What are some unique doctrines that a denomination holds that makes them distinct from others?

[JohnB445]

There are many similarities between Christian denominations, the purpose of this thread is to help expand knowledge of distinct doctrines of each denomination that makes them different to others. These distinct doctrines will typically only be found within a particular denomination only or a small handful. Another purpose of this thread is to help people decide on a denomination on what doctrines to them that will either be a deal breaker, or a must have.

I will start with some examples:

1. Calvinism with its predestination doctrine
2. Amish with their Ordnung
3. Mennonites in some ways similar to Amish, but different because they allow modern technology
4. Baptists with their full immersion baptism, believer baptism. Maybe there are many more denominations that also have these doctrines, still learning.

These are some examples, there may be denominations that have the same doctrines, I don't know too many or which ones have the same doctrines, here to learn more.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

I'll add this...

The Seventh-day Adventist believe in all Ten of the Ten Commandments- that not one jot or tittle can be alternated Mat 5:18-30 because no one is above the Authority of God. The SDA are not the only ones who believe in the Ten Commandments- but are the largest Sabbath (4th commandment) keeping denomination out there.

We believe in full emersion of baptism- so we have that in common with the Baptists.

 

[The Liturgist]

I'll add this...

The Seventh-day Adventist believe in all Ten of the Ten Commandments- that not one jot or tittle can be alternated Mat 5:18-30 because no one is above the Authority of God. The SDA are not the only ones who believe in the Ten Commandments- but are the largest Sabbath (4th commandment) keeping denomination out there.

We believe in full emersion of baptism- so we have that in common with the Baptists.

Rather, to be more precise, the SDAs believe in a rigorous adherence to their interpretation of the Ten Commandments which is guided specifically by the writings of Ellen G White, who Adventists regard as an inspired prophet, indeed, giving her the title “The Spirit of Prophecy” and thus, while claiming to be a Sola Scriptura denomination, regard Ellen G White’s writings as an infallible guide to how Scripture is to be interpreted. This separates them from other descendants of the Millerites, who believed that Christ our True God would return in the year 1844, which did not happen, but EGW modified this prophecy into the concept that Christ began in 1844 “the Investigative judgement”, which is a doctrine specific to the SDA denomination. SDAs also tend to be vegetarian, again based on writings of EGW and other material. They also believe that our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael, which is a highly unusual belief; to my knowledge the two branches of the SDA, which separated over the issue of military service in Europe during WWII, are the only officially Trinitarian churches that believe this.

The SDAs also believe in an alternative and non-factual history of the early church, like the Landmark Baptists, and the writings of EGW as far as I can tell do not indicate that she was aware of the existence of the Eastern Orthodox Christian denominations as anything distinct from Roman Catholicism.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Rather, to be more precise, the SDAs believe in a rigorous adherence to their interpretation of the Ten Commandments which is guided specifically by the writings of Ellen G White, who Adventists regard as an inspired prophet, indeed, giving her the title “The Spirit of Prophecy” and thus, while claiming to be a Sola Scriptura denomination, regard Ellen G White’s writings as an infallible guide to how Scripture is to be interpreted. This separates them from other descendants of the Millerites, who believed that Christ our True God would return in the year 1844, which did not happen, but EGW modified this prophecy into the concept that Christ began in 1844 “the Investigative judgement”, which is a doctrine specific to the SDA denomination. SDAs also tend to be vegetarian, again based on writings of EGW and other material. They also believe that our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael, which is a highly unusual belief; to my knowledge the two branches of the SDA, which separated over the issue of military service in Europe during WWII, are the only officially Trinitarian churches that believe this.

The SDAs also believe in an alternative and non-factual history of the early church, like the Landmark Baptists, and the writings of EGW as far as I can tell do not indicate that she was aware of the existence of the Eastern Orthodox Christian denominations as anything distinct from Roman Catholicism.

No, we believe the Sabbath commandment the way God wrote and spoke it, no edits necessary.

Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Let me help you with the history of the SDA church as Ellen White wasn't even an Adventist in 1844 she was a Methodist and it was a Baptist minister who predicted 1844, not EGW or the Adventist church. The SDA church was not founded until 1863 almost twenty years later after careful study of the scriptures.

 

[BobRyan]

There are many similarities between Christian denominations, the purpose of this thread is to help expand knowledge of distinct doctrines of each denomination that makes them different to others. These distinct doctrines will typically only be found within a particular denomination only or a small handful. Another purpose of this thread is to help people decide on a denomination on what doctrines to them that will either be a deal breaker, or a must have.

