Protestants: is your denomination the one true church of Christ?

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I’m really confused. I know the Catholic Church claims to be the original apostolic Church that comes directly from Christ. But, there are numerous divisions in Protestantism. Any “non-denominational/independent” church is technically its own denomination because no two of such churches believe in the same thing

I’m confused as to how Methodists remain Methodists, Lutherans as Lutherans, etc. Based on my studies, no Protestant denomination claims to be the true church in the manner the Catholic Church does. There seems to be some sort of acceptance of “all are valid expressions of capital T Truth” (whatever that is, a little too poetic for me).

Does the idea that everything in Protestantism is a valid expression of “Truth” contradict Scripture? The night before his death, Christ prayed “let them be one as you and I are one”. He was speaking of God the Father. Since God is a Trinity (according to Christianity), doesn’t Protestantism itself contradict his will? The Father doesn’t think babies should be baptized and the Son not so. Right?

I will accept answers in “Christian lingo”. I get it:D.
 
PathDiagnosis said:
I’m really confused. I know the Catholic Church claims to be the original apostolic Church that comes directly from Christ. But, there are numerous divisions in Protestantism. Any “non-denominational/independent” church is technically its own denomination because no two of such churches believe in the same thing

I’m confused as to how Methodists remain Methodists, Lutherans as Lutherans, etc. Based on my studies, no Protestant denomination claims to be the true church in the manner the Catholic Church does. There seems to be some sort of acceptance of “all are valid expressions of capital T Truth” (whatever that is, a little too poetic for me).

Does the idea that everything in Protestantism is a valid expression of “Truth” contradict Scripture? The night before his death, Christ prayed “let them be one as you and I are one”. He was speaking of God the Father. Since God is a Trinity (according to Christianity), doesn’t Protestantism itself contradict his will? The Father doesn’t think babies should be baptized and the Son not so. Right?

I will accept answers in “Christian lingo”. I get it:D.
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Well to sort of sum it up in broad strokes: I think most Protestant denominations believe that they are part of the true church. The sort of crux of the problem is that they believe *the *true church, well, stopped being truthful.

I won’t say it’s right or wrong either way, but there is plenty of blame to go around for all. Rome got a little dodgy, people broke away and now some denominations have broken so far off that there is no longer hope for reconciliation.

I think it started with the Great Schism and went from there. Tisk tisk. 🙂
 
The answer to your first question is no. (that is the one in the title)
The second answer (just look for the second question mark) is I do not know of anyone who knows what every Protestant teaches. I have never heard that view expressed. So no as well.
No I do not believe it contradicts His will.
I do not understand the last question because the sentence before it does not make sense to me.
 
BrianH said:
The answer to your first question is no. (that is the one in the title)
The second answer (just look for the second question mark) is I do not know of anyone who knows what every Protestant teaches. I have never heard that view expressed. So no as well.
No I do not believe it contradicts His will.
I do not understand the last question because the sentence before it does not make sense to me.
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I think what he is trying to get at is the contradiction within Protestantism about whether babies need to be or even can be baptized. Some Protestants baptize babies because they believe that baptism initiates them into the Church; others refuse to baptize babies because babies can’t voluntarily give themselves to Jesus.

Given the premise that all Protestants are equally members of the Church regardless of denomination (meaning, all Protestants are God’s self-expression of everything that is true and nothing that is false) how can both of these ideas be true at the same time?
 
=PathDiagnosis;8645413]
I’m confused as to how Methodists remain Methodists, Lutherans as Lutherans, etc. Based on my studies, no Protestant denomination claims to be the true church in the manner the Catholic Church does. There seems to be some sort of acceptance of “all are valid expressions of capital T Truth” (whatever that is, a little too poetic for me).
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Not speaking for protestants, but Lutherans define The Church as the congregation of saints, where the word is preached and the sacraments are administered. So, the definition of “The Church” is a bit different. But this in no way do we believe that others communions are “valid expressions” of the Truth. For example, the Truth is that when one receives the Eucharist one receives the true body and blood of Christ. Those who teach otherwise, according to scripture, the historic Church, and the Lutheran Confessions
are not teaching Truth.
So, this Lutheran remains Lutheran because I can honestly confess the Augsburg Confession. To the degree that Methodists don’t confess it, I can’t be Methodist.
Does the idea that everything in Protestantism is a valid expression of “Truth” contradict Scripture?
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That idea certainly contradicts scripture.
The night before his death, Christ prayed “let them be one as you and I are one”. He was speaking of God the Father. Since God is a Trinity (according to Christianity), doesn’t Protestantism itself contradict his will? The Father doesn’t think babies should be baptized and the Son not so. Right?
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Huh? Not sure I understand this.

Jon
 
jmcrae said:
I think what he is trying to get at is the contradiction within Protestantism about whether babies need to be or even can be baptized. Some Protestants baptize babies because they believe that baptism initiates them into the Church; others refuse to baptize babies because babies can’t voluntarily give themselves to Jesus.

Given the premise that all Protestants are equally members of the Church regardless of denomination (meaning, all Protestants are God’s self-expression of everything that is true and nothing that is false) how can both of these ideas be true at the same time?
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Interesting. Where any of the divergent groups (reformers) ever under the impression that they were attempting to unite people of differing beliefs? I do not think people that are not Catholic or Orthodox hardly ever self identify as part of a larger group of people from different backgrounds attempting to proclaim a single set of beliefs. Instead I do think, when lumped together by Catholics they do talk about things they have in common. But rarely do I ever see them use words like “all” or “every”.
 
