Christianity has the Roman Catholics, The Eastern Orthodox, the Episcopalians, the Lutherns, the Baptists, the Methodists, the Seventh Day Adventists, the Jehovah Witnesses, the Pentacostals, the Mormons, the Non-Denominationals, etc., etc.
Instead of coming together, Christianity seems to have spread further and further apart over differences in interpretation of Jesus and the Bible. Some of those ideas radically different than the mainstream, if there is a mainstream anymore.
Look at this historical classification scheme and tell me that Christianity is a cohesive faith. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_denomination#Historical_schisms_and_methods_of_classification_scheme
There are so many splinters and those splinters seem to be expanding over time. So, what will Christianity look like in another 100 years?
2006-07-23 04:09:18 · 17 answers · asked by idspudnik 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You forgot the snake handlers.
To me the multitude of Christian Church's means: the people that think they are absolute right, are absolutely wrong. Religion and spiritual belief change over time. 100 years from now, it could look like anything.
2006-07-23 04:20:14 · answer #1 · answered by Ned 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My my.
Remember the word religion comes from the Latin word -religio "to bind up, to be held together".
When people of different religions get together, there is a clear natural sifting that takes place. Those who hold that religion's value is based on a behavioral adherance to a set of actions will clash - as each has their own cultural and religious expressions.
However, those, whose religion has settled into the heart, usually discover a communality in their spiritual natures that draws them together; love. This was why at the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church affirmed the value of other non-christian religions; saying that each represented valuable portions of the true revelation of God.
To your question... .. There has been, in fact, a huge moving together of those who love in the Christian Churches back toward the original Rome. Not the political, conclave of cardinals, etc. type of rome, but a recognition that Peter was the first disciple and Jesus founded a church with him. In other words, a spiritual lineage.
We Americans are rebels. Our country was founded through rebellion, and we have demonstrated to the world at least twice, that we will not let another world power threaten our fought-for freedom. When I look at the American Church from the inside (-because everybody in the "industry" knows we are unique) I see that divisions have been based one of two motives, the first is the same American Individualism: "I want to have a church My way" so they go off and create a creed (set of beliefs) and gather people who are looking for the real thing. Hmmm, sounds like a Lutheran Rebellion. The second is just sin. Call it greed, lust for power, pride, etc. I keep wondering what would have happened if Tammy Faye Baker had met Mother Teresa, but I bet Ghandi and Mother Teresa would have had a great time.
I couldn't trust a church who told me they knew the universal and eternal truth for the human race but didn't have a lineage of centuries of prayer, love, contemplation, medically certified miracles, and apparitions. You can even have bleeding statues as evidence, but the truth is - the Spirit of God moves in the human heart even in the dingiest, darkest prison cell or one room chapel the same way the Spirit moves in the Cathedrals. The question remains where do you get your support from - who will help you grow?
2006-07-23 12:30:33 · answer #2 · answered by Thomas C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, since you cannot trademark the name of a religion, there's absolutely nothing to stop you from starting another movement, adding 'Christian' to it's name or marketing materials and adding to the confusion...
Enough examples abound if you care to do a web search on the start of the denominations you listed.
Personally, I find it flattering that the various strange movements that are coming up know that using the term 'Christian' will garner them more credibilty, support and good-will. It speaks volumes about how many people, at the very core of their being, truly perceive Christianity as a force for good.
Of course, if an evil person wants to take that credibility, support and good-will to abuse it... Enough examples abound. One of those groups you mentioned had a founder who claimed under oath to be well-versed in New Testament Greek. He was then handed a copy in court to read, and had to retract his claim.
That does not stop his followers from doing their thing still, of course, but the study of the deep psychological needs fulfilled by people like the above-mentioned leader is depressing. I'd suggest that you DON'T go there...
2006-07-23 11:23:53 · answer #3 · answered by Shun Ketsu 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What the sepperation is, is someone sees something wrong in a doctrine or doesnt understand it abd breaks away to teach their own idea. It's not a bad thing entirely, I dont think any of us want to be told we HAVE to believe something we don't. For example, if the only Christian religion was Catholic, and we were told we HAVE to believe The Pope is the "spokesperson" for God and Mary remained a virgin forever, even though we could find scripture refference saying otherwise, what would we do? It's good that people can break away when they see something wrong. Should we be of one heart? Yes definitely. We shouldnt say no denomination is right except our own, everyone has something wrong in their doctrines. If we say 1 religion is wrong and hellbound because of wrong doctrine, we ourselves might be judged that same way.
