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Thyme
Guest
This is for Catholics as well, but is in this section as it is also for non-Catholics.
Is Christianity the religion, or is the church the religion? Christians, what religion do you say you are?
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Publisher
Guest
When most people as the question “What religious faith do you belong to?”, they typically are not asking if I am a “Christian”…unless they’re of the “born-again/evangelical” variety of Christian…they want to know what religious tradition I belong to…I say “I am a member of the Society of Friends(Quakers)”…that will usually answer the question…or they will then ask “What is a Quaker?”.
I am a Christian…but to not confuse those asking…I respond “I am a Friend”, as I am not a Catholic Christian or Baptist Christian or Mormon Christian…I am a Friend.
I am a Christian…but to not confuse those asking…I respond “I am a Friend”, as I am not a Catholic Christian or Baptist Christian or Mormon Christian…I am a Friend.
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scottm
Guest
Both, maybe? Doesn’t it depend on the context?
To an un-churched person the Koran burning guy in Florida and Fred Phelps and my pastor might all be the same, because ostensibly all three men are “Christians.” If a more educated person is asking the question maybe “Christian” is enough of an answer.
I might instead answer “Catholic,” except that most people I meet equate that with “Roman Catholic,” and I am definitely not a Roman Catholic. To avoid that confusion I might answer “Orthodox Christian,” but in a way that is not quite accurate because my church, though of unquestionable Russian Orthodox heritage, is in communion with Rome rather than Moscow.
I could answer “Byzantine Christian,” but almost no one outside the Byzantine Church would know what that is. Again, I’d have to know the person asking the question.
I could answer “Integral Christian” but there are no churches with such a sign out front, so what does that mean?
Ya, I think the answer turns on the context: who is asking the question?
To an un-churched person the Koran burning guy in Florida and Fred Phelps and my pastor might all be the same, because ostensibly all three men are “Christians.” If a more educated person is asking the question maybe “Christian” is enough of an answer.
I might instead answer “Catholic,” except that most people I meet equate that with “Roman Catholic,” and I am definitely not a Roman Catholic. To avoid that confusion I might answer “Orthodox Christian,” but in a way that is not quite accurate because my church, though of unquestionable Russian Orthodox heritage, is in communion with Rome rather than Moscow.
I could answer “Byzantine Christian,” but almost no one outside the Byzantine Church would know what that is. Again, I’d have to know the person asking the question.
I could answer “Integral Christian” but there are no churches with such a sign out front, so what does that mean?
Ya, I think the answer turns on the context: who is asking the question?
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Janet1983
Guest
I am a Christian… as many here are.
I do not align myself with any denomination, even though I have a preference. I am currently member of a church that is part of a denomination.
The reason for that is that they are very close to biblical teaching and that is what they focus on. In common terms I would be considered a Southern Baptist then.
I am however not a follower of my church. I follow Christ alone and that is why I have not put Baptist as my religion. Instead I put slave of Jesus Christ which puts myself in the right context to my Lord.
I do not align myself with any denomination, even though I have a preference. I am currently member of a church that is part of a denomination.
The reason for that is that they are very close to biblical teaching and that is what they focus on. In common terms I would be considered a Southern Baptist then.
I am however not a follower of my church. I follow Christ alone and that is why I have not put Baptist as my religion. Instead I put slave of Jesus Christ which puts myself in the right context to my Lord.
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Miserys_Fence
Guest
I usually wear a hijab, so I daresay there are a number of people who assume I’m Muslim. When they ask about my religion, what they’re really asking is for me to confirm their suspicions. A simple “I’m Christian” suffices.
Miz
Miz
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SunnaB16
Guest
The Church is the (my) Religion.
To be blunt, i don
“Christian” is too vague, and can mean just about any combination of beliefs you could imagine. Some sects have pretty bizarre beliefs.
When a so-called “Christian” denomination says that abortion is OK…
To be blunt, i don
t want to be mistaken for an Anglican, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovahs Witness, Baptist, Plymouth Brethren etc etc etc.“Christian” is too vague, and can mean just about any combination of beliefs you could imagine. Some sects have pretty bizarre beliefs.
