How much do denominations matter in the big picture?
It's a question my wife, Steph and I are currently debating back and forth.
Think about it.
Is your denomination important?
How important?
What about others denomination?
It seems to me that we are a bit gun-shy about saying something about assigning value labels on types of systematic beliefs. Why is that?
And what about people who are attempting to abandon denominational ties and still be Christians?
Is not having a denomination still a denomination?
How does all this affect the big picture?
Can you separate RELIGION from the equation?
Or will it always degenerate down to dogma?
From a different angle, we are all in need of relationship and ways to belong in a community of faith. Is this what Denominations are on a large scale? Something to belong to, and occasionally a place for validation? Can you even do that? Does enough people believing (more or less) the same way you do mean you're right, or at least right-er?
How important is it to be as right as possible?
Is life really a big Bible quiz?
Or should we be looking for more way to engage the question- or different ways which dont involve denominations and herd-instincts?
Think about this stuff.
What do you think??
"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd."
-Bertrand Russell
Like what you read? Join in with your own insights, stories and art- send them to ryanpfreeman1@aol.com. Thanks and God bless -Ryan
I believe it is impossible for a Christian church to be "non-denominational" if we agree with the idea of a denomination as a "a group or branch of any religion" (Oxford Dictionary). Any organization or community of Christians stems from the root, is a branch and must be a denomination. It would be, on the other hand, seperate from the primary definition of a denomination: "a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church". The problem with this definition though is that it fails to address the problem of who is recognizing the religion. I think the term "independent" better defines what people call "non-denominational" for churches. -Rob D
ReplyDeletewell put. What do you think about the disassociation between the elements of religion within Christian denominations and the way of Jesus himself?
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