I will start with some examples:

1. Calvinism with its predestination doctrine
2. Amish with their Ordnung
3. Mennonites in some ways similar to Amish, but different because they allow modern technology
4. Baptists with their full immersion baptism, believer baptism. Maybe there are many more denominations that also have these doctrines, still learning.

These are some examples, there may be denominations that have the same doctrines, I don't know too many or which ones have the same doctrines, here to learn more.

Baptists, many Messianic groups, Seventh-day Adventists, a number of community church groups all have believer's baptism - by immersion as the only form of accepted baptism.

A lot of Christian denominations affirm a future judgment - Seventh-day Adventists have a unique view based on Dan 7, and Rom 2 and 2 Cor 5:10 regarding the judgment in heaven seen in Dan 7 prior to the coming of Christ as depicted in Dan 7.

 

[BobRyan]

Rather, to be more precise, the SDAs believe in a rigorous adherence to their interpretation

rather odd verbiage.

of the Ten Commandments which is guided specifically by the writings of Ellen G White

Actually as an Adventist speaking about Adventists - our doctrines are all derived sola scriptura.

The Baptist Confession of Faith Sectn 19, and the Westminster Confession of Faith sectn 19 have statements on the TEN Commandments that Adventists DO agree with. (something the reader would never guess was the case based on your post above )

Other sections of those documents speak of the TEN being edited such that Sabbath is re-pointed to be week-day-1 although no Bible text makes such a claim - so yes in other areas of those "Confessions of Faith" we do differ in certain cases.

I like it when the actual believers within a given group affirm to what they actually believe rather than non-members coming up with something about someone else.

while claiming to be a Sola Scriptura denomination, regard Ellen G White’s writings as an infallible guide to how Scripture is to be interpreted.

interesting spin.

Adventists actually say that we are sola scriptura based and that INCLUDES the Bible teaching in places like 1 Cor 12 on things like the gift of prophecy, and that people can actually have such a gift according to scripture.

The fact that we believe Ellen White is and example of such a person could be unique to us - but the wild notion that we are the only ones that know about and teach the Bible doctrine on the gift of prophecy in 1 Cor 12 or that prophecy is given by God Himself --- is pretty extreme even for an non-SDA claiming to speak for SDAs.

This separates them from other descendants of the Millerites

William Miller did not hold the views of Seventh-day Adventists on the second coming, the millennium and a number of other things.

but EGW modified this prophecy

not true.. as usual

SDAs also tend to be vegetarian, again based on writings of EGW and other material.

Now I think the poster is inching close to actual fact. Adventist do have a pretty distinct health message based heavily on detailed messages about health that God gave Ellen White.

finally a point of fact.

They also believe that our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael

Interesting "spin"

We believe our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ is infinite God, the second person of the triune Godhead, and that God appears in human form in Gen 18 to Abraham, and that the "Angel of the Lord" is an theophany (which is in fact God the Son) and so also the angel Michael is another example of a theophany, the person and work of God the Son rather than an actual created Angel.

Oh how different "Fact" is from "the spin"

The SDAs also believe in an alternative and non-factual history of the early church

interesting "spin"

State a fact.

, and the writings of EGW as far as I can tell do not indicate that she was aware of the existence of the Eastern Orthodox Christian denominations as anything distinct from Roman Catholicism.

Your post indicates that you cannot tell a number of things when speaking about others.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

rather odd verbiage.

Actually as an Adventist speaking about Adventists - our doctrines are all derived sola scriptura.

The Baptist Confession of Faith Sectn 19, and the Westminster Confession of Faith sectn 19 have statements on the TEN Commandments that Adventists DO agree with. (something the reader would never guess was the case based on your post above )

Other sections of those documents speak of the TEN being edited such that Sabbath is re-pointed to be week-day-1 although no Bible text makes such a claim - so yes in other areas of those "Confessions of Faith" we do differ in certain cases.

I like it when the actual believers within a given group affirm to what they actually believe rather than non-members coming up with something about someone else.

interesting spin.

Adventists actually say that we are sola scriptura based and that INCLUDES the Bible teaching in places like 1 Cor 12 on things like the gift of prophecy, and that people can actually have such a gift according to scripture.

