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PJM
Guest
“ALL Christian-religions are basically the same”; RIGHT?
Easter Blessings,
Patrick
Easter Blessings,
Patrick
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Della
Guest
It’s indifferentism disguised as insight.
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Alex_H
Guest
Well, the different denominations disagree with each other on so much. Should we baptize babies? Some say yes, some say no. Is Christ present in the Eucharist? Some say yes, others say no. Some say that communion is just symbolic and not really eating his flesh and blood. Should we confess our sins to a priest or to God alone? Some say the former, others say the latter.
So I guess what I’m saying is, with all these contradictory teachings between various denominations, how can they all be the same?
So I guess what I’m saying is, with all these contradictory teachings between various denominations, how can they all be the same?
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puzzledtoo
Guest
“basically the same” Don’t all Christians believe Christ died on the cross for the redemption of all? Don’t all Christians believe that Christ rose from the dead and is coming back? Don’t all Christians believe that Christ is the only way to salvation? Isn’t believing these things basically what it means to be Christian?
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Della
Guest
Well, yes and no. All Christians believe Christ died on the cross but why and what that means can vary from your definition of “all” by quite a bit. Some believe it means “only those chosen by God,” other only “those who accept Jesus as personal Lord and Savior,” and yet others believe his redemption only applies to the baptized, confusing redemption with salvation.
Not all Christians believe the resurrection and ascension were physical events, but rather symbolic or spiritual only. As to Jesus’ return, there are a multitude of beliefs about that, as well, with some insisting that we must believe their interpretation or be damned or condemn to live through “the Tribulation.”
I’ve never heard of any Christ who denies the Jesus is the way to salvation, but again there are variations on that idea, as well. It depends on their interpretation of salvation and who may be saved.
If Christianity were as united as we’d all hope, there’d be no such variations, but there are and some of them are vitally important.
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tseleehw
Guest
I have never bought into this idea/argument that all Christian religions are the same. You can take virtually any belief that you would believe to be universal amongst Christians and find some denomination out there that rejects it or believes in some modified variation of it. I would even go so far as to say that this is a downright dangerous attitude to have, at least for Catholics, as it has the potential for driving people from the Church. This is not to say that we should not participate in ecumenical activities with other Christians or not treat our fellow Christians with respect, but sadly some people seem to take this attitude to an extreme and I think it hurts efforts at evangelization. I believe Pope Benedict XVI spoke on this topic at some point.
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puzzledtoo
Guest
Thank you Della for explaining this a bit. I’m quite aware there are differences in beliefs especially when speaking of the eucharist. This is evident often on caf. I however had no idea there were the different beliefs such as you mentioned in your post regarding things I thought were basics and thus unifying.
I also would like if you don’t mind clarification between redemption and salvation. I may be a bit confused on that subject and didn’t know until I read your post that I may not understand these terms. I guess I am thinking they are the same. It’s probably off topic so I understand if you’d rather not. Thank you again. Blessings.
I also would like if you don’t mind clarification between redemption and salvation. I may be a bit confused on that subject and didn’t know until I read your post that I may not understand these terms. I guess I am thinking they are the same. It’s probably off topic so I understand if you’d rather not. Thank you again. Blessings.
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Della
Guest
I too don’t wish to take the thread off topic. You could PM me about it.
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
A Buddhist friend from Southeast Asia once told me that Christianity was a puzzle to him. Why did we have so many disagreements? If belief in the teachings of Jesus were at the core of the faith, why not accept that we were all of one family?
It’s true. From the outside, we do squabble over the smallest things. I am perfectly happy being Anglican in the way I worship and understand the Gospel, and I am perfectly happy to support anyone else in their journey with Christ. Sometimes I may scratch my head and say, ‘Really??!! You think THAT?’ But in the end, Jesus is the one we love and follow.
It’s true. From the outside, we do squabble over the smallest things. I am perfectly happy being Anglican in the way I worship and understand the Gospel, and I am perfectly happy to support anyone else in their journey with Christ. Sometimes I may scratch my head and say, ‘Really??!! You think THAT?’ But in the end, Jesus is the one we love and follow.
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Della
Guest
Even in the definition of being all one family there are variations of definition.
Loving Jesus would seem to be a given in defining who is and who isn’t a Christian. But it isn’t.
