How Important Is Docterine When Finding a Mate?

[Quoth]

My beliefs don't change for anyone but God. It's part of agape love. Being an adopted Son of God means that I don't have expectations of anyone, but I also don't condone heresy.

 

[Trashionista]

I will never marry an Evangelical. Never ever.

I can handle Orthodox crowds; Anglicans. I'd be more open to marrying a Jew than a Bible thumper from like, Tennesee. I don't think it's really about doctrine, but how one will potentially or with what values a couple raise their children or their lifestyle. I don't have much in common with Baptists for instance, who post on here.

 

[Llauralin]

One of the reasons I take so much flack is I'm a protestant that asserts that I am NOT in communion with other protestant denominations, or the orthodox church, or the Roman Catholic church.

So its not all protestants. But, the majority of them are like that.

I didn't know that - but thought there were some that were like yours, hance the use of usually. So if a new person wanted to be a member of your church, and take Communion from another denomination, they would - what? Speak with the pastor? Go through a catechism? declare belief in a particular confession?

 

[Llauralin]

I will never marry an Evangelical. Never ever.

I can handle Orthodox crowds; Anglicans. I'd be more open to marrying a Jew than a Bible thumper from like, Tennesee. I don't think it's really about doctrine, but how one will potentially or with what values a couple raise their children or their lifestyle. I don't have much in common with Baptists for instance, who post on here.

So is it an issue of beliefs, mostly, or of aesthetics and mores?

 

[Trashionista]

So is it an issue of beliefs, mostly, or of aesthetics and mores?

Combo of both.

 

[Luther073082]

I didn't know that - but thought there were some that were like yours, hance the use of usually. So if a new person wanted to be a member of your church, and take Communion from another denomination, they would - what? Speak with the pastor? Go through a catechism? declare belief in a particular confession?

In a confessional Lutheran church they usually need to talk to the pastor. How the pastor's handle it varies.

Some wouldn't give it to you unless you where a member of their parish
Some would if you where a member of their denomoniation
Some would if you where part of any Lutheran denomination. (Or certain ones)
Some would ask you questions to see if your understanding of communion is the same as theirs.

 

[radhead]

What do you mean by "doctorin'"? I think it's important to get the blood type of each parent checked whenever they plan to have a child.

 

[sister4mercy]

How important is doctrine when finding a mate? For instance, if someone attends a bible teaching church and someone is involved in the faith movement, would there be problems? Or would there be a comporize?

It's everything when finding a mate as far as I'm concerned. You can't support someone who doesn't believe what you believe as far as serving the Lord (and vice versa). I'm not luke warm in spirit..so it would be a huge problem for me.

 

[trentlogain2]

Faith movements are misrepresented through these two comments. Please don't lump my denomination in with "heresy."

If you'd like to debate whether it is heresy or not, there are forums for that.

I find your comments very ignorant on the subject (not you, yourselves - just the comments), and would encourage both of you to do some research on matter before posting such things.

We don't believe in "name it and claim it," we believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that there is power in His Word.

Just to clarify.

Oh, and to answer the OP, as long as the person believes the Bible is the infallible Word of God, believes in the Trinity, and that Jesus is the only Way - I'm good. All the other stuff is small potatoes.

If you want to base my comments that I made in regards to what the person posted in her original post then go right ahead. The fact is, what SHE posted is heresy. I don't know anything about your denomination. Again, I was replying to what the other person said about it. If you want to call my comments ignorant, then go right ahead. But I'm going to call a jack a jack and a spade a spade when I see them. Okay?

 

[sister4mercy]

Just on a side rant, I'm not sure if this is the right thread for this or not so sorry if I totally derail, but it really is sad to me how some denominations close off from each other. There are many Christians out there with different theologic ideas but the same basic foundational belief of Christ and salvation. When these denominations shut each other out, they really shut out Christ from their church and that kills me.

To give an example, when I was getting baptized, my friend's mom was going to find a priest/pastor to baptize me. She went to a few churches around her that she knew, and all of them said that if they would baptize me, I had to attend classes with them and commit to their specific denomination. In other words, if it was a catholic church, I couldn't be baptized until I was catholic (having Christ was not enough). It took me awhile to eventually find a pastor who was happy enough that I had Christ. It's sad though how religiously exclusive we tend to get, as ultimately Christ is the one who gets shut out.

See my avatar.

 

[Bitnd12]

My faith is very specific. Its vital to me that a potential spouse,

1. knows where they stand on issues and can give Biblical and other evidence to support their beliefs; and

2. isn't afraid of the God-given logic that they possess.

 

[lostaquarium]

Kirk - I'm not sure what you mean by "in communion with". Do you recognise other denominations as Christians? Do you believe they're saved?

 

[JonMiller]

I think that doctrine is very important, but while I think so... I am under no delusion that my doctrine is necessarily 100% correct or that some other reasonable person might come up with something different.

So my wife doesn't need to with me, but if so, should be willing to talk about it sometimes.

That being said, I also think that there are some things that are very important which I am not going to compromise much on. This is because they can be very dangerous, and I don't want someone who I am joined with to fall for a trap.

For example, playing around with spiritualism/etc. I don't mean the general people who say 'I am spiritual', I mean the american idea which includes stuff like communication with the dead and seances.

JM

 

[hockeysistah12]

With that said, I would like to my future husband to go to a bible believing, bible teaching church, that is my preference. There are some things I will not compomise on and that goes into the "Unequally Yoked" column because I cannot marry someone who is in "another religion" because they do not believe the way I do or their church have to go into a ritual. This is going to seem controversial and that is just because people go to a church does not make them a christian in it. We have some in the christian faith who are not into the bible nor accountable to brothers and sisters. They are just that, "in name only."

