The Flavors of Christianity (Christian input please)

[tumbleweed41]

The Flavors of Christianity

Bellow is a link to a Wiki Page listing a number of denominations and sects that identify themselves as Christian.

List of Christian denominations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My question for those who identify as Christian is, which of these, or any, denominations or Christian philosophies do you belong to, or identify with, and why?

Please refrain from attacking beliefs other than yours, discussion but no debate. This is simply to get an idea of the many denominations representing Christianity in this Forum, and what about your denomination attracts you to it.

Thanks
tumbleweed41

 

[dawny0826]

The Flavors of Christianity

Bellow is a link to a Wiki Page listing a number of denominations and sects that identify themselves as Christian.

List of Christian denominations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My question for those who identify as Christian is, which of these, or any, denominations or Christian philosophies do you belong to, or identify with, and why?

Please refrain from attacking beliefs other than yours, discussion but no debate. This is simply to get an idea of the many denominations representing Christianity in this Forum, and what about your denomination attracts you to it.

Thanks
tumbleweed41

I still identify as a Christian but do not identify with any Christian denomination, because I can no longer view God as a concept that's box-like. My core religious beliefs still revolve around the Trinity, this is how I approach God. So, in many ways, I'm still a Trinitarian, but in terms of my form of worship, I find value in many religions and their form of worship.

Though I believe that sin is pardoned through Christ and that I've received the Holy Spirit through Christ, I don't believe that all are intended to be reconciled to God through Christ, as I once had.

I believe that people can commune with God in many ways and I no longer view the bible in a literalistic manner. I question it in a way that I never did before. I've certainly evolved into a more liberal view of Christianity and I'm comfortable with this.

I consider myself far more spiritual than religious and find that simplistic approaches to religion are more beneficial to me than adherence to religious and denominational traditions. Too much emphasis, in my opinion is placed on practice and compliance with rules and regulations that promote intolerance, dissention amongst people of comparable faith and other and I don't agree with it.

I have found that my greatest peace comes from clinging to Christ's message of love and that by loving and living a life that reflects love, compassion, charity and forgiveness fulfills God's law to the fullest. I believe this very much.

 

[bribrius]

advent christian.

millerite

pre seventh day adventists before the division in the original remnant. I was raised in the original sect base. Very conservative.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millerism
I cant say it was a passing phase. With a preacher as a parent and owning a building on the church land our family has been consistantly involved. so it isn't like it was just a occasional sunday get to gether...
edit. Probably should mention grandad was a jew. So we have some influence from that as well...

 

[SageTree]

Most recently I've been attending Anglican services.... and Quaker services.

 

[mycorrhiza]

When I was a Christian, I belonged* to the Church of Sweden (Evangelical Lutheral).
The stories of the Bible are generally seen as metaphorical. They generally embrace evolution and they allow same-sex marriage and female priests. They generally don't see hell as a literal place of torture and they generally don't believe in demonic possession.

So it's a very liberal Church.



(*I technically still belong to them as I have not left it, but I am no longer a Christian. But hey, the taxes go towards church repairs.)

 

[SaintAugustine]

I am Catholic..and some of the reaons I chose it was....

They were the guys who largely decided the final cut on the Bible.
It is from our theological and philososphical toolbox that all the other denominations have borrowed from. Though 90 percent of the protestants are completely unaware that their doctrine is traceable to well...early church fathers and catholic writers.

 

[mycorrhiza]

I am Catholic..and some of the reaons I chose it was....

They were the guys who largely decided the final cut on the Bible.
It is from our theological and philososphical toolbox that all the other denominations have borrowed from. Though 90 percent of the protestants are completely unaware that their doctrine is traceable to well...early church fathers and catholic writers.

How do you view that Luther thought he was going back to a more "pure" Christianity?

 

[bribrius]

How do you view that Luther thought he was going back to a more "pure" Christianity?

i was thinking that as well.
i also think it is amazing the lack of knowledge most protestants have in their own faiths and how they were based on catholicism, including the bible. i loved the comment they made on that. Got me laughing.

I however dont hold the same respect for the catholic church of constantine or the putting together of the scriptures and early leadership roles it took. However i have read some of the catholic churches exorcism rituals with much interest and respect it to a degree.

 

[Scott1]

One more Catholic ... but I consider myself to be a Maronite Catholic, not Roman.... it's a work in progress.

And I am Catholic because I believe in the witness of the early church.

 

[bribrius]

One more Catholic ... but I consider myself to be a Maronite Catholic, not Roman.... it's a work in progress.

And I am Catholic because I believe in the witness of the early church.

constantine?

what do you mean witness?

 

[Scott1]

constantine?

No ... he had very little to do with theology -- and is about 300 years too late to be a part of why I am Catholic.

what do you mean witness?

The testimony and actions of those who lived in the early church (Polycarp, Ignatius, etc).

 

[SaintAugustine]

Truly well meaning, and remember at that time the Church was corrupt. His reaction was sound, but the effects were devastating. Splitting the church in two. If you actually read Luther..he seems to have no problem with the Mary veneration thing, praises Saint Augustine as the greatest church father, even defends the Eucharist.