We can’t ignore differences when everything one faction defines as true is challenged by other factions. Someone has to be right and someone has to be wrong. The trouble is, those who are wrong either don’t know it or won’t admit it.
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Graceful_Lamb
Guest
My response would be “Basically the same?” Then, how come we have many Protestant denominations.
Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day. Outside of that, I think there are probably many differences, such as Catholics believe in the Real Presence (not all Protestants believe that), Apostolic succession, Holy Orders, Mary (when I was Protestant Mary was the mother of Jesus, but that was about it), the way the Bible is interpreted, Reconciliation (the only Protestant denomination I know that has it is some of the Lutheran churches), and as far as I’m aware, Protestant denominations don’t normally have Eucharistic Adoration. There are many more differences. I would need a publisher.
Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day. Outside of that, I think there are probably many differences, such as Catholics believe in the Real Presence (not all Protestants believe that), Apostolic succession, Holy Orders, Mary (when I was Protestant Mary was the mother of Jesus, but that was about it), the way the Bible is interpreted, Reconciliation (the only Protestant denomination I know that has it is some of the Lutheran churches), and as far as I’m aware, Protestant denominations don’t normally have Eucharistic Adoration. There are many more differences. I would need a publisher.
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
Why?
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Padres1969
Guest
Short answer, “wrong”.
Long answer, it depends on what you’re meaning when you say Christian and what you’re describing as similarities and/or differences. But as a general rule, no not all Christian religions are basically the same. Many are the same on some basic fundamentals like the trinity, Christ dying for our sin, Christ rising from the dead. But even those that share those basic beliefs are different in how they interpret other things like the nature of salvation through Christ, forgiveness of sin, nature of priesthood, etc…
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ctb95
Guest
Baptism is either a requirement for salvation, or it is not.
God is either a Trinity, or He is not.
Artificial contraception is either a sin, or it is not.
There is no middle ground on these issues- only right and wrong.
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phil19034
Guest
No they are not.
There are a select group of Dogmas that all Christians believe in in order to be considered a Christian, but we are not the same:
In reality, the only four things that ALL Christians share in common are:
-The Trinity
-The New Testament
There are a select group of Dogmas that all Christians believe in in order to be considered a Christian, but we are not the same:
In reality, the only four things that ALL Christians share in common are:
-The Trinity
-The New Testament
- Virgin Birth
- Jesus Died for us
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jeffrey_erwin
Guest
**Almost all of the various sects and denominations of Christian religions allow their members to accept employment at Lawrence Livermore in CA, Los Alamos in NM, the Nat’l Security Campus in MO, the Nat’l Security Complex in TN, the SSBN Ohio, the SSBN Florida, etc.
Working at any of these places constitutes a gross violation of our Lord’s admonition to always treat others as we would like them to treat us.
The few Christian sects that prohibit their members from accepting employment at the above mentioned places are different from the rest in regards to the observance of our Lord’s Sacred Teachings. **
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Padres1969
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Short answer to the OP, No.
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Eichelbaum
Guest
It’s an oversimplification. Much of Christianity has much in common, but there are sincere differences and sincere difficulties as well.
As evidence for this we could list just a single example: the joint declaration by Lutherans and Catholics on justification.
While it’s true that this document might outline certain similarities between two theological schools in Christianity, it’s also true that the Catholic Church offered an official response to this document, which itself outlines certain impediments and clarifications which nonetheless continue to exist and which must be made in order to avoid confusion.
Examples of similarities and differences amongst Christian theologians could be multiplied.
Also, “basically the same” implies that there are certain doctrines which are essential to Christianity, and which distinguish the Christian faith from other religions. But how do we know which doctrines are essential and which aren’t? Who gets to decide and why do they have that authority?
I would use such questions to point a person in the direction of the Magisterium and the Papacy, using common apologetics along the way.
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jeffrey_erwin
Guest
**The nations have sunk into a pit of their own making,
they are caught by the feet in the snare they set themselves.
YHWH has…trapped the wicked in the work of their own hands.**Psalm 9:15-16
You might find yourself changing your mind about the “OP, no” when the ICBMs start flying around.
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superwimp
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The vast majority of Christianity are the same in the sense that they consider this presant lifetime to be the determining factor in an individual’s eternity. That this present lifetime is a test. They very somewhat on what is important in passing this test. For some it is beliefs, for others it’s rituals/sacraments. For others it’s not committing a particular sin.
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