Denomination & Origins belief - Analysis

[jereth]

About a month ago, I posted polls on both the creationist and TEist forums asking people to identify which denomination they are part of. The results show a significant difference for the Baptist and Lutheran denominations. Baptists appear to be strongly creationist, while Lutherans appear to be strongly TEist. For the remaining denominations, there was no significant discrepancy.

I would now like to invite comment on these interesting results. Can anyone explain why the Baptist and Lutheran denominations are lopsided with regards to Origins belief?

Creationist total votes 21
TE total votes 20

Catholic: 0 / 0
Anglican/Episcopalian: 1 / 2
Lutheran: 0 / 5
Reformed: 2 / 1
Presbyterian: 1 / 3
MEthodist: 0 / 0
Baptist: 7 / 0
Pentecostal/charismatic: 2 / 1
Independent/home church: 2 / 3
Other: 7 / 7

 

[chaoschristian]

What's interesting is that if one assumes that the responses are representative of the posting community in the forum, then the creationist/TE split is 50/50. That's remarkably balanced. I'm used to boards where one side is represented to the near exclusion of the other.

 

[Pats]

I can think of specific OT/Crevo Christian members I know didn't vote from looking at some of the 0/0 results.

I am not as familiar with Lutherans as I am Baptists.

I have had a wide variety of experiences with a lot of Baptist churches in the States. I have not known any that were not very big on literalism and very YEC.

 

[Assyrian]

Perhaps Lutherans have the benefit of hindsight Baptists lack, and want to avoid a repeat of Luther's 'that fool Copernicus' blunder.

 

[jereth]

want to avoid a repeat of Luther's 'that fool Copernicus' blunder.

Please elaborate.

 

[Jase]

Baptists typically tend to be more fundamentalist. They take the Bible far more literally I think than most other denominations.

 

[Melethiel]

Lutherans are not all monolithic. I think the Lutherans who frequent OT are all just more interested in this debate. Many Lutherans I know (particularly from the more conservative synods) are staunch YECs. In fact, we had a huge argument about this in the Lutheran forum a while back...

 

[Melethiel]

Please elaborate.

Luther was pretty scathing toward Copernicus for his "unBiblical" idea of heliocentrism.

 

[Assyrian]

What she said.

 

[laptoppop]

While the small sample sizes makes this statistically questionable, to say the least - it agrees with my rough expectations. In broad generalities, I would expect YECs to be more literal in their scriptural interpretation, and certainly that fits with most Baptist churches.

 

[Chief117]

I would agree with that said...but I wonder if many Baptists follow the work of Dr. Kent Hovind, who is Baptist.

He's the one who solidified my YEC beliefs, and he may have done so for his home church as well. Though the much more likely answer is that they tend to be fundamental.

Can't knock them for believing God. I'm right there with them.

God Bless.

 

[chaoschristian]

and certainly that fits with most Baptist churches.

I'm glad you chose to say most here.

As I am learning, Baptists aren't so much a monolithic denomination as a loose confederation of independent churches that share strong common beliefs.

And while the SBC seems to be biased towards creationism and while the Chicago Statement seems to be biased towards creationism (which is used to support part of the SBC Confession of Faith), there certainly is room within the Baptist framework for non-creationist povs.

This is the case of the little Baptist church that I attend (and am a member of, just as I am a member of the Methodist church as well). Origins is not considered important and the pastor refuses to make a statement on it one way or the other.

 

[theFijian]

*ahem* I don't think anyone is knocking them for believing God!

As it is, I'd say that in the UK Creationism has a stronger foothold in baptist and traditionally presbyterian denominations.

 

[Jase]

I would agree with that said...but I wonder if many Baptists follow the work of Dr. Kent Hovind, who is Baptist.

He's the one who solidified my YEC beliefs, and he may have done so for his home church as well. Though the much more likely answer is that they tend to be fundamental.

Can't knock them for believing God. I'm right there with them.

God Bless.

No, but you can knock them for following Kent Hovind ( who btw is not a doctor).

 

[stumpjumper]

Lutherans are not all monolithic. I think the Lutherans who frequent OT are all just more interested in this debate. Many Lutherans I know (particularly from the more conservative synods) are staunch YECs. In fact, we had a huge argument about this in the Lutheran forum a while back...

You wouldn't be thinking of the thread I participated in now would you?

 

[stumpjumper]

In regards to US Lutherans, ELCA embraces textual criticism and openly does not object to evolution.

They even signed a petition about supporting the teaching of evolution in schools and have commitees on faith, science, and technology: http://www.elca.org/faithandscience/news/06-03-15-news.html