NationStates Jolt Archive

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I'm spcifically talking about churches in Britain, as it seems US churches get free money from their government.

Anyone know? How did the most recent Christian Denominations start? did they just decide on a name, decide on beliefs etc, then hand out leaflets and get donations until they got enough money to create churches?

How did they start?

I'm spcifically talking about churches in Britain, as it seems US churches get free money from their government.

Anyone know? How did the most recent Christian Denominations start? did they just decide on a name, decide on beliefs etc, then hand out leaflets and get donations until they got enough money to create churches?

How did they start?

I'm spcifically as it seems US churches get free money from their government.


:confused:

Usually they start by breaking off from some other church which has moved in a direction of which they did not approve. Here in the States, there is an imminent breakage of the PCUSA over the issue of gay marriage and openly gay pastors, among other things. That will start a new church. And NO, the churches don't get government grants as you seem to think.

Usually they start by breaking off from some other church which has moved in a direction of which they did not approve. Here in the States, there is an imminent breakage of the PCUSA over the issue of gay marriage and openly gay pastors, among other things. That will start a new church. And NO, the churches don't get government grants as you seem to think.

He's right. The Church of England began when the Pope refused to give Henry VIII a divorce. Henry was furious, decided that he, the king, was the ruler of the church, not the pope, and founded the Church of England. From what I understand (which may not be true) Henry got the bishops and archbishops of England to support him as the new leader by threatening exorbitant taxes on the churches if they did not recognize him as the head of the church.

Lutheranism began when Martin Luther protested many of the corrupt practices of the Catholic Church, including the selling of indulgences. He wrote his 95 Theses and nailed it to the door of a church in Wittenburg. If I recall correctly, the Catholics were furious and excommunicated him. He started Lutheranism. Martin Luther had many good points, and most of his complaints with Catholicism were addressed by Vatican II. Today, the only major difference between Catholicism and Lutheranism as that Catholics believe when the priest says "Body of Christ" is it LITERALLY teh Body of Christ. Lutherans believe communion is symbolic, not literal. Other than that, we're pretty much identical.

Answer your question okay?

I'm spcifically talking about churches in Britain, as it seems US churches get free money from their government.

Where the hell did you get that idea? We have this little thing called Separation of Church and State, as opposed to a national church. Religions are generally exempt from paying taxes, but they get no money from Uncle Sam.

Anyone know? How did the most recent Christian Denominations start? did they just decide on a name, decide on beliefs etc, then hand out leaflets and get donations until they got enough money to create churches?
How did they start?

Most denominations are formed in one of two ways: 1. some bishop, or other influential leader, decides that something has to be done to correct something they find wrong with the church. They get a following, and they end up leaving to form a new denomination. Luther, Calvin, etc. 2. A denomination rules on something controversial, and those who oppose it refuse to accept it- and leave to form another denomination. A modern example is in the Anglican Church. (that is what the followers of the Church of England are called on this side of the lake) They appointed some gay bishop in New England, and people flipped out. The church split in two- those who supported that decision, and those who refused to be part of a church that allowed that. The latter aligned themselves more strongly with the branch of that denomination you have over there.

Preamble: I'm female, thanks.

If you want to get picky about things, there are a lot more differences between Lutheranism and Catholicism than just the eucharistic view. Their views of mary and the saints differ greatly. Prayer, baptism, and even just worship also vary. Also, on the issue of the "body of christ" there are three views, not two - well sort of four, really. Mostly just how literal vs. how metaphorical it is.

Getting back to the main point, however, Luther's theses are credited with starting the entire protestant reformation. He'd been trying to reform the church from the inside for most of his life. Calvin, Zwingli and a whole slew of other people were on the same or similar bandwagons. From this point, ALL the "new denominations" in the church were it dividing over various points of belief. Baptism is probably the next largest division. Then there are all sorts of petty disagreements of varying importance. I know of a church which split itself, and kicked people out for "heresy" all the way down until there was only the pastor left... he'd kicked out his wife and kids... and then he decided he was apostate too.

The only exeption to this is some semi-cults like the Mormons who wanted to start their own brand, and made up ("recieved from god") some "new revelation" which enabled them to include whatever they ("god") wanted to be different from everyone else. There are a handful of these, but in my experience most christians consider them cults.

How did new Christian Denominations start?

Usually they are started by insane charismatic swindlers. Just like most religions.

Preamble: I'm female, thanks.

If you want to get picky about things, there are a lot more differences between Lutheranism and Catholicism than just the eucharistic view. Their views of mary and the saints differ greatly. Prayer, baptism, and even just worship also vary. Also, on the issue of the "body of christ" there are three views, not two - well sort of four, really. Mostly just how literal vs. how metaphorical it is.

Getting back to the main point, however, Luther's theses are credited with starting the entire protestant reformation. He'd been trying to reform the church from the inside for most of his life. Calvin, Zwingli and a whole slew of other people were on the same or similar bandwagons. From this point, ALL the "new denominations" in the church were it dividing over various points of belief. Baptism is probably the next largest division. Then there are all sorts of petty disagreements of varying importance. I know of a church which split itself, and kicked people out for "heresy" all the way down until there was only the pastor left... he'd kicked out his wife and kids... and then he decided he was apostate too.

The only exeption to this is some semi-cults like the Mormons who wanted to start their own brand, and made up ("recieved from god") some "new revelation" which enabled them to include whatever they ("god") wanted to be different from everyone else. There are a handful of these, but in my experience most christians consider them cults.
:eek: I'm sorry!

You, madame, are incredibly knowledgable. I went to Catholic grade and high school, so my understanding of these religions is based on what I was taught there. Obviously there is a bias and a specific viewpoint with which I recieved this information. School didn't give me any other view points to balance it out and get the whole picture, and after 14 years of pointless religion classes, you might understand why i never rushed to the library to get books on Luther, or Calvin, etc.

I am Catholic (or at least was raised catholic) and a large portion of my family is Lutheran. You are right, we do view Mary and the saints quite differently. However, the Lutheran services I've been to were very similar to Catholic services. Although the religions differ more greatly than I initially suggested, Lutheranism is probably the closest Protestant sect to Catholicism. (at least that I know of)

So I can't just "create" a new form of Christianity then?

If not, does anyone know if there's a Christian group that:


does not believe the Bible is the true word of God (for example, that Moses is not actually repeating what God said when he tells people it's O.K. to murder people - can't remember exact passage - and that he's either lying or incorrectly repeating what he heard)

does not (at least generally) believe that eating meat is in accordance with the Bible

uses only the Old Testament and the New Testament, in their most original English forms, and avoids using other "versions" (New International Version, King James Version, etc etc etc)


?

As for the free money, it was on the internet somewhere that churches get government grants in the USA.

As for the free money, it was on the internet somewhere that churches get government grants in the USA.

I've read on the internet (actually, the NS forums) that one of the bad results of teen drinking is milking cats for alcohol.

You'll understand if "It was on the internet somewhere" doesn't exactly inspire confidence in me.

does anyone know a church where I can:

get accurate information about the US