Why so many different denominations?

[FoundSpirit88]

I'm not a Christian. I'd like to be, but I'm finding all of the different denominations to be very very confusing(I have other questions/concerns about Christianity as well, but I'll save that for another thread).

Why are there different denominations at all?

Surely a Christian is a Christian, so why are there these separations all over the place?

I don't understand this at all. If anyone can help shed some light on this subject for me I would really appreciate it.

 

[razeontherock]

Why are there different denominations at all?

Valid Church leadership is a plurality of equals. That means nobody gets to be "the big cheese," because Jesus is Head of the Church.

People don't like that.

That really is the answer to your question! Developing that idea a bit, Christianity is in large part a conflict between our own fallen nature which is given various names to help us learn to recognize it, and G-d's Divine Nature being born in us, just as Jesus was conceived. Our fallen nature likes to be in control, while Jesus was made both Lord and Christ by becoming obedient unto death. Hopefully this helps you understand the answer to your question a little better, as well as starts you off with some ability to discern between these two differing natures, while clearly seeing the superiority of the Lord?

I will add that in 30 years of walking with the Lord, I have only recently found valid Church leadership such as existed in the first century, and it hasn't been for a lack of looking I assure you! I'm not ready to say you can't be Discipled w/o this element, but I can certainly say it would've made the process much easier for me ...

Ray

 

[NoelAsa]

Just too many different opinions. Many different interpertations of the bible. So many people who are not alike. Does not mean that one church is better than another, though some might make you feel that. You just need to find the one that best suits you. You will need to visit different churches. When you find the one you like you will know.

 

[salida]

razeontherock said it.

Many of these denominations are based on minor disagreements but most of them agree on the basic foundations of christianity-like believe in the trinity, etc.

The bible is of no private interpretation:

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

So, again flesh can get in the way of bible interpretation by taking scriptures out of context, etc. Or some don't take the bible seriously-a gross mistake.


Men are confused-not God.
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

 

[FoundSpirit88]

Thank you all for your answers. You've all helped me feel much less confused about this. I never really had much knowledge about all the different denominations so I figured I'd ask.

Valid Church leadership is a plurality of equals. That means nobody gets to be "the big cheese," because Jesus is Head of the Church.

People don't like that.

That made a lot of sense to me. I've seen that happening quite frequently and I'm still on the outside looking in.

That really is the answer to your question! Developing that idea a bit, Christianity is in large part a conflict between our own fallen nature which is given various names to help us learn to recognize it, and G-d's Divine Nature being born in us, just as Jesus was conceived. Our fallen nature likes to be in control, while Jesus was made both Lord and Christ by becoming obedient unto death. Hopefully this helps you understand the answer to your question a little better, as well as starts you off with some ability to discern between these two differing natures, while clearly seeing the superiority of the Lord?

Yes, your explanation has helped. Thank you so much!

So, again flesh can get in the way of bible interpretation by taking scriptures out of context, etc. Or some don't take the bible seriously-a gross mistake.


Men are confused-not God.

I agree with you. Unfortunately, I grew up around people who thought that they somehow knew it all and basically put themselves before God. I've always had major issues with that and getting so many bad messages from those people growing up has definitely lead to a lot of confusion for me surrounding Christianity. I am SO glad I found this forum!

Just too many different opinions. Many different interpertations of the bible. So many people who are not alike. Does not mean that one church is better than another, though some might make you feel that. You just need to find the one that best suits you. You will need to visit different churches. When you find the one you like you will know.

I'm going to start looking around for a church to go to eventually. Thankfully, the area I live in is really quite Christian... so I'm in luck!

 

[JasperJackson]

Most denominations have come from branches of others where two groups disagree over minor, or secondary issues.

Most Christians within most denominations agree on most of their theology, and think that most denominations are "correct" enough such that they are saved by Jesus. My point is don't get too flustered with denominations - they're all good (mostly).

 

[razeontherock]

Unfortunately, I grew up around people who thought that they somehow knew it all and basically put themselves before God.

While I'm sorry you had to go through that and empathize with you, you show tremendous discernment here! That'll come in handy as you look for a "Church home." I think even when you find a Church you like, you should continue looking. Take notes to keep them all straight, even. Meet with whoever's in charge, or if it's really big, whatever assistant they have to take care of such things. Write down your most difficult questions and ask them. I think how the specific leadership addresses you will mean a LOT more than 'what name they have over their door.'

Ephesians 4:4 "[There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all."

You want to be wherever G-d makes Himself real TO YOU. I think it's important to meet with people who know G-d as an active part of their life, but ultimately it is G-d who "plants us" in a Church where we grow according to His will.

I think you'll find each of us that have stuck it out had a LOT of help, especially with those first few steps! I'd also encourage you to do some reading on a thread in the Deeper Fellowship sub-forum here, called something like "Does anybody have any amazing God stories to tell?" This is what you want to be part of!!

 

[drich0150]

I'm not a Christian. I'd like to be, but I'm finding all of the different denominations to be very very confusing(I have other questions/concerns about Christianity as well, but I'll save that for another thread).

