Baptist is not a Denomination

[tulipbee]

How are issues answered when the general baptists, who have similar beliefs as arminianism theologies, offsprung from reformed baptists that returned to the truths of the Word?

 

[tulipbee]

I thought non denomination churches are the ones who arent a denomination. You should ask them this question. See what answer you get.

Nondenominational teach arminian theologies so its separated from the church.

 

[Poor Beggar]

Nondenominational teach arminian theologies so its separated from the church.

Wow

 

[tulipbee]

If the Baptist isn't a denomination then its nondenominational. Right????

 

[zippy2]

If the Baptist isn't a denomination then its nondenominational. Right????

I think it is a denomination.

 

[PrincetonGuy]

Princeton, that may be true within the academics, but the common person views baptist as a denomination. However the autonomous stance of Baptist churches is probably the result of the academic view.

I do not believe that the common Christian is that ignorant.

 

[PrincetonGuy]

I'm curious and have some scenarios, If a person started a church and placed the name Roman Catholic in its name but held opposite views, would they be sued? Probably so

If a person started a church and had the name Baptist in it, but taught everything against orthodox Protestant Christianity(maybe even held Palm reading during service) could they be sued.? Can anyone put Baptist on their sign and start a distortion of the word over time?

The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination—therefore they could sue. The Baptist churches are not a denomination—therefore they could not sue. Hint: a denomination is a legal entity with legal rights pertaining to the entity. Baptist churches collectively are not a legal entity and hence they lack the legal rights pertaining to an entity.

 

[zippy2]

The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination—therefore they could sue. The Baptist churches are not a denomination—therefore they could not sue. Hint: a denomination is a legal entity with legal rights pertaining to the entity. Baptist churches collectively are not a legal entity and hence they lack the legal rights pertaining to an entity.

I too heard this over and over and over in the CofC. "We are the one true Church so we are NOT a denomination". They are avoiding history on purpose. Just let them. Don't make a big deal out of it. As far as suing? Churches should not be involved in such things anyway, imho.

 

[PrincetonGuy]

Oxford dictionaries (online) provides this definition of 'denomination':
Definition of denomination in English:
noun
1 A recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church:
the Presbyterian community is the second-largest denomination in the country

The dictionaries give the synonyms as:

religious group, sect, Church, cult, movement, faith community, body, persuasion, religious persuasion, communion, order, fraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood, school; faith, creed,
belief, religious belief, religion
rare sodality
​

1.1 A branch of any religion:
Orthodox Jewish denominations (Oxford dictionaries 2015. S v denomination).

Therefore, even the Oxford dictionaries acknowledge a denomination as an autonomous group of the Christian church with the parallel (synonymous) meaning of religious group, church, movement, religious persuasion, etc.

Based on this definition and synonyms, Baptists are a denomination and that is how they are regarded in my country. There may be Arminians or Calvinists within the Baptist denomination, but that does not prevent them from being identified as Baptists.

Oz

Since one of my academic pursuits is the study of translation theory, I have more than twenty English language dictionaries in my personal library spanning 187 years, thus allowing me to see how the use of individual English language words has evolved—and more importantly, precisely how they are used today. Unfortunately, however, it was not until the late 1950’s that the lexicographers at Merriam-Webster began to assemble the world’s largest databank of English word usage to determine how literate English speaking people actually use the words that make up the English language. In 1966, Merriam-Webster published the first English language dictionary based upon that data base, Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. A comparison of dictionaries published prior to 1966 and those published subsequent to 1966 shows that earlier dictionaries were all too often in serious error. Based upon the most recent form of that database, Merriam-Webster gives us the following definition of the word ‘denomination’ when used of a religious body:

“a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices.”

Most obviously, our Baptist churches collectively are NOT an organization—but a collection of organizations. Therefore, our Baptist churches collectively are NOT a denomination in the sense that the word is most commonly used among English speaking people who can read and write. It should also be noted that Merriam-Webster’s data base includes usage in Australia.

