Differences in denomination

fallin SG

Whats the difference between the various denominations, like Baptists, Anglicans, Methodist?

Chin Eng SG

Mostly historical....
There are subtle differences in practices and rituals of worship services. The differences are not doctrinal eg most, if not all, will accept the Apostles' and the Nicene Creeds.
Practices and rituals may include the clergy hierachy eg Anglicans has an Archbishop (I think) and the Methodist has a Bishop. These are typically elected among the higher echelons of the leadership.
Other differences between the practices and rituals may stem from the issue of how rigid one denomination wants to enforce their doctrine, eg baptism through immersion or baptism through sprinkling of water.

By and large, it should not matter to a God and Bible-believing Christian as to what the differences are.

laurence82 SG

*me look at Chin Eng siggy*

Shocked

Chin Eng SG

Yo Larry, the siggy's been there for a long time.... personal issue. Don't wish to elaborate in a forum...
.... but maybe it's time to change it huh???

laurence82 SG

acherly u disappear for some time liao....

Chin Eng SG

Not really lah.... just kinda quiet.....
Been really busy, work, new and broader job responsibility.
Then some more don't want to argue with some people in EH anymore lah... There will always be differences in opinion and when such differences become animosity then it becomes totally pointless - Christians have our own views, non-Christians have their own views.

At the end of the day, what for??? Nuke each other??? No need the agro...

Still I would reply to genuine seekers who approach EH with curiosity and amicablity. Other folks who seek fights is not worth my time anymore.

Good to hear from you.... how's the survey thing going on? I replied....

laurence82 SG

oh hehehe, thanks for helping me with the survey..yah, hand up that marketing project liao, now with exams over, its been one month plus of sleepless nights....

gonna enjoy for this week b4 finding some part time jobs...yippeee

NeonTetra SG

Denominational differences r not as severe as Doctrinal differences. So far, most sects under the Protestant faith share the same doctrines on most areas pertaining to Trinue God, Deity and Humanity of Christ Jesus, sole authority of the 66 books of Bible (OT and NT), salvation by grace through faith alone, water baptism, Holy Comminion and so on.....

which forms the basis of the faith in Christ. Other small issues like church organisational, clergy heirachy and form of worship are human preferences and are indeed blessed and given by God for the good of all men.

SGpork SG

Wink

A dot dot B dot dot SG

Various denominations were founded at a different time in history.

Baptist Denomination -- Outgrowth of English Separatism
In this view, the Baptist faith originated from within the Separatist movement, a movement which arose in Europe with the goal of breaking away from the Church of England (which previously had broken away from the Catholic Church, yet retained many of the trappings; those within the Church of England who wished to remain a part of the Church and yet purify it became known as "Puritans;" they were, in a sense, cousins to Separatists). The influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists is considered minimal, according to this viewpoint. The earliest Baptist church is traced back to 1609 in Amsterdam, with John Smyth as pastor. The group's embracing of "believer's baptism" became the defining moment which led to the establishment of this first Baptist church. Shortly thereafter, Smyth left the group, and Thomas Helwys took over the leadership, leading the church back to England in 1611. This view of Baptist origins has the most historical support and is the most widely accepted view of Baptist origins. Representative writers include William H. Whitsitt, Robert G. Torbet, Winthrop S. Hudson, William G. McLoughlin and Robert A. Baker.

A dot dot B dot dot SG

Anglican Church, aka Church of England, was founded by King Henry 8, who wanted to divorce his wife and was opposed by the pope. He thus chose to break away from the catholic.

The Church of England is a Protestant denomination of Christianity which was established by King Henry VIII of England. In 1534 he broke away from the Roman Catholic Church with the Act of Supremacy, which declared the king of England to be the head of the Church of England.

The Church of England is a part of the Anglican Church - the term Anglicanus is Latin for "English" and its use first appeared in John Jewel's Apology for the Anglican Church (1562).

Profile:
The term Anglican is used to describe a broad array of religious traditions which all trace their roots back to the creation of a distinctive English Church under the leadership of King Henry VIII during hte Protestant Reformation. The word Anglicanus is Latin for "English" and its use first appeared in John Jewel's Apology for the Anglican Church (1562).

Today the "Anglican Communion" is a worldwide fellowship of churches in many different countries which stem from the original Church of England. As a result, the regions where Anglican churches dominate corresponds largely with those regions that Britain has at one time dominated politically. All of these churches, organized and administered on a national level, are formally independent from one another. The Church of Ireland, the Church in Wales, and the Anglican Church in Australia are not in any way ruled by the Church of England. Technically, then, it would be incorrect to speak of "the" Anglican Church; instead, it would be more accurate to speak of "the Anglican Communion," all of the national churches around the world that consider themselves to be "in communion with" the Church of England.

The Archbishop of Canterbury may appear to fill a role similar to that of the pope in Roman Catholicism, but that is not accurate. Whereas Roman Catholic churches are required to follow directives which come from the pope and the Vatican, within the Anglican Communion individual churches follow the same practices based upon consensus. The Archbishop of Canterbury is thus a spiritual leader for Anglicans who must use persuasion to get others to agree, not commands.

Anglican Christianity is in many ways very close to Roman Catholic Christianity, having retained a number of basic medieval practices, an episcopal polity, and various theological beliefs. This is because the split between the English Church and the Roman Catholic Church was due not so much to theological disagreements, as was the case with other Reformation movements in Europe, but rather because of personal and political disagreements between King Henry VIII and Pope Clement VII. Thus, it is not surprising that so much of what characterized Roman Catholicism of the time has survived in Anglicanism today.

