against the Episcopal Church in the USA and the Anglican Church in England. Such do exist. But very rare.

Incidentally, there are more than a thousand Anglican churches in the USA that are "separate from and in protest against" the Church of England and The Episcopal Church, so that fact may rank as better than "very rare."

 

[Faith]

It seems the question is not about individual congregations/parishes but denominations. When it comes to individual parishes, there are good and bad examples in every denomination.



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That’s true. This particular pastor is offensive but that doesn’t mean all ND pastors are. He also was butting in during a scandal at another church. I don’t want to talk about it on here, but suffice it to say, I think that he’s not a good person.

 

[Faith]

You've raised an important point about a choice of church. It's not always about doctrine, although that's what usually comes to mind first when a question like the one I asked comes up.

There’s a lot to consider, at least for me, in finding a church home. It’s down to either returning to the LCMS, but the obstacles I‘ve been dealing with still bother me, or return to Catholicism. They both have pros and cons.

 

[Josiah]

There’s a lot to consider, at least for me, in finding a church home. It’s down to either returning to the LCMS, but the obstacles I‘ve been dealing with still bother me, or return to Catholicism. They both have pros and cons.

I encourage you to compare DOCTRINES - especially ones you will be required to accept if you join and ones you will be taught as correct if you attend. These can be readily found in the official Catechism of each.

Lutheran: The Small Catechism

Catholic: https://www.archeparchy.ca/wcm-docs/docs/catechism-of-the-catholic-church.pdf

You will find good pastors and bad ones in BOTH denominations.... friendly people and unfriendly people in BOTH denominations... pretty and ugly buildings in BOTH... good and bad opinions in BOTH... but what makes them distinctive as LUTHERAN or CATHOLIC is their doctrines. Know them. Both are very, very "up front" with such, both write them out for lay people in free documents you can read for yourself. Both want you to join them for one reason: What they teach in those documents is true and correct.




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[Faith]

I encourage you to compare DOCTRINES - especially ones you will be required to accept if you join and ones you will be taught as correct if you attend. These can be readily found in the official Catechism of each.

Lutheran: The Small Catechism

Catholic: https://www.archeparchy.ca/wcm-docs/docs/catechism-of-the-catholic-church.pdf

You will find good pastors and bad ones in BOTH denominations.... friendly people and unfriendly people in BOTH denominations... pretty and ugly buildings in BOTH... good and bad opinions in BOTH... but what makes them distinctive as LUTHERAN or CATHOLIC is their doctrines. Know them. Both are very, very "up front" with such, both write them out for lay people in free documents you can read for yourself. Both want you to join them for one reason: What they teach in those documents is true and correct.




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As far as Catholic vs Lutheran goes, there are some doctrines I appreciate with both and some I’m neutral on.
I just know that I like the LCMS church more. It’s very contemporary and I feel comfortable there but the things we’ve discussed in the past still really bother me. If it weren’t for that I’d probably not be having this problem.

 

[Faith]

CATHOLIC
praying to the saints and Mary, I’m neutral

purgatory, not sure

Eucharist, I feel it’s probably more sacred being confected or whatever, by a priest

confession, they don’t emphasize that in the LCMS I go to, except to silently pray for forgiveness. They offer confession but there are no confessionals and few people take advantage of it.

good works, neutral




And other teachings. How about you ask me which doctrines you find important in the LCMS and I’ll tell you if I agree with them or not?

And no, I’m not going to read the Catholic Catechism from cover to cover.

 

[Faith]

I encourage you to compare DOCTRINES - especially ones you will be required to accept if you join and ones you will be taught as correct if you attend. These can be readily found in the official Catechism of each.

Lutheran: The Small Catechism

Catholic: https://www.archeparchy.ca/wcm-docs/docs/catechism-of-the-catholic-church.pdf

You will find good pastors and bad ones in BOTH denominations.... friendly people and unfriendly people in BOTH denominations... pretty and ugly buildings in BOTH... good and bad opinions in BOTH... but what makes them distinctive as LUTHERAN or CATHOLIC is their doctrines. Know them. Both are very, very "up front" with such, both write them out for lay people in free documents you can read for yourself. Both want you to join them for one reason: What they teach in those documents is true and correct.




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To address the comment about there being good and bad pastors in every denomination, the pastor I was talking about in the ND church I recently had been going to is worse than being a bad pastor. He’s a bad person. I tried to send you PM but your name keeps disappearing and It won’t send because of that.

 

[Albion]

Question--

If for some reason, you felt conscience-bound to change denominations...

which other one, do you think, would be the one most likely to meet your preferences in doctrine and worship style?

Why so?

(This is about a personal decision and is not related to any of the online quizzes that often are inaccurate when predicting a "good fit" and which are based solely upon the questions that the creator of the quiz chose to ask.)

Anyone else here belong to a Christian denomination??