When a so-called “Christian” denomination says that abortion is OK…
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Todd520
Guest
Your question made me think of high school biology and categories for all living things:
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
**I think calling someone a Christian is akin to calling them a mammal. ** It’s descriptive but not extremely confining.
I guess I’m saying the Church is the religion
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Thyme
Guest
Thank you everyone for your replies. It seems to depend on the context for most people then.
For example, if someone asked, “Do you believe in Jesus?”, you could answer, “Yes, I’m a Christian”. But if someone asked, “What’s your religion?” that’s more specific, so you could answer, “Orthadox/Anglican/Catholic etc…”.
However, being in anti-Catholic England, I think I would be tempted to just say ‘Christian’.
For example, if someone asked, “Do you believe in Jesus?”, you could answer, “Yes, I’m a Christian”. But if someone asked, “What’s your religion?” that’s more specific, so you could answer, “Orthadox/Anglican/Catholic etc…”.
However, being in anti-Catholic England, I think I would be tempted to just say ‘Christian’.
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Todd520
Guest
LOL, being in anti-Mormon US, I think I would just say ‘Christian’ to a random request. Only if the subsequent converstaion went well, would I set them up for a missionary visit (JOKE).
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Janet1983
Guest
Somehow sounds familiar… When I was younger we had friends in southern England (Surrey to be precise) and they came over (to Germany) on a regular basis.
We had an unwritten rule about what not to talk about and two of those topics were politics and religion. Well it happened that one day I talked to one of these men and I mentioned that I was Catholic… His reaction was rather weird to me (as I had never experienced anything like that): He said that he once dated a woman who was Catholic too, but he made it sound as if I had said I was having an illness and he knew someone who had it too.
That was rather strange for me to see.
(I dropped the topic straight away after that…)
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JHow
Guest
I think most people posing the question are looking for the “denomination”, like on a military dogtag, so the answer is typically “Roman Catholic”. Its not incorrect to say “Christian” or to talk about the “Church”, but it depends on the circumstances of the conversation. I will also assent to being “born again” and to “having a personal relationship with Jesus” (whose body and blood I encounter in the Eucharist on Sunday).
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mtolympus
Guest
I applaud your devotion to Christ, but I would suggest the name “Servant of Jesus Christ” as to serve is a choice while slave implies a form of bondage.
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Janet1983
Guest
I am thankful for your appreciation, however I am certain, that I self-identify correctly. I have been asked about that in a private message recently. Let me quote myself for the purpose of clarification:
Janet1983 in an answer to a private message:
Let me add something: To my absolute astonishment I just found out that the translators who are responsible for the Holman Christian Standard Bible actually did translate “slave” when it comes to the aforementioned passages.
Anyways…
What I am trying to say is this: Who am I to esteem myself any bigger than these men? Who am I to not see that I have indeed been bought with a price?
I am trying to be completely and constantly available and obedient to my one Master. My one and only reason to live is to please Him. I am dependent on Him for absolutely everything and all discipline and reward come at His discretion only.
To me that is what it means to be a slave of Jesus Christ.
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Alexander_Roman
Guest
When people ask me that, I tell them that I don’t discriminate against any religion as they are all serving God.
They do it their way, I do it . . . His way . . .
Alex
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mtolympus
Guest
You are free to choose the translation that you feel is appropriate, however, I will stick with the KJV which uses the word “servant” in all of the passages you mentioned. I choose to have faith in Christ, and hopefully I will continue to choose to be a good and faithful servant. Christ does not force us to accept his sacrifice nor does he want to enslave us. Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6). It is Jesus who makes us free.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:31-32,36)
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JHow
Guest
I wonder if the definition of “slave” may be at the root of this issue. In the U.S. I think we tend to think first of the circumstances of slavery that existed in our country (chattel slavery), but that was not exactly the same thing as say serfdom in Russia, or even slavery in Roman times. Should we not also consider the circumstances of slavery in Paul’s place and time to inform our translation? I don’t have the answer to this - I am not an expert in slavery, but I understand in some cultures slaves may have had a greater or lesser degree of freedom.