No…the organization I belong to is NOT the TRUE CHURCH of Christ…however I like to believe that most of us are members of His Church throguh our Baptism into His Body by the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit…the True Baptizer.
 
jmcrae said:
Given the premise that all Protestants are equally members of the Church regardless of denomination (meaning, all Protestants are God’s self-expression of everything that is true and nothing that is false) how can both of these ideas be true at the same time?
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Something’s fishy about this statement. Who claims this to be true? Protestants don’t, at least the denominations of which I know.
 
Conor7 said:
Something’s fishy about this statement. Who claims this to be true? Protestants don’t, at least the denominations of which I know.
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I do not recall this statement in any denominations statement. So like Catholics who do not adhere to their churches teachings being not true representatives of their church, Protestants who claim that all Protestants are the same are not following their churches teachings as well…unless there is some group that says this.
 
jmcrae said:
Given the premise that all Protestants are equally members of the Church regardless of denomination (meaning, all Protestants are God’s self-expression of everything that is true and nothing that is false) how can both of these ideas be true at the same time?
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All one has to do is read the Book of Concord, or even just the Augsburg Confession, to know that Lutherans in no way believe this.

Jon
 
It seems that there have been a lot of evasive answers.

To those who have confessed that they do not believe their church to be the True Church:
What, then, is the True Church? And why do you follow something else?
 
Equites_Christi said:
It seems that there have been a lot of evasive answers.

To those who have confessed that they do not believe their church to be the True Church:
What, then, is the True Church? And why do you follow something else?
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I am not the one who coined this phrase “True Church”. You cannot expect people to adhere to a term they do not use.
I know that the churches in scripture had divergent teachings and practices according to Paul and the Apostle John.
Paul correct the errors, in fact that is what his letters primarily are. I know that the Apostle John blased churches in the Book of Revelation for their doctrinal problems as well. So where those True Churches as well? Thanks 🤷🙂
 
Equites_Christi said:
It seems that there have been a lot of evasive answers.

To those who have confessed that they do not believe their church to be the True Church:
What, then, is the True Church? And why do you follow something else?
Click to expand...
No evasion. The Church is the congregation of saints, where the word is preached and the sacraments administered. Where word and sacrament are, there is the Church. The local Catholic Church - there is the Church! My Lutheran parish - there is the Church!
For me to say that Lutheranism is the One True Church is presumptuous. For the Catholic Church to say it alone is the One True Church is the same. Ditto Orthodoxy.
I can say this, however, without question the Church Triumphant is the One True Church.

Jon
 
not a protestant but grew up one
I always believed and was always taught that “the Church” was not a denomination but it was simply all Christians.
my Methodist grandparent’s hymnal has the Apostle’s Creed in it, where it says “I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church…” there’s a footnote that says
“the expression ‘Holy Catholic Church’ is not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Church, but means rather those redeemed by the blood of Christ regardless of what church they claim as theirs”
I don’t think they believe that everything is true they just believe that as long as the church is Trinitarian and doesn’t contradict scripure it’s a Christian church and their other practices or beliefs are not quite as important.
I might not be totally correct here but that’s the impression I always had so sorry if I’m wrong lol
 
For Protestants,

I don’t get it. If you do not believe your denomination is infallible in the way the Catholic Church (Scripture, Tradition, Magesterium, etc) is, why would you remain in it? Aren’t you basically saying to yourself “well, we might be wrong about sacarmenents/this and that but lets up stick with it anyways?”

I mean, does it bother you that your denomination admits to possibly being in error? Or maybe error doesn’t matter in faith/religious matters. The mathematics community doesn’t accept to answers for 1+1. I hope you get want I mean. I’m just trying to understand how Protestants can accept errors, or at least possible errors.
 
PathDiagnosis said:
I’m really confused. I know the Catholic Church claims to be the original apostolic Church that comes directly from Christ. But, there are numerous divisions in Protestantism. Any “non-denominational/independent” church is technically its own denomination because no two of such churches believe in the same thing

I’m confused as to how Methodists remain Methodists, Lutherans as Lutherans, etc. Based on my studies, no Protestant denomination claims to be the true church in the manner the Catholic Church does. There seems to be some sort of acceptance of “all are valid expressions of capital T Truth” (whatever that is, a little too poetic for me).

Does the idea that everything in Protestantism is a valid expression of “Truth” contradict Scripture? The night before his death, Christ prayed “let them be one as you and I are one”. He was speaking of God the Father. Since God is a Trinity (according to Christianity), doesn’t Protestantism itself contradict his will? The Father doesn’t think babies should be baptized and the Son not so. Right?

I will accept answers in “Christian lingo”. I get it:D.
Click to expand...
There is no institution or building that is the one true Church, rather the one true Church is everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.
 
PathDiagnosis said:
For Protestants,

I don’t get it. If you do not believe your denomination is infallible in the way the Catholic Church (Scripture, Tradition, Magesterium, etc) is, why would you remain in it?.
Click to expand...
Well that’s the rub, isn’t it? Who says the Catholic Church is infallible other than the Catholic Church?
 
Conor7 said:
Well that’s the rub, isn’t it? Who says the Catholic Church is infallible other than the Catholic Church?
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Starting to make sense. Although, at least for me, I don’t think faith/religion/God will ever make perfect sense.

Thanks.
 
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