What did upset him was the buying of indulgences vs grace and faith alone for salvation...truly a pure Christianity....and when the corrupt church, told him to back off...he then began to dislike...the Papacy and its power machine in action....a lot.


While Luther pumped out a German translation of the New Testament in record breaking time, he was wanted to drop the Epistle of James, Esther, Hebrews, Jude and Revelation. It is largely presumed because they point to certain catholic theology.



He also moved 7 books (listed below) to new section and called it the Apocrypha. This was because while the books appeared in the Greek Septuagint they did not appear in the Hebrew Tanakh, the official canon of Judaism. He was the first to place them between testaments.

He was making a point about the canoncity...however....however most Catholics would dispute this. There is much in those books that has echoes in the NT.

Tobit
Judith
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
Wisdom
Sirach
Baruch

 

[bribrius]

No ... he had very little to do with theology -- and is about 300 years too late to be a part of why I am Catholic.

The testimony and actions of those who lived in the early church (Polycarp, Ignatius, etc).

Thankyou for clearing that up. im looking up ignatius now. We have a local catholic school named that. I hadnt really given much thought to the person it was named after...

Truly well meaning, and remember at that time the Church was corrupt. His reaction was sound, but the effects were devastating. Splitting the church in two. If you actually read Luther..he seems to have no problem with the Mary veneration thing, praises Saint Augustine as the greatest church father, even defends the Eucharist.


What did upset him was the buying of indulgences vs grace and faith alone for salvation...truly a pure Christianity....and when the corrupt church, told him to back off...he then began to dislike...the Papacy and its power machine in action....a lot.


While Luther pumped out a German translation of the New Testament in record breaking time, he was wanted to drop the Epistle of James, Esther, Hebrews, Jude and Revelation. It is largely presumed because they point to certain catholic theology.



He also moved 7 books (listed below) to new section and called it the Apocrypha. This was because while the books appeared in the Greek Septuagint they did not appear in the Hebrew Tanakh, the official canon of Judaism. He was the first to place them between testaments.

He was making a point about the canoncity...however....however most Catholics would dispute this. There is much in those books that has echoes in the NT.

Tobit
Judith
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
Wisdom
Sirach
Baruch

i have doubts of the catholic church from being raised protestant. But as i grow older i have doubts of all churches as i wonder if in the early days there was just too much corruption and disagreement for anything to come out of the churches untainted, including some of the scripture.

 

[Scott1]

Good post bribrius... some healthy scepticism is always good provided you continue to seek with an open mind.

 

[bribrius]

Good post bribrius... some healthy scepticism is always good provided you continue to seek with an open mind.

i do. My knowledge is limited however.......
Seems most of us just dont know exactly what took place a couple thousand years ago. We are just left with this book, lots of disagreements. Lots of questions. And lots of doubts on authenticity.

im not even sure if jesus is lord anymore. im thinking about tossing the entire new testament out and just sticking with the old testament.
sacrifice some goats out back or something.

 

[Scott1]

LOL ... if you are gonna toss it away, go all the way to hedonism!

Some buck-nekid Caligula style fun in the backyard!

 

[bribrius]

LOL ... if you are gonna toss it away, go all the way to hedonism!

Some buck-nekid Caligula style fun in the backyard!

yeah i know.. right.

i am actually a pretty serious believer. suppose the question is in what. since i question the church so greatly.

i posted before about this documentary i saw about the early church. And all the disagreements the different sects had. some not even sure if jesus was spirit, or man, or both. Disagreements over scripture and what should be included, what shouldnt. What was divine inspired, what wasnt.
Not all of it appears to be clear cut or directly inspired by God. But rather changed, decided, compromised on by men. And we ended up with what we have today.
It would be no different if all the churches today decided to get together and compromise, and redo the entire thing and come up with some concensus.

would anyone take that as the word of God in two thousand years what we decided on today and compromised over? If all the churches claimed the new format and beliefs, scripture decided on was God inspired now, would they believe it in two thousand years?
Probably not. They would probably question how much was from men, how much was God. Exactly what compromises we made. And what scripture was specific, what was changed, and how much corruption was involved. Just as we do now.

 

[Scott1]

I get where you are coming from... and it comes down to a leap of faith -- and I think anyone who claims to have "proof" or the like is kidding themselves.

Best wishes on your journey.

 

[bribrius]

I get where you are coming from... and it comes down to a leap of faith -- and I think anyone who claims to have "proof" or the like is kidding themselves.

Best wishes on your journey.

well. How far back can we trace this stuff in early church history? What documents support different aspects outside of the bible? what groups existed then that was disputing over these things? How accurate is scripture from that period, who wrote it, was it changed, do we have close to orginal copies?

thanks for the best wishes. i think i need it. i would probably have to go to theology school to come out with any near a anwer as well becoming a historian. Neither of which is likley.

 

[Scott1]

A good start: Early Christian Writings: New Testament, Apocrypha, Gnostics, Church Fathers

Lots of neat Gnostic and "spurious" writing to get the brain moving ....