I used to identify as non-denominational… let’s see if I can explain the reasoning behind it… or at least why I identified as such.
I never attended a non-denominational church. I attended a Baptist church, United church and Evangelical church (and many, many others - my parents were ‘church hoppers’). I never joined these churches (or became an official member) or considered myself Baptist, Evangelical or United. I attended because I believed we all praised the same God and I wished to be with my Christian brothers and sisters. I did not believe denominational divisions were necessary. In fact I used to call them demoninations because they seemed like a real perversion of God’s plan.
I called myself non-denominational because I could move fluidly through any denomination with little trouble. There were no doctrines that were important enough to me that I couldn’t visit any Protestant denomination in town (although I WOULD stand firm on the doctrine of the Trinity - it was just about the only doctrine I would fight for). Sure, sometimes the Pentecostals would do something that I thought wasn’t exactly correct, or the Baptists would say something that seemed completely bonkers but I never believed these differences were big enough to warrant not attending the service if it was convenient for me to attend. A church that identified itself with a new name so as to be separated from it’s Christian brothers and sisters just bugged me.
I suppose, for me, the ‘non-denomational’ designation was a protest. I could have just called myself Christian but I was protesting denominations in general - since I saw them as such a perversion (and still do).
My sister used to say I was closet Catholic… and now that I AM Catholic I totally understand why she’d say that.
Anyway, that’s why I identified as non-denominational. Because I had no particular affiliation to any Protestant movement and I was, in essence, attempting to just be Christian - without labels.
