The difference between Anglicans, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists...?

[schpoogie]

Hi all,
I was just wondering in simple words, what are the differences between all the denominations (Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran....etc etc etc).
Maybe if you belong to a certain demonination you could explain briefly what defines your denomination.

I know i could search on the forum, and if no one replies i guess i'll stop being lazy and i'll research
But yeah, i was just wondering.

If there are little differences, has anyone tried to unite all the denominations under one banner.
I'm pretty new to Christianity, and i thought it would be awesome if we could all worship together under one church.

I believe in the 5 solas, Faith alone, Grace alone, Scriptures alone, Christ alone, gloy to God alone

 

[ThatWhichIsnt]

Google

 

[schpoogie]

ahah yeah i guess google will suffice

 

[Panevino]

Generally The number of sacraments diminish the younger the denomination, eventually to none. And then starts to cross over to sacraments =bad

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Generally The number of sacraments diminish the younger the denomination, eventually to none. And then starts to cross over to sacraments =bad

Such is indeed the case with regard to reformed protestant denominations.

My Mom was raised Anglican, they retain the 7 sacraments, but because of reformed influences, members are for the most part free to take or leave the "official" teaching, and accept or reject their efficacy. Liberal, non confessional Lutherans are about the same; which is why they are in fellowship with Anglicans.

I'm a confessional Lutheran. While our definition of what constitutes a sacrament is much more narrow (instituted by Christ Himself, convey the forgiveness of sins (means of Grace), and have physical element(s) such as water in baptism and bread and wine in the Eucharist), we likewise retain all 7 as defined by the RCC; but the others are considered "sacramental acts" in that they are all about what God does for us. By our definition, sacramental acts are what God does, sacrificial acts are what we do.

For instance, apart from the sacraments and sacramental acts above, hearing God's word in the context of the liturgy is a sacramental act, because it's about what God has done and continues to do. God's word was provided by Him for us.

Prayer, doing good works, singing hymns, and even confessing our sins either to God or our Pastor are sacrificial acts, because they are what we do. The absolution from the Pastor is sacramental, because it is God's forgiveness; not the Pastor's.

I hope this helps.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Hi all,
I was just wondering in simple words, what are the differences between all the denominations (Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran....etc etc etc).
Maybe if you belong to a certain demonination you could explain briefly what defines your denomination.

I know i could search on the forum, and if no one replies i guess i'll stop being lazy and i'll research
But yeah, i was just wondering.

The best place to go is to each of the Congregational Forums. At the top of the first page of each of these you will find their "Statement of Faith" or SOF. Good place to start, and lots of reading.

If there are little differences, has anyone tried to unite all the denominations under one banner.
I'm pretty new to Christianity, and i thought it would be awesome if we could all worship together under one church.

Yup. Unitarian Universalsim. Unity in disunity, and contrary to Scripture on so many levels.

The United Church of Canada is another which has developed into Christian Universalism. Again they stand for nothing in particular theologically, socially, morally, or ethically, except warm, fuzzy togetherness.

I believe in the 5 solas, Faith alone, Grace alone, Scriptures alone, Christ alone, gloy to God alone

You sound like a Confessional Lutheran.

 

[schpoogie]

You sound like a Confessional Lutheran

Thanks for replying

I don't really know what a confessional lutheran is though,
I always thought the only sacrements protestants performed was baptism and the lords supper.
These are the only 2 we do at my church...I go to an anglican church in sydney, australia btw

Do you consider the sacriments necessary for salvation?

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Thanks for replying

I don't really know what a confessional lutheran is though,

Confessional Lutherans are those Synods which accept the 1580 edition of the Lutheran Confessions (Book of Concord) as a full and complete exposition and summary of theological doctrines and practice revealed to our Lord's Church in Scripture. Here is a link:
Welcome to the Book of Concord

A good place to begin would be the Small Catechism. If you are familiar with the 39 Articles in your Church, you will find many similarities with the Augsburg Confession. This is not a coincidence, as Elizabeth I enlisted the help of Lutheran Theologians in drafting the 39 Articles.

Here is a link to
LCA | The Lutheran Church Of Australia


I'm Lutheran Church Canada, we are in full Altar and Pulpit fellowship with the LCA.

From their website:

A unique partnership exists between the LCA and Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC). This is the only church with which the LCA has entered into a formal ‘Recognition of Relationship’. The document was co-signed by the presidents of the two churches in 1993. Since then there have been four pastoral exchanges between the two churches, and in 2008 LCA and LCC national and district presidents met in Adelaide, Australia, for a series of meetings. [read more]

I always thought the only sacrements protestants performed was baptism and the lords supper.
These are the only 2 we do at my church...I go to an anglican church in sydney, australia btw

My Mom's old Anglican "Book of Common Prayer" List 7 Sacraments like the RCC does. Apart from the Eucharist and Baptism they list Confession and Absolution, Confirmation, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Marriage. We consider the last 5 as "sacramental acts".

Do you consider the sacriments necessary for salvation?

No. Sola Fide and Sola Gracia; Eph. 2:8,9; By grace ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

God bless.

 

[lucaspa]

Hi all,
I was just wondering in simple words, what are the differences between all the denominations (Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran....etc etc etc).
Maybe if you belong to a certain demonination you could explain briefly what defines your denomination.

All Christian denominations hold to the Nicene and Apostle's Creeds. You might want to look them up. Now, the 3 you mentioned are all Protestant denominations that formed early in the Reformation.

For the Methodists (an offshoot of Anglicans), try www.umc.org and look under "what we believe". Anglicans/Methodists have the least difference with the Roman Catholic Church, since the cause of the split was more political/sociological than theological. Yet there are profound rejections of some RCC theology and practice in the 1600s in the Methodist Articles of Religion.

Originally, Presbyterians were Calvinists. As such, they believed in predestination. They also, in the Westminster Confession, placed much more emphasis on the authority of scripture than either Lutherans or Anglicans. Neither Lutherans or Anglicans believe in predestination. But then, many modern Presbyterian denominations -- such as the Presbyterian Church USA -- don't, either.

If there are little differences, has anyone tried to unite all the denominations under one banner.

There is always some form of ecumenical movement, basing it on the commonalities of the Nicene and Apostle's creeds. However, those always founder on the major differences of theology and social orientation of the denomination. For instance, the Presbyterian Church of America split from the Presbyterian Church USA over issues of Biblical literalism and social issues. The PCA is overtly racist and excludes non-whites. There is no way to bridge that divide until the PCA gives up some of those social beliefs. (I know about this because my wife was Presbyterian USA and we attended the local church where the split from the PCA first started.)

I'm pretty new to Christianity, and i thought it would be awesome if we could all worship together under one church.

Despite the idealism, probably not going to happen. I, for instance, cannot worship in a church that expouses Fundamentalism, because I consider it false idol worship.

I believe in the 5 solas, Faith alone, Grace alone, Scriptures alone, Christ alone, gloy to God alone

This puts you in the Protestant camp, which means you could not worship together in one church with Roman or Orthodox Catholics.

However, some Protestants think other Protestants have "regressed" to beliefs of the RCC thus, some holders of "5 solas" could not worship even with other Protestants: What are the “five solas,” and what do they mean?

 

[schpoogie]

Thanks for that lucaspa!

That answer has given me a lot of knowledge. I for one, did not know that Methodists perfromed the sacriments