What is the difference among certain Christian religions?

Question

Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Protestants, Baptists - what is the difference among these religions? Is it a difference just in practices, or theories, or both?

Answer 1

Amongst Christians there are three general groups, Catholics, Protestants, and what I term Other. Other would be Mormons, JW's, and any other group they do not consider themselves Catholic or Protestant but do consider themselves Christian. Catholics are, well, Catholic. It seems pretty self explanatory to me. However, Protestants came about as a protest to the Catholic church, which at the time was the only Christian church around. The differences between the MANY, MANY Protestant churches are generally a matter of "the little things". For example: Lutherans believe that when they take communion/Holy Eucharist it turns into the literal body and blood of Christ. Methodists and Baptists don't believe this. I don't think Presbyterians do either. And in an effort to bring adherents to repentance Baptists have a lot of "fire and brimstone" preachers who bang their fists on the pulpit telling of the fears of going to hell. Methodists don't usually do this. Baptists believe in immersion baptism, Methodists believe in infant baptism. All or almost all protestant faiths believe that the Godhead is reallly just one being. That Christ is just God who finally got a body, and that the Holy Ghost /Holy Spirit is some omnipresent cloud who is God in spirit form. And that somehow God can have a body and be bodyless at the same time. Can be right next to you, helping you, but can also be right next to every other person in the world helping them at the same time, too. This is also a Catholic teaching. And the Mormon's believe that there are three members of the Godhead, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. God the Father - our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, each have their own body of flesh and bone and that while the Holy Spirit doesn't have a body, He is also not everywhere at once, but can only be in one place at a time.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The four churches that you have listed are all protestants, which are by definition not Catholic. One of the differences is that most Baptists believe in eternal security as do many Grace Brethren churches. There are also Pentecostal churches that believe in speaking in tongues. Lutheran, Presbyterians, and most Methodist are slightly more formal and liturgical in their worship while there are churches such as Nazarene and Wesleyan that are more conservative yet have less formal structure in their worship style. The differences in many are purely different styles of worship. Not everyone likes the same kinds of food and so not everyone likes the same kind of worship. If all of us thought the same about God and how to worship, we would all be Catholic, but we don't and so God allows us some freedom in this matter.
The most important element that should be most important to each church is our relationship with God and our salvation through His Son, Jesus.

Answer 3

All of these exist based on their differing views with respect to the teachings of the catholic church. All of them can be traced back to a split with the catholics.

Some then subdivided, like the southern baptists split from the baptists because they supported slavery and the baptists in the north were against it.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 4

The brief and simplified reply is: Orthodox does now not concentrate to the Pope, however they think in culture and sacraments (adding Eucharist being Jesus Himself.) Catholics hire a Pope. Lutherans don't concentrate to the Pope. They comply with a few culture (now not Apostolic), and believe a few sacraments. The Eucharist isn't Jesus Himself, however as an alternative an emblem. They are all Christian.

Answer 5

The reason there are different denominations within Christianity is because the Bible allows for us to have differences of opinions. Within Christianity there are very few essential doctrines that define what it means to be a Christian. These essential doctrines are,

Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1,14; 8:24; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).
Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).
Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).
The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).
There is only one God (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)
God exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (See Trinity)
Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary (nature of incarnation)
As long as a church believes in these essential doctrines, then it is Christian. However, there are many things in the scriptures that have been interpreted in different ways. For example, what day of the week should be worship on, Saturday or Sunday? Should we baptize by sprinkling or baptize by immersion? Do we take communion every Sunday, once a month, or once a year? The answers to these questions do not affect whether or not someone is a Christian. It is in these issues, and others like them, that denominations are formed. It does not mean that one denomination contradicts another. It means that though they agree in the essentials, they differ in some nonessentials. This is permitted in Scripture:

"Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind," (Rom. 14:1-5).

Sadly, there is another reason for denominational differences and that is the failure of Christians to live according to the will of God. The truth is that we are all sinners and we do not see things eye to eye. It is an unfortunate truth that denominational differences are due to our shortsightedness and lack of love. But, the good thing is that God loves us so much that He puts up with our failures. There waits for us, in spite of our differences, a great reward in heaven. Neither salvation nor damnation is dependent upon our differences. Our salvation is based on our relationship with Christ.

Answer 6

semantics, basically theres difference in the details: like was Jesus the son of god, the son of man, or God himself? should we serve wine or grape juice? Is God called G-d, Jehovah, YHWH, or Jesus? Is there a trinity or is it just oneness? should we use the tanack as well as the bible? which bible is more accurate? Is the sabbath a saturday or a sunday? Are gays welcome or are they still an abomination? Is abortion acceptable in some cases? Do other denominations go to heaven or is it just ours? Does faith alone get you into heaven, or do you need works? etc.

Answer 7

There is next to no difference.
They all preach heaven or hell.
They all preach hell-fire.
They all preach immortal soul.
They all preach trinity.
Why so many different religions?
Everyone wants to be top dog.
They are the ones referred to in Matthew 7:22-23
"Many will say, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness.

Answer 8

No clue. I am baptized Anglican, but confirmed something else. It doesn't really matter. The only picky divisin is Catholics. If you aren't baptized and confirmed catholic, then you can't marry or be the god parent of a catholic.

IN the end we all celebrate Christmas and belive Jesus was our saviour.

Answer 9

Those who preach the word of their bible make **** up, therefore that is how the differences began. Go to one Catholic church and then another, same bible, same passage, 2 different meanings. Happens all the time.

Answer 10

Romans 10:2 "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge."