The Protestants Closest to Catholicism

[Usbek_de_Perse]

Anglican
Lutheran
Episcopal

In that order. Doesn’t compare though, just came from all three on a ridiculous sabbatical.

Episcopalians are Anglicans. The Episcopal Church is the United States constituent member of the Anglican Communion. Outside the Episcopal Church there are small Anglican groups.

Some Episcopal parishes are quite close to Catholic worship and belief, others are not. Generally Episcopal Churches tend to be similarly formal to Catholic Churches.

You should also be aware that there are significant differences between the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). I expect the Missouri Synod would take some umbrage at being though similar to the Catholic Church.

 

[Cat]

I would say the various Campbellite (Restoration) churches, mainly the Christian church (small c), the Church of Christ (NOT the United Church of Christ), and the Disciples of Christ.

These churches offer Communion at every meeting. They also believe that baptism is a requirement for salvation.

Both of these teachings are very very different than other Protestant churches, and often lead various evangelical Protestant denominations to steer clear of associating with the Campbellite denominations.

Indeed, as I was growing up, I heard various preachers and teachers in my evangelical Baptist church label the Campbellite churches as “borderline cult.” Yes, just because they teach that Communion is the central focus of the worship service, and because they teach that baptism is required for salvation.

In addition, the Campbellite churches still teach that marriage is between a man and a woman, that homosexual practice (sex) is a sin, that women cannot be ordained, and that abortion and euthanasia are sins. Unfortunately, several of the Lutheran denominations, along with the Episcopalians, have descended and teach gay marriage, homosexual sex, reproductive choice (including the right to co-habit without marriage), and ordination of women.

I don’t know much about the Anglicans, as I live in the U.S. and we have no Anglican churches in our city.

One more thing is that the Campbellite churches are part of the Restoration movement, so they attempt to make their churches as similiar to the New Testament church as possible. That means that they do research into early Church documents and read the Early Church fathers; not all Protestant churches do this.

My husband and I attended a Christian church while we were in college. To this day, we credit this church with preparing us to one day become Catholic.

However, Protestants and other church shoppers do need to be careful about the Campbellite fellowships. One problem is that they do not have a central governing board, consistory, council, convention, or whatever you want to call it. These churches are autonomous, which means that each local church is responsible for its own governing. And what that means is that there is no one to oversee and look out for heresy or worse. The Jim Jones church (Guyana massacre) started out as a Christian church.

 

[Luvtosew]

Unfortunately, several of the Lutheran denominations, along with the Episcopalians, have descended and teach gay marriage, homosexual sex, reproductive choice (including the right to co-habit without marriage), and ordination of women.

One needs to stay away from any Church that teaches these things are ok. Odination of women is not a sin for the member but the rest are, and the members should not be taught these are ok.

I didn’t realize some Lutherans were so slack in their teachings.

 

[GKC]

Episcopalians are Anglicans. The Episcopal Church is the United States constituent member of the Anglican Communion. Outside the Episcopal Church there are small Anglican groups.

Some Episcopal parishes are quite close to Catholic worship and belief, others are not. Generally Episcopal Churches tend to be similarly formal to Catholic Churches.

You should also be aware that there are significant differences between the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). I expect the Missouri Synod would take some umbrage at being though similar to the Catholic Church.

As to Anglicans generally, this is so.

GKC

 

[SonSearcher]

Episcopalians are Anglicans. The Episcopal Church is the United States constituent member of the Anglican Communion. Outside the Episcopal Church there are small Anglican groups.

Some Episcopal parishes are quite close to Catholic worship and belief, others are not. Generally Episcopal Churches tend to be similarly formal to Catholic Churches.

You should also be aware that there are significant differences between the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). I expect the Missouri Synod would take some umbrage at being though similar to the Catholic Church.

After the Episcopals ordained their first gay bishop the Anglican Communion began offering Anglican services in the US. So yes they are a part of the “anglican communion” but there is something else going on that suggests the Episcopals have gone too far. I would say Anglican is less far away to Catholic for this reason.

 

[kch86]

Which Protestant denomination is the most closest to Catholic Church teaching, theology and practice?

-Karl

In terms of outward practices, Anglicanism (Episcopalianism), Lutheranism.

In terms of moral teachings, Fundamentalist and Evangelical denominations (e.g. Baptists) and some very traditional Anglican and Lutheran groups.

 

[JonNC]

Episcopalians are Anglicans. The Episcopal Church is the United States constituent member of the Anglican Communion. Outside the Episcopal Church there are small Anglican groups.

Some Episcopal parishes are quite close to Catholic worship and belief, others are not. Generally Episcopal Churches tend to be similarly formal to Catholic Churches.

You should also be aware that there are significant differences between the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). ** I expect the Missouri Synod would take some umbrage at being though similar to the Catholic Church.**

It depends on the subject. Recently LCMS President Matthew Harrison literally sat next to a Catholic bishop in front of a congressional committee, while he verbally stood with Catholics (calling them “our Catholic friends”) in opposing the administration’s attack on religious liberty with the HHS mandate.

Moreso, however, in many ways, the LCMS stands even more closely to the CC in terms of beliefs than the liberal ELCA.