The fact that we believe Ellen White is and example of such a person could be unique to us - but the wild notion that we are the only ones that know about and teach the Bible doctrine on the gift of prophecy in 1 Cor 12 or that prophecy is given by God Himself --- is pretty extreme even for an non-SDA claiming to speak for SDAs.



William Miller did not hold the views of Seventh-day Adventists on the second coming, the millennium and a number of other things.

not true.. as usual

Now I think the poster is inching close to actual fact. Adventist do have a pretty distinct health message based heavily on detailed messages about health that God gave Ellen White.

finally a point of fact.

Interesting "spin"

We believe our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ is infinite God, the second person of the triune Godhead, and that God appears in human form in Gen 18 to Abraham, and that the "Angel of the Lord" is an theophany (which is in fact God the Son) and so also the angel Michael is another example of a theophany, the person and work of God the Son rather than an actual created Angel.

Oh how different "Fact" is from "the spin"

interesting "spin"

State a fact.

Your post indicates that you cannot tell a number of things when speaking about others.

The only thing I would add, is scripture contains lot of information about health laws, that many Adventist follow- clean meat versus unclean meets, but I agree EGW does recommend a vegetarian diet and incidentally Adventist was the only group in North America who was proven to live on average 10 years longer than the average person based on Sabbath-keeping and living a healthy lifestyle. These Americans live seven to eleven years longer. What's their secret?

 

[Freth]

Regarding a denomination, I would defer to members of a specific denomination for an accurate description. I wouldn't presume to speak for Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, nor any other denomination, but I can speak to Adventism, being an Adventist.

What sets us apart as Seventh-day Adventists?

• We adhere to the Sabbath commandment (part of the Ten), which is a perpetual covenant and a sign for God's people. We have our worship services on Saturday, the Sabbath day.
• We teach end time prophesy because it is an integral part of the advent message (it cannot be separated; see Revelation 14:6-12; 12:17) and we are called to be sober and watch.
• We have a complete health message with verifiable results.

Regarding Ellen White and Adventists (on this forum, and outside this forum):

• Adventists do not elevate Ellen White above scripture. Read our 28 Fundamental Beliefs: The Gift of Prophecy for a complete Biblically sound explanation.
• Adventists can and do make each and every doctrinal case with scripture alone. Read our forum posts—they speak for themselves..
• When Ellen is mentioned by non-Adventist(s), we may quote her written work, to make the case concerning her position specifically.
• The only other time we quote Ellen is in our own designated forums, and even that is on rare occasion.
• As an Adventist, I have no problem quoting Ellen, or any other Christian writer who is scripturally sound, as it points to scripture.

 

[The Liturgist]

There are many similarities between Christian denominations, the purpose of this thread is to help expand knowledge of distinct doctrines of each denomination that makes them different to others. These distinct doctrines will typically only be found within a particular denomination only or a small handful. Another purpose of this thread is to help people decide on a denomination on what doctrines to them that will either be a deal breaker, or a must have.

I will start with some examples:

1. Calvinism with its predestination doctrine
2. Amish with their Ordnung
3. Mennonites in some ways similar to Amish, but different because they allow modern technology
4. Baptists with their full immersion baptism, believer baptism. Maybe there are many more denominations that also have these doctrines, still learning.

These are some examples, there may be denominations that have the same doctrines, I don't know too many or which ones have the same doctrines, here to learn more.

Well in some cases there is quite a bit of similarity. For example, the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox faith is so similar that I believe that the continuation of the schism between the two churches is probably a violation of their own canons, and exists (to a limited degree) only because the Oriental Orthodox were at one time incorrectly believed to be Monophysite by the Eastern Orthodox, and the Eastern Orthodox were incorrectly believed to be Nestorian by the Oriental Orthodox. One still finds this view among the very pious Athonite monks of the EO communion and their equally pious Ethiopian counterparts in the OO communion. But I say the schism exists only in part, because the Antiochian Orthodox (EO) and Syriac Orthodox (OO) Patriarchates of Damascus reconciled in the early 1990s, and likewise the Coptic Orthodox and Alexandrian Greek Orthodox churches were reconciled around the year 2000, and also a very large number of Eastern Orthodox churches held special services in honor of the victims of the Armenian genocide in Turkey, with Armenian Orthodox (Oriental Orthodox) bishops present, and the recent civil war and the war against ISIS in Syria and the Middle East has brought them even closer together.

