How do the various Christian sects differ?

Question

I realize this is a very vague and open-ended question. However,I'm really fairly clueless about this and would love to hear input from people who attend a particular Christian church or have friends/family who do. What makes the Alliance church different from, say, Seventh-Day Adventist? Evangelical? Presbyterian? Anglican? Baptist? Etc.?

I attend a Lutheran church but it's extremely open and inclusive and may not be typical of other Lutheran Churches, I'm not sure.

Answer 1

Find a good book on Church History - it will answer a lot of your questions.

In the meantime, there are some basic lines along which Christianity has divided that can be used as rough guidelines:

Early on there was a split between Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Catholic) Christianity. Since then they have mostly reconcilled, but the time apart has given them different traditions. For instance, the Orthodox preparation of the Euchrist takes place behind a screen; the Catholic preparation (like the Lutheran preparation) takes place in full view of the congregation. Another big difference is that Orthodox priests can marry, while Catholic priest are required to remain celebate.

In the 16th century there was the major split between the Catholic Church and the Protestant movement (of which Lutheranism is a part). Generally, Protestants don't recognize the authority of the Pope, while Catholics believe that God continues to reveal his will through His vicar on Earth (i.e. the Pope).

Because Protestants believe in what Luther called "the priesthood of all belivers" that has lead to a variety of interpretations of various points of doctrine that then separate the denominations. Seventh-Day Adventists, for instance that we should observe the Sabbath (Saturday) rather than worshiping on Sunday.

The important thing is that we are all Christians, who believe in the same Lord, no matter how we choose to worship. God created variety. We don't need to be cookie cutter copies of each other.

On the other hand, there is much we can learn from each other, and perhaps decide that certain practices, actions or opinions are more (or less) right and/or helpful than others. As the Proverb says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Answer 2

This is my view. And of course, can be the wrong one. That's your choice. We live in a War Spirituality in this World. The war for the salvation of our souls. There's the Good in one side (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) and the Evil on the other side ( the Devil himself (Lucifer, Satan, etc.) and his Demons. So, to win this war, the most terrific religion that is winning the Devil is the Christian Religion. Because it has more power against the Evil. So Christian religions are the most dedicated enemy that the Devil tries do defeat. Catholicism, Protestantism and Ortodox Churchs, they aren't a problem to the Devil. If you learn about them, they pray to Saints and Sculptures, they pray to Mary. They do everything that goes against God's wish, so they are easy to defeat. Christians are the biggest problem to the Evil. That's why there are lots of sects of Christian. Do not forgot that the Church leaders are Humans, they are not divinities. And even some Christian churchs, aren't "Christian". It's another strategy to create division, doubts and another way to try to defeat Humanity. Remember that the Devil don't want to win God, the Devil want us, humanity, to survive, period. We are at War.

Answer 3

I ponder this as well....
I believe that the division of the denominations only gives us something more to argue about.
The GOD we all have in common is FAR more important than the name over the door of our house of worship.
NOWHERE in the BIBLE does it say ANYTHING about Baptists or Methodists or Lutherans or Catholics or Adam's Navelist Getting to HEAVEN any faster than the rest of us.
He only ask s that we believe in HIM and follow HIM.
All the different denominations ( or at least a large percentage of them) are due to our "Freedom of worship" While I AM grateful to have the freedom t worship HIM after my own fashion, It drives me nuts when certain people think they are SOOOO self righteous because they belong to this that or the other church and claim that THEIR church is the ONLY church.
PHTTTTTTTH!!!!
I worship GOD the FATHER Who sent HIS SON to die for my sins so that I may some day be with HIM in HEAVEN.
DON'T ALL CHRISTIANS???

Answer 4

Too lengthy a question to answer here. I would suggest going to the denominations you have listed websites. Most will have something devoted to their particular church doctrines and the scriptural basis for their various beliefs. But in general, there are many similarities and differences between the Christian church -- left, middle-of-the-road, and right.

Answer 5

Get a copy of a book by Frank S. Mead called "Handbook of Denominations in the United States". There are many, many different editions. It can be gotten fairly cheap used (check half.com and the used books on amazon.com or eBay). Even if you're not in the USA, it's a good and detailed introductory text for examining various sects and denominations and what they believe.

Answer 6

In the garden of Eden God told Eve if you eat the fruit you will die.
Hell even if it is bad is eternal life.
The devil said, "No you won't really die at all, but you will be like god. In verse 9 she had it figured out he deceived her.
Then God went on to say to Adam, "for dust you are and to dust you will return."
All religions still teach what the devil did.
You won't die you become a ghost, go to hell, go to heaven,
Spirit that wonders the earth. Minerva or hades.
You mean God keeps you alive to torture you? Can't you just hear the devil saying that. His whole reason for being is to make God look bad. Hell certainly does that.
But it is a teaching by the devil and all churches teach that.
Most religion is false religion.
Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth and the bad people will die. Just as God planned in the garden of Eden for them to inhabit and earth, multiply and fill it and everyone live together in happiness. Religion does not teach the simple truths of the bible.

Answer 7

To many people base their beliefs on emotion and fail to pursue an open minded study of the Bible They follow traditions and what’s popular. They basically teach the same doctrine but The truth is sometimes hard to except. They even sometimes accept things like fornication adultery and homosexuality so as not to lose their members THE TRUTH IS OUT THEIR but it’s not popular! and may be hard to find and except. But Jesus said " His followers would be identified by love" and his true followers would be the few not the many.