Personally, I take no umbrage at all by the comparison, for in a significant number of ways - whether either sides wants to admit it or not - we are quite similar.

Jon

 

[JonNC]

Unfortunately, several of the Lutheran denominations, along with the Episcopalians, have descended and teach gay marriage, homosexual sex, reproductive choice (including the right to co-habit without marriage), and ordination of women.

One needs to stay away from any Church that teaches these things are ok. Odination of women is not a sin for the member but the rest are, and the members should not be taught these are ok.

I didn’t realize some Lutherans were so slack in their teachings.

Not all of us.

Jon

 

[GaryTaylor]

Problem is individuals who live these lifestyles gravitate towards “a” congregation which they find others who live as they do.

These issues arrise in all the Churchs today as a result of the period we live in which deems just about anything socially acceptable.

The idea of shunning individuals leaves only recourse to another church which deems the behavior acceptable. Supply and demand I suppose.

Certainly is becoming complex isn’t it?

 

[BlindManWalking]

This question is kinda like asking the type of incorrect math closest to correct math.
If it’s incorrect, I find it useless.

 

[Erich]

I would not include Lutherans without qualification. Lutherans in the US are organized into synods and they are quite different from each other.

By far the largest one is the ELCA and it is very liberal (open communion, women pastors, openly gay pastors, abortion coverage in clergy health plans, etc.).

The second and third largest are LCMS and WELS. They are much more conservative.

The ELCA has 10,500 congregations, the Missouri Synod has 6100+ congregations, and WELS has close to 1300 congregations. Wikipedia says that, according to the office of the ELCA secretary, since August 2009 (when the ELCA voted to remove sexual orientation as a bar for candidacy in the clergy) over 600 congregations have left the ELCA through January 2011. Looks like most of them went to the new LCMC – Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ – which went from 25 congregations initially in 2001 to 238 congregations in October 2009 to over 770 today (i.e. they went from nothing to being the fourth-largest synod in a little over 10 years.

On the “liberal → conservative” spectrum, it’s probably:
ELCA, then
LCMC, then
LCMS, then
WELS.

 

[Lochias]

allright, many do , I"m sure you will agree with that.
I didn’t say All, I said most and all the ones I know are.

I can’t say that “many” do. I don’t know the vast majority of Catholics in the world. I would therefore posit that, since you don’t either, “most” is also a gross exaggeration. Any frankly, the ones you know may be picking and choosing, but the experiences of one person do not make an adequate sampling of the “many.”

 

[Luvtosew]

Take my word for it. Do some research.

 

[lutherlic]

The ELCA has 10,500 congregations, the Missouri Synod has 6100+ congregations, and WELS has close to 1300 congregations. Wikipedia says that, according to the office of the ELCA secretary, since August 2009 (when the ELCA voted to remove sexual orientation as a bar for candidacy in the clergy) over 600 congregations have left the ELCA through January 2011. Looks like most of them went to the new LCMC – Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ – which went from 25 congregations initially in 2001 to 238 congregations in October 2009 to over 770 today (i.e. they went from nothing to being the fourth-largest synod in a little over 10 years.

On the “liberal → conservative” spectrum, it’s probably:
ELCA, then
LCMC, then
LCMS, then
WELS.

Thanks Erich, LCMC was not on my radar screen. I was raised in the LCA which merged with the ELCA (long ago). I left immediately after the August 2009 convention. It turned-out to be a huge blessing for me.

 

[Lochias]

Take my word for it. Do some research.

I have been, and thusfar have been unable to find any solid evidence to substantiate your claim.

You have, in the past, tried to use a website devoted to “saving Catholics” as a resource to quote “facts” about the Catholic Church.

No offense, but I’d rather not take your word for it.

 

[Cavaradossi]

I would probably say the Anglo-Catholics. LCMS is close in terms of personal beliefs, but it doesn’t have episcopal polity as its organizational foundation, if I recall correctly, which would be a significant point of departure from the Catholics.

 

[Luvtosew]

I have been, and thusfar have been unable to find any solid evidence to substantiate your claim.

You have, in the past, tried to use a website devoted to “saving Catholics” as a resource to quote “facts” about the Catholic Church.

No offense, but I’d rather not take your word for it.

and what facts were those??

 

[Luvtosew]

I have been, and thusfar have been unable to find any solid evidence to substantiate your claim.

You have, in the past, tried to use a website devoted to “saving Catholics” as a resource to quote “facts” about the Catholic Church.

No offense, but I’d rather not take your word for it.

ncronline.org/news/catholics-america/what-core-american-catholics-2011

well then read this article from a Catholic website. This is not worth debating about at least for me.

 

[coco2]

ncronline.org/news/catholics-america/what-core-american-catholics-2011

well then read this article from a Catholic website. This is not worth debating about at least for me.

Oh my gosh, this reporter must just make up opinion poll results. She gives no indication as to where she got these numbers. There is absolutely no way any of them are accurate, unless the people polled were lapsed catholics, or former catholics, who left the church because their own beliefs didn’t match up with those of the Church. This must be where Nancy Pelosi got her information.

 

[Lochias]

and what facts were those??

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=440086&page=23

You used a site called “Just For Catholics”, devoted to bringing Catholics away from the Church, to try and back up your beliefs about the Eucharist.