 

[Luther073082]

Kirk - I'm not sure what you mean by "in communion with". Do you recognise other denominations as Christians? Do you believe they're saved?

In litergical church such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and some Anglican churchs, being in communion means to "be completly one with". Litergical churchs like these tend to use a completly different terminology to explain and understand their faith.

The act of taking communion or the Eucharist is in part a demonstration of oneness together. That oneness is based off of a close or identical set of doctrine that we as individuals belive in. (There are a few more liberal litergical churchs that don't require this.)

To say "I am not in communion with them." would mean that I have a irreconcilable difference in doctrine with that church. It doesn't mean that they are not Christians or are unsaved. Lutherans in general use only one guideline into determining if someone is Christian and saved. And that is if they belive in the holy trinity.

However just because we believe they are Christians and admit in our creed ("I belive in one holy catholic and apostolic church") that we are partially united with them in the body of Christ. We also stand up for the fact that we are also divided from them on important matters of doctrine.

To attest to that fact, in confessional Lutheran churchs, the church does not allow anyone who is not in communion with their church to preach, deliver or receive communion.

That is something very different and foriegn to a lot of protestant churchs. In most protestant churchs if Rick Warren where paying a visit, they would invite him to deliver the sermon. In a Lutheran church he may come out and have a lot of fans there, the pastor himself might be a big fan. Many Lutherans have read his books. But he couldn't preach and couldn't take communion. Because he is not in communion with our church.

And its the same way with Roman Catholic churchs and Orthodox churchs. I've known a lot of people, unfortunutly many non-confessional Lutherans who in those situations like to "crash the altar" (Take communion without permission.) If nothing else crashing the altar is in my opinion extremly inpolite no matter to what doctrine you hold. I don't take Roman Catholics not wanting me to commune with them as offensive, nor do I take offense when other Lutheran denominations don't wish me to commune.

The difficult problem that Lutherans have is there are several differnet Lutheran denominations who hold varying doctrines. Unlike Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox we have no sense of world wide structure. Lutherans where formed because they where anti-pope and we didn't have a King (like anglicans did) to hold the whole thing together. So because we are against any sort of strong centralized authority (unlike Roman Catholics, Orthodox) we've fractured like other protestant churchs.

Some feel it should be completly open to all baptized Christians, some think it should go to anyone who belives in Christ's real presence (Including Roman Catholic & Orthodox), some feel it should go to any Lutheran (regardless of denomination.), Some to only confessional Lutherans (non confessional Lutherans less strict on doctrine, and sometimes but not always are far more liberal in biblical interpretation), some think it should only go to Lutherans of your denomination and those that your denomination has determined itself to be in communion with. And there are even some who would only advocate it go to members of that particular parish.

I should note that technically speaking my church is non-confessional. However in practice we are about 90% confessional. Plus I may be leaving that church soon due to factors denomination wide for a confessional Lutheran church.

*Hopefully that is semi-understandable explaination*

 

[JonMiller]

I took communion with Lutherans. I didn't with Roman Catholics, because I knew it wasn't proper with the Catholics.

As far as I know it was proper with the Lutherans, it was a Lutheran college and the plurality of students were Lutheran, but I doubt a strong majority were.

JM
(Actually, I might not have, but it was definitely OK for me to do so...)

 

[Luther073082]

I took communion with Lutherans. I didn't with Roman Catholics, because I knew it wasn't proper with the Catholics.

As far as I know it was proper with the Lutherans, it was a Lutheran college and the plurality of students were Lutheran, but I doubt a strong majority were.

JM
(Actually, I might not have, but it was definitely OK for me to do so...)

Where they confessional or non-confessional Lutherans?

Non-confessionals for the most part don't care as long as you are a baptized Christian.

Also having gone to a Lutheran University, I can say that they are often not very strict about this because they try to cater to all Christians at the University.

Which university was it might I ask? If it wasn't named Concordia or Valparaiso University it was almost certainly owned and operated entirely by non-confessional Lutherans.

Concordia is a chain of Universities owned and operated by the confessional Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

Valparaiso University is owned by an alliance of confessional and non-confessional Lutherans. I belive it is the only one like this.

 

[Bridgit]

To me it's very important.

I would not marry somebody who does not have the same beliefs as mine.

 

[overit]

Not very important really-unless they are very dogmatic in their beliefs.....

As an example..Kirk...and not trying to pick on ya lol...but my thoughts on YOUR beliefs of the accuracy of your denomination being 100pct correct is that it's ...your opinion and not based on Biblical evidence but books and instructions handed down after the fact..in other words..the more dogmatic type "churches"...tend to not really have the Bible backing up their 'beliefs'.

I've always been curious though-was Melissa Lutheran or did she simply 'convert' to your denomination and accept it through and through as 100pct truth-simply because that's the way it has to be for you-or because she agrees.... sorry for the bluntness...maybe i can just ask her at our other home

 

[Mikeb85]

The difficult problem that Lutherans have is there are several differnet Lutheran denominations who hold varying doctrines. Unlike Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox we have no sense of world wide structure. Lutherans where formed because they where anti-pope and we didn't have a King (like anglicans did) to hold the whole thing together. So because we are against any sort of strong centralized authority (unlike Roman Catholics, Orthodox) we've fractured like other protestant churchs.

Just to clarify something, the Orthodox Church, while governed by a hierarchy, doesn't have a 'strong centralized authority'. The Orthodox Church consists of 16 autocephalous Churches (who are fully in communion with each other, and share 100% the same doctrines and beliefs), each with their own hierarchy. For instance, Constantinople has no authority over the Russian Church, Jerusalem, Alexandria, etc... Only when the various local Churches come together in Council do their decisions bind the entire Church.