My Ideal Denomination

Koey · Jan 24, 2007

Hmmm somebody already started a similar thread, but it made me think. I too have a list of ideals that I wish were all wrapped up on one denomination.

Bible believing (the Bible is God breathed, and that its canonization was a God thing)
God may or may not intend Genesis to be taken literally
Jesus' doctrines are the important ones, after that the rest of the NT, and the OT in the light of that
Other issues where the churches substantially agree we believe are important
Catholic, Orthodox as well as Protestant doctrines are honored; where they substantially agree, or can be harmonized, this is taught as the important stuff, that God has revealed to all his churches
Where the churches substantially disagree, these are seen as either non-issues, or divisive crap
The mode of Baptism is allowed as a personal choice, not to be imposed by some overbearing or bigoted hierarchy - baptizo means literally immerse, but is also used in a non-literal sense, to wash
The bread and wine are personal choices, with both kiddie juice and wine, leavened and unleavened bread offered
Teetotaling is a non-issue; those who prefer either moderation or avoid alcohol are treated equally
Nobody over interprets scripture as to whether or not the bread and wine merely symbolize, transubstantiate or consubstantiate - it's a non-issue
Spiritual gifts are recognized for today, but without the wacky end of the street, and faddish imposition of questionable tongues experiences
Preaching is by qualified people who have studied theology at a decent school that actually teaches Bible and Bible languages, not just back yard theology
People who are not qualified to teach are not allowed anywhere near the pulpit
People are not led astray by televangelist heresies, because they are being taught discernment and right doctrine
Communion is encouraged in homes as well as at church, and does not need to be done by a sacerdote
Worship music styles include grandpa, teens as well as those in the middle
Socially conservative and liberally warm and inviting

Asinner · Jan 24, 2007

As a wise brother has said on here a multitude of times . . . Why do you desire to conform Christianity to your standards? Instead, you should be conforming yourself to the Ancient Faith.

Love,
Christina

Koey · Jan 24, 2007

But I don't believe in your church's exclusivity. My faith is in Jesus, and as such, it is ancient.

KJVisTruth · Jan 24, 2007

Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Asinner · Jan 24, 2007

Koey said:
But I don't believe in your church's exclusivity.

What do you know about my church? Have you attended a Divine Liturgy, read the ancient fathers, studied Church history? BTW, speaking of exclusivity . . . Did Christ invite the public into the upper room where He and His Apostles partook of the Last Supper? Why not?

My faith is in Jesus, and as such, it is ancient.

It is Ancient if you follow the Ancient Faith once delivered to the Apostles. Calling it Ancient, doesn't necessarily make it so.

Love,
Christina

ScottBot · Jan 24, 2007

KJVisTruth said:
Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

That is a fantastic post!!! What does it pertain to?

picnic · Jan 24, 2007

Asinner said:
As a wise brother has said on here a multitude of times . . . Why do you desire to conform Christianity to your standards? Instead, you should be conforming yourself to the Ancient Faith.

Love,
Christina

I think that is what most of us would like to do. But that's not to say the ancient faith is found in Orthodox churches. I don't have a desire to conform Christianity to my own standards, but rather that my standards conform to Christ.

Picnic

KarrieTex · Jan 24, 2007

Koey said:
Hmmm somebody already started a similar thread, but it made me think. I too have a list of ideals that I wish were all wrapped up on one denomination.

Bible believing (the Bible is God breathed, and that its canonization was a God thing)

God may or may not intend Genesis to be taken literally

Jesus' doctrines are the important ones, after that the rest of the NT, and the OT in the light of that

Other issues where the churches substantially agree we believe are important

Catholic, Orthodox as well as Protestant doctrines are honored; where they substantially agree, or can be harmonized, this is taught as the important stuff, that God has revealed to all his churches

Where the churches substantially disagree, these are seen as either non-issues, or divisive crap

The mode of Baptism is allowed as a personal choice, not to be imposed by some overbearing or bigoted hierarchy - baptizo means literally immerse, but is also used in a non-literal sense, to wash

The bread and wine are personal choices, with both kiddie juice and wine, leavened and unleavened bread offered

Teetotaling is a non-issue; those who prefer either moderation or avoid alcohol are treated equally

Nobody over interprets scripture as to whether or not the bread and wine merely symbolize, transubstantiate or consubstantiate - it's a non-issue

Spiritual gifts are recognized for today, but without the wacky end of the street, and faddish imposition of questionable tongues experiences

Preaching is by qualified people who have studied theology at a decent school that actually teaches Bible and Bible languages, not just back yard theology

People who are not qualified to teach are not allowed anywhere near the pulpit

People are not led astray by televangelist heresies, because they are being taught discernment and right doctrine

Communion is encouraged in homes as well as at church, and does not need to be done by a sacerdote

Worship music styles include grandpa, teens as well as those in the middle

Socially conservative and liberally warm and inviting

From what I am seeing you are trying to conform the Word of God to your thinking.

Saying the Bible is God breathed and in the next criteria saying that Genesis is not a literal statement, is bending God's word to fit your ideology.

That is one example that I am pointing to. Each criteria you have is in my view nothing more than bending His precepts to fit what YOU perceive as valid theology.

KarrieTex · Jan 24, 2007

Asinner said:
What do you know about my church? Have you attended a Divine Liturgy, read the ancient fathers, studied Church history? BTW, speaking of exclusivity . . . Did Christ invite the public into the upper room where He and His Apostles partook of the Last Supper? Why not?

It is Ancient if you follow the Ancient Faith once delivered to the Apostles. Calling it Ancient, doesn't necessarily make it so.