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Janet1983
Guest
Though the freedom in Ancient Greece and Ancient Roman times was not necessarily greater one could not distinguish between a slave, a freedman and a free man from the outside. Within a Greek Christian church you could find slaves and free men and you wouldn’t have been able to tell who is who (except for those slaves who had run away and had gotten themselves stamped).I wonder if the definition of “slave” may be at the root of this issue. In the U.S. I think we tend to think first of the circumstances of slavery that existed in our country (chattel slavery), but that was not exactly the same thing as say serfdom in Russia, or even slavery in Roman times. Should we not also consider the circumstances of slavery in Paul’s place and time to inform our translation? I don’t have the answer to this - I am not an expert in slavery, but I understand in some cultures slaves may have had a greater or lesser degree of freedom.
Slaves were sometimes allowed to work on their own in absence of their masters. Even though they legally could not earn money, some owners would grant them part of what they made for their owners and they could buy their freedom. In many cases they were set free, but remained in close contact with their former masters who introduced them into society.
It all depended on whether you were owned by a good master or not. Slaves were usually taken care of rather well and they sometimes lived better than the poor free men.
Here is however one thing that makes the whole idea interesting:
To the Greek freedom was the pinnacle of life. Freedom was everything.
Personal dignity was attached to freedom, being a slave was the worst, it was the opposite.
We might have a distant, foggy idea what slavery is all about… Jesus and the apostles however were talking to people who were living in a slave-dominated society. With them there is no such thing as a distant, foggy idea about slavery. They knew exactly what it meant.
They were going ahead and telling people that being a Christian meant to be a slave to Jesus Christ.
Remember the word I spoke to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master. ’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. (John 15:20)
For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. (1 Corinthians 7:22)
For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
Being a slave to Jesus Christ however is beyond any kind of slavery that anybody ever knew because this Master makes us sons and gives us all the rights of His own sons. He adopts us into His family, calls us joint-heirs with Christ, takes us to heaven where we rule and reign from His own throne and pours out all the lavish riches in His possession forever and ever and ever for our own unmitigated joy and His own glory. Who wouldn’t want to be a slave under that master?
What a joy to be a slave of Jesus Christ.
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scimitar60
Guest
Sorry, I just HAVE to say. I laugh so hard every time I see ‘slave of JESUS CHRIST’ on your religion section.
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Izdaari
Guest
If asked, I just say I’m a Christ-follower (means the same thing as Christian, but doesn’t carry as much baggage, and is a better conversation starter). If specifically asked what denomination I am, I say Assemblies of God, which is true, that’s my church membership. But by doctrine? 1/4 Anglican, 1/4 Lutheran, 1/4 Pentecostal, 1/4 mixed Catholic and Orthodox would be closest to the truth.
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alexander1230
Guest
Interesting question…
I grew up in Greece where practically everyone is Greek Orthodox (98% according to the CIA World Factbook) so, to the vast majority of people Christian = Greek Orthodox and used interchangeably.
Catholics (the Roman kind), where always lost sheep but usually foreigners (Frankish, in reference to the Latin Empire). Protestants were simply heretics and not even classified as Christian.
So, you can imagine my surprise when I moved back to the US and realized that “Christian” meant anything but “Orthodox” or “Catholic”.
I grew up in Greece where practically everyone is Greek Orthodox (98% according to the CIA World Factbook) so, to the vast majority of people Christian = Greek Orthodox and used interchangeably.
Catholics (the Roman kind), where always lost sheep but usually foreigners (Frankish, in reference to the Latin Empire). Protestants were simply heretics and not even classified as Christian.
So, you can imagine my surprise when I moved back to the US and realized that “Christian” meant anything but “Orthodox” or “Catholic”.
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