Yes of course. If the theology is similiar, the liturgy etc…sure, why wouldn’t I? Its not specfic to Catholic though…if a church calls itself Baptist…and looks Baptist…why wouldn’t I? I am sure there are some groups that beliefs and practices and MIGHT be so radically different I could do something different…but I have not thought of one yet…
How different does a theology need to be before it’s a different denomination?
Mick isn’t Catholic - he’s studying to join one of the Eastern Orthodox denominations (I think there are seven of those.)Whats the number of Catholic denominations? I see that there are already representitives of two who have posted in this thread.
I don’t actually think that’s physically possible since it’s likely that the number changes daily.
I don’t know. Like I said, I cannot even think of a group that is applicable. For example, denominational families tend to have certain characteristics. I cannot think of a reason a group would use a name that seems so dramatically different from how people perceive them when they walked into the church. In other words, if your group is called Quaker, and you walk in and see a formal liturgy, statues or icons, and a copy of the Book of Mormon on an altar…it just would not make much sense. So no, I cannot think of a group to use as an example. It is a fair question to be sure.
Based on the name, what would you expect to see happen in a Reformed Baptist church? (Let’s pretend that the name of it is the Moody-Calvin Reformed Baptist Church.)
What if it was a Quaker-Mormon church (Anglican-use)?
In that they worship a god named Christ, it could be argued that they are, and in that their god has almost nothing in common with Christ as understood by the majority of other Christians, it could be argued that they are not.
Calvinists. Sola Scriptura. Noncharismatic. Symbolic Lord’s supper. Not overly liturgical.
I would say I never heard of such a thing…possible of course. I am not saying it cannot happen, it just is unusual. I would call them what they call themselves
You really don’t understand Catholicism. It’s not sufficient to be similar. All Christian denominations are “similar” to the Catholic faith.
Roman Catholic is one rite. There are other rites within the Catholic Church. Belief is the same throughout, not merely similar.
You do not have a monopoly on the name…you might think you SHOULD…but you do not. Now, you might not think they are REAL Catholics but that is not the point. I understand your view. I, not being Roman Catholic (and I use that term intentionally in this case) do not agree with you.
Three thought I was too annoying, two thought I was too argumentative and one thought I was still too Evangelical but the OCA apparently accept anybody who can walk and talk at the same time. My mission, if I decide to accept it, is to learn how to pronounce the word, “autocephalous,” by next Pascha.DD2007;5553893:
Mick isn’t Catholic – he’s studying to join one of the Eastern Orthodox denominations (I think there are seven of those.)What’s the number of Catholic denominations? I see that there are already representatives of two who have posted in this thread.
The Catholic Church in communion with the Bishop of Rome may not have a monopoly on the word “catholic”, but churches called “Catholic” who are not in communion with Rome cannot be considered “Catholic denominations” because communion with Rome is a defining characteristic of the members of the Catholic Church.
Colins,
Only one group are United Methodists. The others are other kinds of Methodists. I know Methodists who have no problem with this.
But they are Catholic denominations. They are naturally not part of your church, that is not what I am saying. But They were part of the Roman Catholic Church at one time, certainly that is the case with the larger ones, and now they are not. It is a defining characteristic of your church but not all Catholic denominations. You have a theological objection to this, I understand but it is not a historical one. If there had been one Baptist denomination for 1000 years and now there are several, there would be several Baptist denominations. The Roman Catholic Church does not get an exception just because they do not want anyone else using the name.
There you have made the crucial distinction to support what I have been saying all along! There is only one United Methodist Church. There is only one Roman Catholic Church or you could even say there is only one Catholic Church in communion with the Bishop of Rome.
You just don’t get it.
You just refuse to learn about Catholicism. There are several rites in the Catholic Church, the Latin (Roman) Rite (Roman Catholic) being one of them. All Catholics are in full communion with the Catholic Church. Rite doesn’t refer to different beliefs. All are part of the Catholic Church.