Why are there different denominations at all?

Surely a Christian is a Christian, so why are there these separations all over the place?

I don't understand this at all. If anyone can help shed some light on this subject for me I would really appreciate it.

The Simple answer is because "we" are commanded to Love the Lord God with all of our being.

This worship for the intellectual looks different, than it would for the charismatic. Could the Charismatic truly love the Lord God and manifest that love in worship if he were to be made to worship as the intellectual? Vise versa, could the intellectual truly worship with all of His Heart, Mind, Soul, Spirit and Strength if he were made to worship as the charismatic?

We have been given the freedom to worship to the limits our mind/hearts can process and accept. These different forms of worship/worshipers simply build "doctrine/rules" around themselves and that forms the different denominations.

We must understand that their is no One right Jesus Christ centered denomination. They are all in error and they are all flawed irreparably to be found "righteous" before God in their own merits. But, thankfully the same Grace and the same atonement found in the forgiveness of our willful sin can be found in our want and desire to Love and worship our God with all of our Hearts, Mind, Spirits and Strengths when we fall short of God's perfect standard.

 

[FoundSpirit88]

Thank you all so much for your perspectives and such about this. I really appreciate it. It's funny, I grew up in a "religious" environment but I never had any idea about different denominations and what Christianity actually is until I was much older(and I didn't really know what Christianity truly was supposed to be until I started joining forums like this one!)

Thanks again, you guys are great!

 

[bling]

Thank you all so much for your perspectives and such about this. I really appreciate it. It's funny, I grew up in a "religious" environment but I never had any idea about different denominations and what Christianity actually is until I was much older(and I didn't really know what Christianity truly was supposed to be until I started joining forums like this one!)

Thanks again, you guys are great!

I promise you God is not happy with all our “denominations”, but there is really only one true Church, but it is not a denomination.

It is sad but the way true believers are separated from hypocrites is with strong persecution. In China today there are true Christians without denominations. Those that belong to the Chinese authorized water down Christian religion are not the Christians I am talking about. With strong persecution the small stuff is not even discussed.

I taught Bible school classes in prison and the true believers had only one “denomination”. They were not going to put their life on the line everyday protecting other believers and be divided over the small stuff.

 

[E.C.]

I'm not a Christian. I'd like to be, but I'm finding all of the different denominations to be very very confusing(I have other questions/concerns about Christianity as well, but I'll save that for another thread).

Why are there different denominations at all?

Surely a Christian is a Christian, so why are there these separations all over the place?

I don't understand this at all. If anyone can help shed some light on this subject for me I would really appreciate it.

Oh, to put it very very very very simply it would be because people kept listening to their own egos rather than to God.

Although for any particulars I would suggest looking a little bit into Christian history.

 

[AlexBP]

While in agreement with most of what's been said in this thread, I would also like to point out that separate denominations are not necessarily bad. In some cases, the existence of multiple viewpoints can force us to think carefully about what we believe and why. If there were only one denomination, we might be more tempted to "go with the flow" and accept the pronouncements of the leaders of that one. With multiple denominations, we have a clear motivation to inspect all the leaders carefully and see which one is truly closest to God's word.

This is not to say that I believe my church, the Episcopal Church in the USA, to be the one true church. I agree with the Episcopal leadership on some issues and disagree on others. Overall I have found them to be the best home for me at this time; at some later time I may change denominations.

 

[lucaspa]

I'm not a Christian. I'd like to be, but I'm finding all of the different denominations to be very very confusing(I have other questions/concerns about Christianity as well, but I'll save that for another thread).

Why are there different denominations at all?

Surely a Christian is a Christian, so why are there these separations all over the place?

I don't understand this at all. If anyone can help shed some light on this subject for me I would really appreciate it.

Let me add to what my fellows have said. All Christians have the Nicene and Apostle's Creeds in common. Those state the necessary and sufficient beliefs to be Christian. But beyond that there are lots of different reasons.

1. Many denominations differ in church governence: a church heirarchy, local governence of individual churches, how ministers are picked for individual churches, etc. The Catholic-Orthodox split was mainly over this. Many Lutheran denominations arose out of this issue.
2. Differences in doctrine outside the Creeds. For instance, the Reformed tradition introduced the idea of an "Elect" that was saved and all the rest who weren't. There is a dispute over saved by faith vs saved by works. Adult vs infant baptism. Etc.
3. How the Bible is viewed. In recent decades some have viewed the Bible as literal and inerrant. The Presbyterian Church PCA split from the Presbyterian Church USA and the Evangelical Methodist Church split from the Methodist Church over this issue, for instance.
4. Social issues such as ordination of female ministers, admission of ethnic groups, etc. The African Methodist Church was founded as all black, for instance.
5. Politics. Denominations have formed based on national boundaries. The Scottish Presbyterians were founded in Scotland, for instance. The Huguenots were French. Methodists split from the Anglican Church due to the American Revolution. Methodism was in the new United States, Anglicans in England.