For Christians?

Question

This is something I wonder about for awhile. While Christianity is a religion as a whole, I know that the religion separates into different sects. Ex: Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Catholic, etc. I understand a few differences between some of the sects. But I don't understand why some of these sects, don't get along sometimes. For instance, my Baptist grandmother can't stand Lutherans saying that they don't really believe in the word of God. I mean, they all believe in the same thing right? I was just wondering if anyone could enlighten me on this.

Poetic: I get along with a lot of people I don't really agree with. I just don't understand why would someone say that their Christian denomation is better than the other, when they're practically the same.

Answer 1

The problem is the differences between denominational teachings, commonly called "Tradition" by our Catholic brethren.

Understand this: most believers are using the same Bible. While translations do vary, the differences between most of them do not alter the message one iota. The problem is: different groups look at the same sets of religious data, and come up with different conclusions.

Once a dogma is set in an individuals mind (or a group's mind), then to that mind (s) the dogma is TRUTH, as in "obviously the word of God on this matter". Therefore, anybody who doesn't believe in that particular doctrine, whatever it is, is "not believing the word of God", which is the "basis" for that particular dogma. Never mind that the 2 people disagreeing can read the same scripture at the same time, and call it the word of God. The problem is, how are they interpreting that scripture?

Most doctrinal differences were set in place hundreds of years ago by church splits and loooooooooong discourses with certain preachers. Each different denomination developed it's own version of church doctrine, which they like to claim as valid "because it's supported by scripture" (really, usually supported by THEIR APPLICATION of scripture).

For example, I don't know of any Christian denomination that suggests that murder, stealing, fornication, adultery, or lying are acceptable practices. On that we pretty much all agree. Ask a Lutheran and a Baptist and a Catholic to discuss things like Free Will, Salvation, Works of Grace, and Eternity, and you will get a WWF style debate! Why? Because the doctrines on these issues have been developed from different understandings of the same Bible; they were not explicitly set down in the original text.

Also, some of the vitriol may be due to "camp loyalty". IE, the thought that "If I am a good Baptist (Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, whatever), then I will vigorously defend the truth". Fellowship gets tossed out the window, and the real gospel gets smeared, because we are so busy defending our own traditions, instead of telling the world the Good News

You may want to check out the Yahoo debate group "CatholicsVsProtestants". It has helped me out a lot!

Answer 2

I don't remember the exact order of things, but it goes something like this......You had the church of England and the first settlers here were pretty much outcasts from that church.... They started a new denomination here and they have branched off from there. Let me get some facts and I will get back to you. Soon

EDIT - Start with the Roman Catholic - then you had the Greek Orthodox in 1054 (referred to as the great schism) - Luthern 1517 (the beginning of Protestantism and Reformation) - Reformed 1520 - Anababtists 1525- Presbyterian 1560 (from the Calvinists) - Baptist 1612 - Methodist 1787 - These are the main branches. Each of these have several and in some cases multiple branches within itself.
England broke from the Catholic church and declared the king head of the church in 1534. There were many there who did not agree with the rituals etc and they were called the Puritans.The Puritans consisted of the Babtist, Quakers , Presbyterians, and Methodisst soon followed. This was not accepted too well by the king.. Most of the first settlers in the American colonies were of these protestants. They came here so they could practice their religion without persecution.

That is a bit of hisotry. The fact is that each church 'found' new light or truth in the Bible and the established denomination would not allow it to become a part of their teachings. The churches once established seem to have stagnated and no longer continued to study the Bible for "new truths/light". So there have been many splits from these basic churches and ther cotinues to be until this day.

Regarding your Grandmother--- The Baptists came around 100 years after Luther - I'm sure they feel they have much more truth than the Lutherns.
Hope this is not more than you bargained for. It is just a brief and incomplete history of how all the different denominations have come to exist. It is a very interesting study. I would recommend it to everyone that truly wants to have an understanding of where and why the churches differ.

Answer 3

The more seriously you take something, the easier it is to lose your temper about it. That's regrettable, but very human. Various Christian sects sometimes do disagree even about matters which are quite important and fundamental things. One of these things we disagree about is the respect which is to be given to Scripture. Baptists are at one extreme end of that spectrum, in that they accept every word of it as true and flatly deny the authority of anything or anybody else as a guide for belief and practice. Lutherans are a little less extreme than that, and so it's possible for a Baptist (from their position) to scold a Lutheran for "not really believing" the Word of God, just as a Lutheran could probably scold a Baptist for being a "fanatic" or a "Bible-thumper". Neither group really deserves to get slapped with insults like that, and it's sad that Christians find it so hard to get along with each other. . . but so it's always been.