Likewise, there is a great deal of similarity between these churches, the Anglicans (especially the more conservative Anglicans, such as the Continuing Anglicans who are of a High Church orientation), the Lutherans, and other liturgical Protestants.

Indeed at times some Anglican churches have even explored entering into communion with the Eastern Orthodox, these include the Non-Juring Episcopalians from the North of England and Scotland in the 18th century, and between 1895 and 1917, the high church component of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States was very keen on the idea of entering into communion with the Russian Orthodox Church.

 

[The Liturgist]

The fact that we believe Ellen White is and example of such a person could be unique to us - but the wild notion that we are the only ones that know about and teach the Bible doctrine on the gift of prophecy in 1 Cor 12 or that prophecy is given by God Himself --- is pretty extreme even for an non-SDA claiming to speak for SDAs.

The two SDA communities that separated over the issue of military service in WW I but recognize EGW as an authoritative prophet and as the Spirit of Prophecy are the only churches that do so, or that believe that recognizing her as such is the plain meaning of scripture.

Regarding a denomination, I would defer to members of a specific denomination for an accurate description. BobRyan and SabbathBlessings are both Adventists.

Indeed I think my friends @chevyontheriver @Ain't Zwinglian @prodromos @FenderTL5 @dzheremi and @MarkRohfrietsch and I would be collectively elated if Adventist members on the forum would start deferring to us when we say we follow the ten commandments rather than arguing with us ceaselessly over nearly every aspect of our theology.

I have even suggested as much in the past, given that Adventists and traditional liturgical Christians agree over issues such as human sexuality, but one distinctive of the two SDA denominations* seems to be a tendency towards active negative proselytism against churches that worship on Sunday or practice infant baptism or regard the Eucharist as the actual body and blood of our Lord.

*I forget what the group is called that tolerated military service during WWI; both have very similiar logos and appearances and are called Seventh Day Adventists, but are technically different entities. Its a bit like the difference between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East, or between the SBC and the American Baptist Convention, or between the Episcopal Church and ACNA.

 

[BobRyan]

Rather, to be more precise, the SDAs believe in a rigorous adherence to their interpretation

rather odd verbiage.

of the Ten Commandments which is guided specifically by the writings of Ellen G White

Actually as an Adventist speaking about Adventists - our doctrines are all derived sola scriptura.

The Baptist Confession of Faith Sectn 19, and the Westminster Confession of Faith sectn 19 have statements on the TEN Commandments that Adventists DO agree with. (something the reader would never guess was the case based on your post above )

Other sections of those documents speak of the TEN being edited such that Sabbath is re-pointed to be week-day-1 although no Bible text makes such a claim - so yes in other areas of those "Confessions of Faith" we do differ in certain cases.

I like it when the actual believers within a given group affirm to what they actually believe rather than non-members coming up with something about someone else.

while claiming to be a Sola Scriptura denomination, regard Ellen G White’s writings as an infallible guide to how Scripture is to be interpreted.

interesting spin.

Adventists actually say that we are sola scriptura based and that INCLUDES the Bible teaching in places like 1 Cor 12 on things like the gift of prophecy, and that people can actually have such a gift according to scripture.

The fact that we believe Ellen White is and example of such a person could be unique to us - but the wild notion that we are the only ones that know about and teach the Bible doctrine on the gift of prophecy in 1 Cor 12 or that prophecy is given by God Himself --- is pretty extreme even for an non-SDA claiming to speak for SDAs.

BTW - 22 million plus SDAs today - holding to the Fundamental beliefs of this one denomination ... which can be found here.

Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventist Christians | Sabbath School Net

Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be...

ssnet.org

The two SDA communities that separated over the issue of military service in WW I

No doubt a schism history of tiny fragments can be found for almost any denomination.

My comments are directed toward the 28 fundamental beliefs and the 1 denomination that votes them , holds to them.

but recognize EGW as an authoritative prophet and as the Spirit of Prophecy are the only churches that do so

indeed fragment splinter groups from any one denomination generally hold at least a few things that the parent group holds to.

But one cannot recast the main denomination as all splinter groups that depart from it. Each must stand on its own

It appears you a straying a bit from the intent of the thread where you discuss some distinctives of your own group rather than telling us what you thing of ours.

 

[BobRyan]

Indeed I think my friends @chevyontheriver @Ain't Zwinglian @prodromos @FenderTL5 @dzheremi and @MarkRohfrietsch and I would be collectively elated if Adventist members on the forum would start deferring to us when we say we follow the ten commandments

We would we "defer to you"? Do you mean "agree that you are not arguing against the Ten Commandments when you speak of them?"