2006-07-23 11:20:21 · answer #4 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason that Christianity is so diverse is that you could take most any verse in the Bible, play devil's advocate with it another verse to disprove the first.
The only way to properly understand the Bible is through His help- His Holy Spirit. Which parts are to be taken literally and which are metaphoric? What is this speaker refering to? How are we to understand that phrase?
The reason we "can't get along," is because we'd all like to think we're right... which would mean everyone else is wrong... which "everyone else" will never like.
"I think I'm right and you believe different from me, so you're wrong. I need to prove your error to you so you can be "saved" according to my religion, which is the only one that is right..."
Religion is such a big part of many Christians' personal identity, that when someone tells you that your religion is wrong, it feels like a personal attack. As a "Mormon", it really hurts when someone tells me I'm not even Christian, simply because I don't accept the Trinity, or because I think it takes more than faith yo secure salvation.
I don't know what Christianity, in all it's varieties, will look like in 100 years. I suspect that the only way that we can become a single united religion will be when Jesus comes again- Yes, I believe He will come again, set us all straight, and because of our love for Him, we'll accept what He says.
BTW- Thanks for placing "Mormons" among your group of Christians. I appreciate it.
2006-07-23 11:33:01 · answer #5 · answered by Yoda's Duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I never judge anyone on their Religion. The issue is not whether I agree or disagree with everyones beliefs but, it is about BELIEVING in GOD. Isn't that the reason? Why do people that are true believers judge others that believe just as deep? I have never understood that.
I don't pretend to understand different religions. I know what I believe and that is this is not something to judge others on. Aren't we all going to the same place? Doesn't everyone agree that there is one heaven and one hell?
Have A Nice Day!
2006-07-23 11:27:21 · answer #6 · answered by Cyndee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Scriptures teach that the current system of things will end in the near future. The only remaining religion on earth with be Jehovah's Witnesses.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe!
In fact, the bible most closely associates being "Christian" with preaching about Christ and Christ's teachings. Review all the times the bible uses the term "Christian" and note that the context connects the term with:
"declaring the good news"
'teaching quite a crowd'
'open eyes, turn from dark to light'
"uttering sayings of truth"
"persuade"
"keep on glorifying"
(Acts 11:20-26) [The early disciples of Jesus] began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus... and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.
(Acts 26:17-28) [Jesus said to Paul] I am sending you, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God... Paul said: “I am not going mad, Your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind. ...Do you, King Agrippa, believe the Prophets? I know you believe.” But Agrippa said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”
(1 Peter 4:14-16) If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy... But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name
Even anti-Witnesses must recognize that it is the preaching work that makes it clear that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are by far the most prominent followers of Christ:
(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded
Learn more!
http://watchtower.org
2006-07-25 00:18:38 · answer #7 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christianity, in all likelihood, will eat itself.
Religions generally take as their premise some form of "scripture", or canon of guidance. The reason Christianity is so splintered is that their "canon", the Bible, is so large and filled with contradictory "rules" that almost anyone can find guidance in there that allows them to be who they already are! This, I believe, is why it has been so successful as a creed, but it will surely also lead to its eventual collapse. Any system of moral laws that simultaneously tells you (for example) that your deity wants you to be rich, but also wants you to be poor, wants you to take "an eye for an eye", but also wants you to turn the other cheek, wants you to love all people, but also exhorts you to kill others (even your own family!) if they don't believe as you do, I think is doomed to eventual failure.
2006-07-23 11:20:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, real christianity has no name. Splinters are what it is splinters. They stick to your skin and irritate you like hell. But if you would go back to every so called "splinter" movement, be it charismatic, methodist, presbyterian...they started off with fire. Why they become sedate and structured is because of man not God. God always sends His fire for "wood" to burn more brightly. But splinters just want to be contented. Mainstream is a misnomer. And for that matter church is defined by western experience. Please don't forget what God is doing in China, Korea, India, Fiji, whose "movement" has no name as defined by the Western Church terminology.
2006-07-24 03:54:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
People need to put aside religion and start having a personal relationship with our Savior & our Father God going to church does not make you a Christian and standing in your garage does not make you a car when we get to hevean do you think we will be baptist or catholic or nazarenes.
No we will be children of God.
2006-07-23 11:31:01 · answer #10 · answered by jamnjims 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