Answer 4

These petty little squabbles are unfortunately a blot on the Church. Personally, I could care less about denominational ties. Once you die, your denomination dies with you. There is a growing movement in the Christian community away from this sort of thing. We are forming house churches that focus on Christ and the Scriptures, not what denomination we are or which denomination is better. We are an underground group of believers who yearn for the pureness of the Christian faith and the Gospel. We have no time for such nonsense. We are about spreading the Gospel, loving people, refuting error and taking a stand for Biblical truth.

Answer 5

Read this translation of Colosssians 2:8:

"Take care lest there be some one who leads you away as prisoners by means of his philosophy and idle fancies, following human traditions and the world's crude notions instead of following Christ."

If you recall, Jesus was greatly loved by the common Jew, but had enormous conflicts with the religious rulers. Why? He was giving the people an accurate accounting of the ways of His Father, and this did not square well with the Sanhedren, ruling body of the Pharasees. To preserve their organizational structure, they conspired to murder Jesus, when they percieved His truths were upsetting the apple cart.

Likewise, in many religious structures today, if you dig into the Word, and begin to emulate the life of Christ, you will find yourself stepping on a lot of toes in a lot of denominations. Go about healing the sick and raising the dead, and most traditional denominations will set you out on your ear. Jesus, however, said:" And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.” (John 14:12)

Until Jesus comes again, religious organizations are going to continue to erect a wall of rules and regulations that keep us from, rather than direct us to, the heart of God. It is a form of human behavior that has lasted through the ages. I find it best to attend a non-denominational church, where there is a conscious effort to avoid this trap. Still, human nature being what it is, religion and tradition are present there as well, and it is important to be a student of the Word and a disciple of Jesus, as well as belonging to a church body.

I guess what I am trying to say, is "Don't let anyone or anything get between you and Jesus."

Answer 6

Some people are just too narrow-minded, when it comes to their own beliefs, & their own denomination or sect's belief especially.

Christians are not the only ones. The sects of other religions very often oppose each other also.

For example, many Muslim sects are intolerant of other sects of Islam.

Answer 7

The ecumenical movement (where some churches "get along") is very much a part of my churches (and my own personal) beliefs. MY pastor ROUTINELY spends time meeting with and praying with pastors from other churches. I think LAYPEOPLE get hung up on it more than the leaders and some leaders encourage DIVISION way to much. The Bible is not about division. BUT even in the early days there was problem (hence all Pauls letters about false teachers right from day one)

Answer 8

Doctrinal Differences divide people, though the Bible says we are not to waste energy on "splitting Theological hairs."
There are many differences in the Denominations you mentioned.The important thing to remember is that the people who believe in Jesus as the Only Way and have a personal relationship with Him and are Bible-Believing people---well, they are all part of The Bride of Christ, just like we are. As our Brothers and Sisters in Christ we should pray against division and work harder in unity in bringing the Good News to a sick, depraved and dying World.
God Bless.

Answer 9

I have to warn you that I'm an atheist, but I intend to give you an honest, non-offensive answer, so bear with me =)

Having read the bible, and especially noted the vastly different personality of God in the OT vs. the NT, it's easy for me to see why a book like that, portraying a God with such a range of attitudes, could spawn not only different religions (Judasim, Christianity, etc.) but different subsets within those religions. I believe in peoples' attempts to form a personal relationship with God, it is easy to put one's own "sway" on how to interpret the bible; and of course, as humans, we like to think that we are right. =) Opinions seem to be far more important when dealing with sacred subjects; if someone disagrees with you as to their favorite color, no big deal. However, if someone disagrees with your RELIGION, they are not only defying that which is holy, they're disrespecting your interpretation of God himself! If you have a relationship with God, you're right, and someone says differently, then essentially, they are calling GOD wrong.

Answer 10

From what i understand sect happened because of belief differences in the church. so they split up and form their own church on what they belief. So i think that is why that problem exsits today. If you do not believe like their religion they do not care for you. I am not sure if this is what you wanted.