The forum, Interdenominational Dialogue, has been removed from the Congregation Christians-only category.
The staff of CF have discussed the problems inherent with IDD for many months. Events over the past 4 weeks have prompted heated debate in the Staff Forums regarding the future of IDD.
Essentially, the staff felt that IDD was promoting Interdenominational conflict and sectarian splits rather than supporting the vision of CF, which is to unite all Christians as one body. It appears that threads in that forum could not get away from degenerating into flame-wars rather than staying as dialogue between members of different denominations.
Basically, the staff voted and this was the outcome:
a) Close it down - 1
b) Formal Debate Forum - 111111111111
No one voted to keep IDD as it is, because of the problems we have had with it for so long.
Also, the impression was that Christians were caught up in IDD wasting time and energy fighting amongst themselves when they could be in GA (General Apologetics) defending their faith against unbelievers.
As such, what we have done is close down the informal free-for-all discussion section of IDD, and have kept only the Formal Debates section of that forum.
Basically, from now on, if members of different denominations want to discuss doctrinal differences, they have to do it in a Formal Debate manner. You now have to research your topic properly, post your arguments in a coherent and structured manner, and allow the other person the time and opportunity to reply in a similar way.
This way, we hope that relationships between Christians are not damaged by unstructured debates which do not achieve anything other than splitting up brothers and sisters in Christ even more.
The Congregation forums remain. Catholics can still post questions in the PRE forums, and Protestants can post questions in OBOB. However, under no circumstances will debate be allowed in those forums if you are not part of that denomination. All debates are now Formal Debates.
I hope that the Christian members of CF understand this change. Please continue to pray for the unity of God's people. May we seek to glorify His name and seek to raise Him up so that He can draw men unto Him.
The staff of CF have discussed the problems inherent with IDD for many months. Events over the past 4 weeks have prompted heated debate in the Staff Forums regarding the future of IDD.
Essentially, the staff felt that IDD was promoting Interdenominational conflict and sectarian splits rather than supporting the vision of CF, which is to unite all Christians as one body. It appears that threads in that forum could not get away from degenerating into flame-wars rather than staying as dialogue between members of different denominations.
Basically, the staff voted and this was the outcome:
a) Close it down - 1
b) Formal Debate Forum - 111111111111
No one voted to keep IDD as it is, because of the problems we have had with it for so long.
Also, the impression was that Christians were caught up in IDD wasting time and energy fighting amongst themselves when they could be in GA (General Apologetics) defending their faith against unbelievers.
As such, what we have done is close down the informal free-for-all discussion section of IDD, and have kept only the Formal Debates section of that forum.
Basically, from now on, if members of different denominations want to discuss doctrinal differences, they have to do it in a Formal Debate manner. You now have to research your topic properly, post your arguments in a coherent and structured manner, and allow the other person the time and opportunity to reply in a similar way.
This way, we hope that relationships between Christians are not damaged by unstructured debates which do not achieve anything other than splitting up brothers and sisters in Christ even more.
The Congregation forums remain. Catholics can still post questions in the PRE forums, and Protestants can post questions in OBOB. However, under no circumstances will debate be allowed in those forums if you are not part of that denomination. All debates are now Formal Debates.
I hope that the Christian members of CF understand this change. Please continue to pray for the unity of God's people. May we seek to glorify His name and seek to raise Him up so that He can draw men unto Him.
I have not received a single complaint about that forum, nor do we get many reported posts from there. IDD was a whole different kettle of fish.