I am more than happy to quote you and or anyone else in their statements affirming God's Ten Commandments at the moral law of God. We don't see much of that in the Law-and-the-Sabbath forum... from certain folks - but I am always happy to find it where I can.

rather than arguing with us ceaselessly over nearly every aspect of our theology.

I suspect that everyone has some threads where their POV is discussed and someone on the board holds to a slightly different POV

I have even suggested as much in the past, given that Adventists and traditional liturgical Christians agree over issues such as human sexuality

I agree with you that areas where we do have common ground agreement should be highlighted -- rather than promote the idea that "everyone differs with everyone else and all is chaos".

I fully concur in that regard.

, but one distinctive of the two SDA denominations* seems to be a tendency towards active negative proselytism

"distinctive" -- have you read about the dark ages?
the 1260 years of Rev 11, 12,13 and Dan 7?
Is it your claim that we do not see denominations opposing each other in the Orthodox communities of Russia vs Ukraine?
Is it your claim that such "army against army" sorts of divisions show up anywhere at all in the SDA denomination?
Did you not see the Orthodox thread I have where one must specifically declare certain doctrines of the Catholic church to be heresy before a person is allowed to join?

against churches that worship on Sunday

No doubt we would differ with such practices where one chooses not to keep the Sabbath - but we never object to worship services on Wednesday (which we do have) or on each day of the week during our week-of-prayer nor do we object to Christians worshiping God 7 days a week just as we do. That is a separate issue to "God's Sabbath commandment".

or practice infant baptism

Have you seen the internet debate between R.C.Sproul and John MacArthur on infant Baptism? is it your claim that MacArthur is not allowed to air his POV over public venues like the internet??

or regard the Eucharist as the actual body and blood of our Lord.

A great many non-Catholic denominations agree with us in their opposition to that tradition. Are they all in error for not holding to your POV in that regard or is it only SDAs that are wrong not to hold that view?

*I forget what the group is called that tolerated military service during WWI; both have very similiar logos

the entire SDA denomination "tolerated military service during WWI and WWII" - And also going back to the revolutionary war. What the pushed for was a non-combatant status in the case of USA or Allies - however they were always fine with having SDAs in the military opposing totalitarian or Nazi government. But even in cases where the SDAs in the military were carrying arms - there was no objection from the denomination in terms of doctrine. And it was not considered to be a matter for church discipline or opposition.

Its a bit like the difference between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East, or between the SBC and the American Baptist Convention, or between the Episcopal Church and ACNA.

Regardless of what you think of those other denominations - I think the point of this thread is for you to post at least a few distinctives of your own denomination.

 

[Ain't Zwinglian]

It is always great to have a SDA church in every community. In this way, any catastrophic event which destroys a Sunday worship church can rent out a SDA church facilities for Sunday worship. Of course, the opposite is true.

 

[BobRyan]

It is always great to have a SDA church in every community. In this way, any catastrophic event which destroys a Sunday worship church can rent out a SDA church facilities for Sunday worship. Of course, the opposite is true.

Yep - I have seen this working both ways a number of times.

 

[The Liturgist]

We would we "defer to you"? Do you mean "agree that you are not arguing against the Ten Commandments when you speak of them?"

I am more than happy to quote you and or anyone else in their statements affirming God's Ten Commandments at the moral law of God. We don't see much of that in the Law-and-the-Sabbath forum... from certain folks - but I am always happy to find it where I can.

What I mean is that the SDA believes that all traditional liturgical churches, whether Lutheran or Eastern Orthodox or Anglican or especially Roman Catholic, or even Methodist or Presbyterian, disagree with the correct interpretation of the Ten Commandments on a dogmatic level.