 

[Blank Stair]

...is it?

Is it in the Bible? Did Jesus tell us to split the body of Christ following the catholic (not a reference to RCC) teachings he delivered to the world into denominations?
denomination (n.)
late 14c., "a naming, act of giving a name to," from Old French denominacion "nominating, naming," from Latin denominationem (nominative denominatio) "a calling by anything other than the proper name, metonymy," from denominare "to name," from de- "completely" (see de-) + nominare "to name" (see nominate). Meaning "a class" is from mid-15c. Monetary sense is 1650s; meaning "religious sect" is 1716.


In Antioch they were first called Christians. Acts 11:23-26

 

[mikedsjr]

I do not believe that the common Christian is that ignorant.

I do not believe this a issue of common Christian ignorance, but common sense by Christians. We don't need a scholar when common sense tell us the answer.

 

[classicalhero]

Thanks for your responses everyone!

If you are wondering what prompted this question, I read this:

"Baptists are not Protestants but hold tenaciously to the original precepts and practices of Christ and the apostles. Baptists believe the pure Word of God to be sufficient authority on all matters. Baptists reject all human religious traditions and practices that have originated since the time of the apostles. Full historical data immediately refutes the view that there was only one religious group -- the Roman Catholic church -- until the time of Martin Luther. Anyone who claims this simply has not done his homework.

Baptists make no effort to trace a historical succession back to the age of the Apostles. Their only claim is that at every age in church history there have been groups that have held to the same doctrines that Baptists hold today. These groups may or may not have been connected and they have been known by various names.

There were the Montanists (150 A.D.), the Novatians (240 A.D.), Donatists (305 A.D.), Albigenses (1022 A.D.), Waldensians (1170 A.D.), and the name Anabaptists came into prominence just before the time of the Protestant Reformation. In fact, the first use of a form of the Baptist name may be found in a response to the Diet of Speier in 1529, taking action against the Turks and the Lutheran groups who questioned the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

You forgot about the Paulicians. The term anabaptist has been used since very early, since there were many groups who rebaptisted those who had been done improperly based on what would become the Roman Catholic Church. This has been happening centuries before groups beame known as Baptists.

 

[tulipbee]

Is it in the Bible? Did Jesus tell us to split the body of Christ following the catholic (not a reference to RCC) teachings he delivered to the world into denominations?
denomination (n.)
late 14c., "a naming, act of giving a name to," from Old French denominacion "nominating, naming," from Latin denominationem (nominative denominatio) "a calling by anything other than the proper name, metonymy," from denominare "to name," from de- "completely" (see de-) + nominare "to name" (see nominate). Meaning "a class" is from mid-15c. Monetary sense is 1650s; meaning "religious sect" is 1716.


In Antioch they were first called Christians. Acts 11:23-26

The Catholics split inside themselves. House divided. Multiples of denominations. Yet call themselves the church

 

[Poor Beggar]

The Catholics split inside themselves. House divided. Multiples of denominations. Yet call themselves the church

Catholics didnt invent denominstionslism. That already hspprned at the foundation of the church. Read the letters to the Corinthians. It was worse then because the denominations all attended the assembly at the same time and place. At least now we have different buildings for each other. Should we? No. But none of us wants to fellowship with those we firmly believe are worshiping incorrectly.

 

[tulipbee]

Catholics didnt invent denominstionslism. That already hspprned at the foundation of the church. Read the letters to the Corinthians. It was worse then because the denominations all attended the assembly at the same time and place. At least now we have different buildings for each other. Should we? No. But none of us wants to fellowship with those we firmly believe are worshiping incorrectly.

I don't think any denomination worships correctly. Probably home cells do

 

[Poor Beggar]

I don't think any denomination worshiops correctly. Probably home cells do

They'll just end up forming their own insulated interpretation and become another denomination.