The Trouble with Protestantism - division

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salamacum

Guest
[FONT=&quot]David Hilborn stated in an Evangelical Alliance paper on the Toronto Blessing that:[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]"More often than not, crisis is born of contention, and for better or worse, Evangelicalism is a naturally contentious movement. Once the Protestant Reformers determined to promote the authority of ‘Scripture alone’ over the magisterium of the Church, the resultant prerogative of interpretation led, almost[/FONT][FONT=&quot] inevitably, to divergence, tension and fissure. The whole ethos of Protestantism – its theological basis, the behavioural patterns it inculcates, its attitudinal emphasis and its authority structure – make it inherently liable to schism and fragmentation. It has a built-in tendency to be centrifugal rather than centripetal … By its very nature it encourages individuality, stresses personal faith and promotes distinctive individual or group expressions of faith and practice. Such characteristics ensure a large measure of personal and corporate creativity; but they almost[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]guarantee divisiveness …"

Do you agree?
If the above is true, are there aspects of ministry that protestants neglect because of the time spent in contention?
And how can this divisive nature be resolved?
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S

salamacum

Guest
So is this proposing that studying and interpreting the bible in different ways is supossed to be bad?

I would say no - then we can practice mutual submission and tolerance.
But many would say YES. There is one message from the bible, one story, and only this story needs to be expounded. (ie the devil works through the detail, the small error etc etc)
 
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