On the other hand, I argue that the SDA embraces doctrine which disagrees with the actual history of the early church by imputing beliefs to certain sects such as the Albigensians and Paulicians which these sects did not believe, and which the Adventists would in fact have nothing in common with, since these sects weren’t really Christians, except for the Waldensians, which are a legitimate proto-Protestant denomination, but there is no historical evidence suggesting the Waldensians were Sabbatarian, particularly given that willingly merged with the Calvinists in Geneva, and in the US became a part of the Presbyterian Church USA, whereas in Italy, they merged with the Methodists and embraced Wesleyan theology and are the largest Protestant church in Italy. The Waldensians are more than a denomination; like Copts, or Assyrians, or Syriac Orthodox, or Maronite Catholics, or Chaldean Catholics, they are an ethnoreligous group albeit like most Christian ethnoreligous groups, one open to and accepting of outsiders (the Amish and Old Order Mennonites also theoretically fit this definition, but in practice it is extremely rare for someone to convert to the Amish or Old Order Mennonite churches and stay converted, and their communities have mixed relations in the US with the “English”, that is to say, other Christians (who differed from them in terms of not being of German and Swiss descent).

Now if it is to be suggested that we liturgical Christians defer to the SDA with regards to the SDA’s doctrine, I believe in fairness that the SDA should defer to us with regards to our doctrine. There are a number of denominations whose beliefs are very different from mine, Quakers, for example, but there are no Quakers criticizing the Eastern Orthodox on ChristianForums, and there are no Eastern Orthodox criticizing Quakers. Likewise the Churches of Christ, Christian Church and Disciples of Christ. Very different in many respects from Orthodoxy but we get along and do not criticize each others beliefs. This is particularly the case in terms of SDA-Roman Catholic relations.

One of my primary objections to the SDA as a denomination is with regards towards the way it interacts with and portrays the Roman Catholic Church. It is extremely polemical and it is predicated upon the wrong objections, and it is a dogmatic principle on the grounds that Ellen G White made it dogmatic with her work The Great Controversy, which you regard as a work of infallible prophecy.

 

[The Liturgist]

It is always great to have a SDA church in every community. In this way, any catastrophic event which destroys a Sunday worship church can rent out a SDA church facilities for Sunday worship. Of course, the opposite is true.

The local SDA church unfortunately has lately become extremely hostile to non-Sabbatarians and has forced out a continuing Anglican church that met there and paid rent for 30 years.

 

[The Liturgist]

Have you seen the internet debate between R.C.Sproul and John MacArthur on infant Baptism? is it your claim that MacArthur is not allowed to air his POV over public venues like the internet??

No. Of course not. You are free to say whatever you want about our church; I believe in free speech as an absolute right. However, since @Freth suggested I defer to you over the issues of SDA dogma, I am merely reciprocating by suggesting you defer to us, and that we no longer actively debate our doctrinal differences, but instead focus on unity on the important issues that we hold in common, for example, opposition to sexual immorality which certain left-wing denominations are embracing.

I find it extremely frustrating that rather than being able to debate, for example, what I regard as egregious acts by the leadership of the United Methodist Church in North America regarding the issue of same-sex perversion, I am instead constantly being drawn into debates on matters of Adventist theology as a result of the constant overly broad and misguided criticism of Roman Catholicism and anything which looks even remotely like Roman Catholicism by Adventists, as well as other incorrect and injurious remarks.

 

[The Liturgist]

2. Amish with their Ordnung
3. Mennonites in some ways similar to Amish, but different because they allow modern technology

So interestingly as I just mentioned in a reply to @BobRyan , there are Old Order Mennonites who embrace the same limitations on technology as the Amish. There are also other Mennonites which embrace positions in between that of the Amish and traditional liturgical churches with no restrictions on technology such as mine, for example the “Black Bumper Mennonites” who are allowed the use of cars, but are required to paint over any chrome components and the bumpers of their vehicles black, for purposes of modesty, since apparently good automotive design (which by the way is a beautiful area of industrial design; I almost majored in car design) is somehow immodest.

But that being said I don’t really have a problem with the Black Bumper Mennonites because they don’t really have a problem with my church. We get on. We even share quite a lot in common: bishops, the Eucharist, and traditional family values.

 

[Freth]

There are many similarities between Christian denominations, the purpose of this thread is to help expand knowledge of distinct doctrines of each denomination that makes them different to others. These distinct doctrines will typically only be found within a particular denomination only or a small handful. Another purpose of this thread is to help people decide on a denomination on what doctrines to them that will either be a deal breaker, or a must have.

Was the intention for this to become a debate thread or an informational thread? If informational, the debate can be moved to another thread.

 

[Lukaris]

In Orthodoxy our doctrine of the Holy Trinity is the same as the Western Churches. Except that we strictly hold that the Holy Spirit proceeds exclusively from the Father per John 15:26. Most other Christians profess that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

While I believe this is crucial within our confession, I do not criticize how other Christians profess their faith on this.