There’s no such thing as non-denominational.
If your church has a particular set of doctrines, then it is a denomination - that’s what a denomination is - a group of believers with a particular set of doctrines.
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I understand what you’re saying, but in fact there are a great number of “non-denominational” churches. It simply means they are not affiliated with any previously established, organized denomination. Usually, they are offshoots of some denomination who differed with some aspect of the denomination’s doctrine, but sometimes non-denominational churches are offshoots of other non-denominational churches. In my part of the world, at least, the non-denominational churches tend to be composed of persons having familial relationships or who are particularly attracted to the preaching of a particular preacher, or both. Sometimes they come about as a result of rejecting some development within their original denominational churches, such as acceptance of gay marriage.
I live in a VERY Protestant area, and, while some non-denominational churches are exceedingly bizarre, I have found most to be fairly friendly and tolerant; possibly because they tend to be put down by the denominations from whence they sprung. Usually, they do resemble in most respects, the churches of origin.
I would, however, disagree with Singin and some of the posters who say the word “Protestant” is a term of opprobrium imposed on them by Catholics. Many Protestant churches loudly announce that they are Protestant. Near where I live, there was even a hospital that called itself “________ Protestant Hospital” to distinguish itself from a local Catholic hospital. Since Catholics just basically don’t accept Protestantism as having the fullness of truth, the term does have some negative connotations SOMETIMES when used by Catholics. Sometimes it is only a term of convenience, used when one does not know what else to say.
But, okay, if Singin doesn’t want to be called “Protestant”, that’s fine.
I will say the following, which Singin might resent, but might not. There is something I discovered rather late in life. As I mentioned before, the term “Protestant” does not really define the beliefs of the person to whom it is applied. It is simply an announcement that one is a Christian who does not accept some of the tenets of the Catholic Church. Generally, if I hand a Protestant (for brevity’s sake, let me use the word for this purpose only) a copy of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” that person will not disagree with most of what is in it. Most Protestant churches (there are exceptions, but not many) do not have a set of doctrines, or at least not a very long one. I have seen one-pagers. Even the Southern Baptist Church, big as it is, has every doctrine it holds on just a few pages. So why do they find so little to argue with in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”? (I have done that many times) It’s precisely because a good part of what Protestants believe has just been gathered from the messages around them. Since there is really only one predictable, very detailed set of tenets around, most Protestants more or less absorb a lot of Catholicism without knowing it. (Interestingly, even Ed Koch, former mayor of N.Y.C., and a Jew, said that,as have a number of Protestant theologians)
I’m not trying to proselytize you, Singin. If you are a true believer in your church, I am sure Jesus isn’t going to send you to hell for it, as he loves you as much as he loves the Pope. But (and maybe I’m proselytizing just a little) you might experiment with looking at the Catechism. When you do, you will find that you don’t disagree with much of it. If you can’t accpet some of it, that’s up to your conscience and, again, Jesus loves you. But you might want to consider something that’s just a fact; that all Christian churches orbit the Catholic Church like planets around a star; some at greater distance; some at nearer. If you can’t accept that and remain of clear conscience, that’s okay. But it probably will deepen your understanding of Christianity and the history (it’s very well documented) of what most Christians believe, and why they believe those things. I never met a Protestant yet who didn’t, at minimum, appreciate reading what those people who lived very near to the time of Christ, had to say. In fact, study of what we Catholics call the “Fathers of the Church” is very big among non-Catholic Christians now, and for good reason.
Anyway, Singin, God bless you, and say a prayer for old Ridgerunner, hear?
I love all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t care if you are Catholic, Protestant, Ortodox. I believe that all of you have been given the truth of the Christian faith. Yes, I do believe that the Catholic Church has the fullness of the faith, but I also believe that other Christians can and will be saved. This is possible through the Catholic faith. I love and respect my brothers and sisters in Christ who happen to be Protestant or Orthodox Christians. God created all and loves all. He wants to save all. If a person happens to be Protestant or Orthodox, I believe that I will meet that person in heaven some day, if he/she lives out his/her faith as best as he/she knows it.
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