On the other hand, it decisively broke from Roman Catholicism in that it placed itself under the direct control of the English monarch rather than the pope. The strong similarities have led to many Anglican priests and bishops converting to Roman Catholicism over the years because they have felt more comfortable with Roman Catholic traditions. There have also been many attempts to increase the number of Catholic customs and practices within Anglicanism - for example the Oxford Movement during the early 19th century.

Anglicanism as we know it today was shaped to a large extent by the efforts of Queen Elizabeth I. She was faced with a difficult situation in that many members of the Anglican Church wanted to return to the fold of Roman Catholicism while others, heavily influenced by Protestant theologians, wanted to "purify" the Anglican Church of all Catholic influences (hence the name Puritans). Elizabeth was not in favor of either, wanting instead to continue supporting a distinctly English Church.

Her choice then was to find a "middle way," via media, that emphasized the use of The Book of Common Prayer as a unifying influence on all Anglican churches. The goal was to structure the Book with a combination of Biblical teachings, religious traditions, and even modern philosophical and religious ideas, in order to produce a relatively flexible theological context that remained true to Christian traditions while also being uniquely English. In effect, the Book was designed to be as vague as possible and include as much as possible in order to please as many people as possible. This, then, was what became known as the Elizabethan Settlement.

A dot dot B dot dot SG

Methodist Church or Methodism is a Christian denomination which was started by John Wesley (1703-1791) and George Whitefield (1714-1770) in England in the early 1700s. The name comes from the fact that Wesley sought to understand religion "by rule and method" and follow biblical teachings as interpreted by tradition and reason.

It was also used as an epithet by students at Oxford University who ridiculed the "Holy Club" founded by John and his brother Charles. Members of this group arranged for themselves a rigorous daily schedule which included specific hours for visiting the sick, teaching the poor, and observing religious services in church. In addition, they prayed out loud three times each day and stopped for a silent prayer every hour.

During the Revolutionary War, Wesley's followers in America lacked leadership and the Anglican church refused to ordain people to help him, so Wesley took the unusual step of ordaining some ministers on his own authority - this step was key in the creation of the Methodist church and the first Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in Baltimore on December 24, 1784. During this "Christmas Conference," Methodist preachers officially established Methodism as an independent denomination with the purpose "To reform the continent, and spread scriptural holiness through these lands."

By the middle of the 20th century, Methodism was the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Today, the largest Methodist denomination in the US is the United Methodist Church. Methodism began not so much as an independent denomination but rather as a movement within other Christian churches. As a result, even down into modern times, there have been a number of Methodist churches - Methodist Episcopal churches, Methodist Protestant churches, etc. According to Methodists, their church is a "unique blend of New Testament Christianity, the Protestant Reformation and the influence of John Wesley."

One doctrine which has long been important in the traditions which Wesley was responsible for starting is that of sanctification. According to this, true Christians will inevitably lead lives which are marked by visible sanctity - always manifesting divine love through the way they act and the way they treat others. Such a Christian might even reach a state of moral perfection, although that should not expected very often.

During the 1870s and 1880s a division surfaced within Methodism over the doctrine of sanctification. Most continued to believe that sanctification was a gradual, life-long process, but a few argued that this "holiness" was an instantaneous event, described as a "second blessing" which a person received from God after conversion. Members of this developing "Holiness" movement separated themselves from those whom they regarded as more worldly and insufficiently holy. This movement eventually lead to the formation of the Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, and a number of other American denominations.

For Methodists today, the Bible is the primary source of theology and doctrine, with three others being tradition, reason and experience. Methodists do not pray to saints, do not hear confessions, do not believe in purgatory, and ordain women as ministers. Methodists also allow for more liberal or figurative interpretations of the doctrines regarding heaven and hell. They permit birth control, abortion and divorce, and their traditional positions against gambling and intemperance have softened a bit over the years - they are now no longer opposed to any forms of card playing and dancing.

A dot dot B dot dot SG

This is a summary of a selected few denominations, churches, and religions and when they were founded.

If you are a Lutheran , your denomination was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your denomination was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry. The Church of England separated itself from the Catholic Church under Henry VIII but it didn't actually become a new Protestant religion until the reign of his son, Edward VI.

If you are a Presbyterian, your denomination was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your denomination was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.

If your are a Congregationalist, your denomination was originated by Robert Browne in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Methodist, your denomination was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are LDS or "Mormon" (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), Joseph Smith Jr. started your religion in Fayette, NY, on April 6th, 1830.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your denomination to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1605.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your denomination in New York in 1628.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

If you consider yourself a member of one of the Pentecostal churches, your movement began in Topeka, KS (1901) and Los Angeles (1906), in reaction to perceived loss of evangelical fervor among Methodists and others.

If you call yourself a Mennonite, your movement was named after Menno Simons, a Catholic priest for 12 years, who left the Church to join the conservative Anabaptist wing.

The Amish, started by Jacob Amman around 1693, are just one of many different church bodies within the Mennonite community in the U.S.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as "Church of the Nazarene", "Pentecostal Gospel", "Holiness Church", "Pilgrim Holiness Church", "Jehovah's Witnesses ", your denomination is one of the many thousands of new sects and religions founded by men within the past several hundred years.

If you are a member of one of the Orthodox Eastern Churches your church separated from the Catholic Church in 1054 in the Eastern Schism. Although imperfect, the communion between the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church is so profound "that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord's Eucharist" (Pope Paul VI, quoted in CCC para 83 Cool .

If you are Jewish, Abraham became the first Jew when God promised him: "I will make you a great nation...". Your religion was founded by God in the Jewish calendar year 2049 (1711 BC), over 3700 years ago. God revealed Himself to the Jews through the Prophets and promised to send a Messiah. Jesus Christ, a Jew from the House of David, came to this world as His only begotten Son in fulfilment of the scriptures.