Love,
Christina

The Greek Orthodox or any other church of that nature does not have the corner on what is valid and what is not.

I consider my Southern Baptist Church to be just as valid in it's teachings i.e Bibically based as you do of your church.

The issue here is that we are not seperate but whole. It is the Church we should be worried about not if the orthodox church is the end all.

It smacks of the same attitude some Catholic theologians have about any church that doesn't have the RCC in it's title.

Asinner · Jan 24, 2007

picnic said:
I think that is what most of us would like to do. But that's not to say the ancient faith is found in Orthodox churches. I don't have a desire to conform Christianity to my own standards, but rather that my standards conform to Christ.

Picnic

How do you know?

Love,
Christina

KarrieTex · Jan 24, 2007

Asinner said:
How do you know?

Love,
Christina

As has been described the Ancient Faith i.e. Christianity is found in the Word of God. It doesn't matter if it's being read by a Baptist, Methodist, or Othrodox. What matters is that you take Christ's teachings to heart and follow Him as Lord and Savior.

Truth be told by your thinking the Judahism is the Ancient Faith.

ScottBot · Jan 24, 2007

picnic said:
I think that is what most of us would like to do. But that's not to say the ancient faith is found in Orthodox churches. I don't have a desire to conform Christianity to my own standards, but rather that my standards conform to Christ.

Picnic

And how exactly do you do that by reading a book without context?

You realize the most notorious heretics of the ages DEMANDED that we follow the bible only without the use of Apostolic Tradition. It was the oral teaching of the Apostles that tempered and gave the appropriate context to the word of Scripture. Arius defended his heresy that Christ was a created being that was NOT one in being with God the Father through the use of Scripture and won MANY people to his way of thinking. It took hundreds of years to correct his teaching. You cannot get the proper perspective of the True Christ just by reading Scripture.

KJVisTruth · Jan 24, 2007

No denomination is perfect; thats a man made concept. Just follow Christ.

ScottBot · Jan 24, 2007

KJVisTruth said:
No denomination is perfect; thats a man made concept. Just follow Christ.

Good idea. Which one. The Catholic version of Christ, the Lutheran version of Christ, the Arian version of Christ, the Mormon version of Christ, the Jehovah's Witness version of Christ, the Unitarian version of Christ, the Ba'ha'i version of Christ?

picnic · Jan 24, 2007

In respnse to Asinner:

How do you know it is?

Since both the EO and RCC claim to be apostolic, their beliefs should be same, shouldn't they? They're not so that would imply that one or none are the apostolic church.

Koey · Jan 24, 2007

Asinner said:
What do you know about my church? Have you attended a Divine Liturgy, read the ancient fathers, studied Church history? BTW, speaking of exclusivity . . . Did Christ invite the public into the upper room where He and His Apostles partook of the Last Supper? Why not?

It is Ancient if you follow the Ancient Faith once delivered to the Apostles. Calling it Ancient, doesn't necessarily make it so.

Love,
Christina

Yes, I know more than you think about your church, and I am wonderfully impressed with its theology. I am not impressed by anybody's traditions, nor anybody's exclusivity.

I find the ancient faith taught by the founder of Christianity, Jesus, to be wonderfully satisfying. I find the traditions of men to be excruciatingly burdensome and imprisoning.

QuantaCura · Jan 24, 2007

The perfect "denomination" is the original Church, the one founded by Jesus Christ. All subsequent man-made attempts to improve on the divine plan have been and are in vain.

ScottBot · Jan 24, 2007

picnic said:
In respnse to Asinner:

How do you know it is?

Since both the EO and RCC claim to be apostolic, their beliefs should be same, shouldn't they? They're not so that would imply that one or none are the apostolic church.

Our theologies are fundamentally the same. The Orthodox prefer a more mystical approach to the Gospel, whereas the Catholics prefer a more scholastic approach. Our separation is primarily political stubbornness between the Pope and the Patriarchs.

ScottBot · Jan 24, 2007

Koey said:
Yes, I know more than you think about your church, and I am wonderfully impressed with its theology. I am not impressed by anybody's traditions, nor anybody's exclusivity.

I find the ancient faith taught by the founder of Christianity, Jesus, to be wonderfully satisfying. I find the traditions of men to be excruciatingly burdensome and imprisoning.

I find the structure of some of the traditions to be wonderfully liberating.

picnic · Jan 24, 2007

Scott_LaFrance said:
And how exactly do you do that by reading a book without context?

You realize the most notorious heretics of the ages DEMANDED that we follow the bible only without the use of Apostolic Tradition. It was the oral teaching of the Apostles that tempered and gave the appropriate context to the word of Scripture. Arius defended his heresy that Christ was a created being that was NOT one in being with God the Father through the use of Scripture and won MANY people to his way of thinking. It took hundreds of years to correct his teaching. You cannot get the proper perspective of the True Christ just by reading Scripture.

And how do we know the EOC/RCC has retained the apostolic teachings. Just because the apostles taught orally doesn't mean that they taught beliefs and practices that aren't found in the Bible.

How did the Bereans check what they were taught was true? They searched the scriptures.

My Ideal Denomination

Veteran

Seeking Salvation

Veteran

HisInstructionsAreOurs,Ou rObstructionsAreHis

Seeking Salvation

Revolutionary

Veteran

HOOK EM HORNS

HOOK EM HORNS

Seeking Salvation

HOOK EM HORNS

Revolutionary

HisInstructionsAreOurs,Ou rObstructionsAreHis

Revolutionary

Veteran

Veteran

Rejoice always.

Revolutionary

Revolutionary

Veteran

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency