Do Denominations Have a Future?

[princess_ballet]

Five reasons why Protestant denominations might just go away are here.


I doubt this would happen completely (because people love to argue). And lots of pastors love to tell why they're right and the guy down the road is wrong, but let's say they did all unite. What would that mean for us?

 

[freezerman2000]

As long as there are differing theologies, there will be denominations.

 

[princess_ballet]

But how many normal Protestants really know the difference between the theology?

My best friend is Methodist. She went on a date with a Baptist the other night and I asked her if that would be weird for her to go to a Baptist church. She said she didn't know the differences....

One thing if you sit on a forum all day and discuss these things. Another thing if you go to church but don't care about the nitty gritty.

 

[freezerman2000]

OSAS, Predestination,freewill,Trinitarians,Non Trinitarians..the list goes on and on.Those are differences in theologies.
I truthfully don't see all Denominations coming together under one icon,every one believing exactly alike.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Five reasons why Protestant denominations might just go away are here.


I doubt this would happen completely (because people love to argue). And lots of pastors love to tell why they're right and the guy down the road is wrong, but let's say they did all unite. What would that mean for us?

I am not seeing it by that article.
Honestly - more churches pop up all the time... for many smaller ones - its a way to make money on Sundays and gain prestige in the community.

I have no idea how many small churches i see - of denominations i simply never heard of before - on back roads in the smaller towns.

 

[princess_ballet]

I am not seeing it by that article.
Honestly - more churches pop up all the time... for many smaller ones - its a way to make money on Sundays and gain prestige in the community.

I have no idea how many small churches i see - of denominations i simply never heard of before - on back roads in the smaller towns.

I agree. Everyone wants to make a buck and be the popular minister. But these guys aren't actual denominations. They're just their own church. They aren't clearly one denomination over another.

 

[Standing Up]

Five reasons why Protestant denominations might just go away are here.


I doubt this would happen completely (because people love to argue). And lots of pastors love to tell why they're right and the guy down the road is wrong, but let's say they did all unite. What would that mean for us?

What makes you think he's also not referring to Catholics and Orthodox?

 

[princess_ballet]

What makes you think he's also not referring to Catholics and Orthodox?

Did you read it? It was pretty clear he was referring to just Protestants.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

I think that, to some extent, he's right. Protestant denominations today are composed more of interdenominational individuals than of actual members in proper terms. Most of mainstream America doesn't really care what their denomination believes, which I think honestly makes it fairer to refer to Evangelical and Liberal Protestantism almost as denominations in their own right rather than simply as combinations of different groups. Sure, there might be some theological differences, but generally speaking, Protestants overlook those.

Still, I don't think that denominational structures are going to consolidate all together at any point in the future. There are real differences, after all. Lutherans and at least most Anglicans, for instance, hold to infant baptism whereas Baptists do not, and since the former two also believe that baptism is salvific, that's really non-negotiable. There's also the matter of meshing bureaucracies in an arena where theological differences are sometimes significant. Feelings on ecumenism often differ between the people in the pews and the top-brass, as well, with the higher ups in a denominational bureaucracy being more like to care significantly about differences on topics like OSAS, the real presence, etc.

Complete Protestant ecumenism isn't ever going to happen, although I do think that increasing popular ecumenism will occur, along with the growth of secularism, as religion becomes a part of American life seen as less and less important.

 

[Lady Bug]

Five reasons why Protestant denominations might just go away are here.


I doubt this would happen completely (because people love to argue). And lots of pastors love to tell why they're right and the guy down the road is wrong, but let's say they did all unite. What would that mean for us?

I don't think denominations are going away anytime soon. These divisions seem to be a curse and I can't decide if I'm being literal on this. I find it extremely annoying how some denominations can argue ad nauseum about something. I wish Christianity were not so broken apart like this.

 

[Rhamiel]

I think the declian of the mainstream Protestant denominations is a bad thing for America
say what you want about the Lutherans and the Methodist and the Presbyterian denominations, but 50 years ago things were a lot differant, but atleast they kept people believeing in the basic Creeds, they have solid Christological teachings, and they had people who were loyal to them

now all of the mainline protestant denominations are getting torn apart on sexual issues, and people church hop all the time, but they still have sound Christological teachings and they still teach the creeds
but before all that, back when people were more loyal to their denomination, it kept people in the relm of orthodox christianity,megachurches starting and the closing in just a few years, and all kinds of new age beliefs creeping into mainstream culture

 

[Standing Up]

Did you read it? It was pretty clear he was referring to just Protestants.

I did. My question was poorly phrased. Don't you think it could apply to Catholics and Orthodox? IOW, let's call ourselves Christian. No?

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

This Orthodox guy hopes so!

Did you read it? It was pretty clear he was referring to just Protestants.

 

[christseeker45]

I think until the Lord comes there will always be denominations

 

[Michie]

Denominations will be here until the Lord returns. Maybe not in the same form & fashion as today, but they'll be here.

 

[steve_bakr]

I think until the Lord comes there will always be denominations

Or, to put it another way, When everyone is Catholic, the Lord will return.

 

[Ave Maria]

I only hope he is right. Maybe someday all Protestant denominations will cease to exist because they have all reunited with the Catholic Church. What a wonderful day that would be!

 

[Rhamiel]

I did. My question was poorly phrased. Don't you think it could apply to Catholics and Orthodox? IOW, let's call ourselves Christian. No?

we have some of the same problems, but not as big as what is happening among the Protestant denominations at this point
part of the problem among Protestants is that they no longer understand the differances between the denominations, they look at all of them as being equal and thus it does not matter, this leads to more church hopping and people not putting down roots, insted of a congregation, made up of the same families generation after generation you have minestries that come and go with the changing of the wind
now there are problems in the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, but the people in both churches still have a strong idea of belonging to that particular Church, maybe not like they did 50 years ago, but still a lot better then the Protestant denominations have it now

This Orthodox guy hopes so!

I can not stress this enough
this is NOT something to be happy about!
think of the early Church when along with orthodox teachings gnostics teachings ran around, at times even the roman emperors were gnostic
allways compeating with eachother
if the mainline Protestant denominations fall apart this is what it will be like agian
catholics are like what 25% of the american population? how much are the EO? and then there will be the left over skeletal remains of the Mainline denominations and Evanglelical churches.... and then there will be chaos worse then it is now, New Age teachings, revisionist history, gnosticism
I mean we have all those things now, bnut it will be worse, and as being part of the culture it will effect members of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches as well
and before you say "oh that would not happen to us" do I have to remind you of the times when allmost the entire East was gnostic?

 

[Standing Up]

we have some of the same problems, but not as big as what is happening among the Protestant denominations at this point
part of the problem among Protestants is that they no longer understand the differances between the denominations, they look at all of them as being equal and thus it does not matter, this leads to more church hopping and people not putting down roots, insted of a congregation, made up of the same families generation after generation you have minestries that come and go with the changing of the wind
now there are problems in the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, but the people in both churches still have a strong idea of belonging to that particular Church, maybe not like they did 50 years ago, but still a lot better then the Protestant denominations have it now

The mobile society has become more mobile in all areas.

Maybe the difference are getting smoothed out in P, much as some people think is happening between Catholic and Orthodox. Don't know.

 

[christseeker45]

I only hope he is right. Maybe someday all Protestant denominations will cease to exist because they have all reunited with the Catholic Church. What a wonderful day that would be!

I may be hated for this but I hope they never disappear