What do you prefer to be called?

[NovusAugustus]

We usually refer to ourselves as Orthodox Christians or Christians. Orthodox means: Straight/True Worship/Glory or Right Belief/Right Praise.

There is nothing derogatory in the word Orthodox, but there is a possibility of someone overhearing the term and thinking of a completely different religion.

In the West when people hear just the term Orthodox, they typically think Jewish even though there are far more Orthodox Christians (about 351,100,000) in the world than Orthodox Jews (about 2,179,000) - go figure

I know what Orthodox means, and I accept it as a valid and positive title for your faith. I asked because it seems odd to think of the adherents to a faith like yours referring to themselves as, “orthodox,”–after all, every Christian more or less thinks of himself as orthodox. So I thought there may be a more official name like The Christian Church. But like all of us in this era of schism and division I suppose the Orthodox must accept an adjective that distinguishes them from the rest of the “gamut.”

 

[BlessedLDS]

I’m officially a member of the LDS Church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), though my fidelity actually lies elsewhere.

“LDS Church” is a standard, inoffensive name for the church itself, and “Mormon” serves as a decent adjective for the people, culture, and history of all that relating to the LDS Church. The term “Mormon” began as a pejorative by our detractors during the founding of the church, but like so many titles the Mormons began to embrace the term. It’s why we speak of “Mormon food”, and “Mormon folklore”, or the “Mormon Trail”. There are some sticklers who insist that it’s inappropriate to use the term “Mormon” for anything besides the Book of Mormon itself (or the ancient American prophet therein for whom the book is named), but they certainly are in the minority.

What is insisted upon pretty universally is that one does not refer to the “Mormon Church”, for the same reason the Lutheran poster above mentioned: Mormons believe they are following Christ, not a person named “Mormon”. In reference to the church itself, LDS members typically insist on the acronym LDS or the full name of the church. There are some in the church who are trying to push the use of “Church of Jesus Christ” as the name used in secular publication and discussion, which I find entirely pretentious. It’s one thing if we were to use this shorthand among ourselves in our meeting, but in mixed company it will at best foster confusion and at worst disdain.

I personally prefer LDS or Latter-Day Saint. However, as I’ve been telling my friends about my conversion I have been using the term “Mormon” because that’s the term everyone knows.

Now as I become more practicing and devout, I am starting to use LDS and LDS Church most often.

 

[hn160]

I personally detest the name Protestant because in that group are the Reform Churches, Evangelicals, etc, it lumps Lutherans into this group. Besides there is a Lutheran Church of the liberal persuasion that is hardly Lutheran anymore. I would prefer Evangelical Catholic or The Catholic Church of the Augsburg Confession. To me, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod seems to indicate that the this Church Body is confined to the State of Missouri.

 

[robert_chacon]

Is this an actual thing? I don’t think I could be offended by someone calling me a mackeral smacker, I’d probably die laughing.

Lol! Ive heard it a number of times although not as a serious insult, but Im sure it was originally meant to be pretty demeaning. But, yes Im pretty sure I did laugh pretty hard when I heard it for the first time! But youve heard “bead rattler” before? Thats one I just heard recently.

 

[NovusAugustus]

I personally detest the name Protestant because in that group are the Reform Churches, Evangelicals, etc, it lumps Lutherans into this group. Besides there is a Lutheran Church of the liberal persuasion that is hardly Lutheran anymore. I would prefer Evangelical Catholic or The Catholic Church of the Augsburg Confession. To me, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod seems to indicate that the this Church Body is confined to the State of Missouri.

What are these Reformed Churches you speak of? It always confuses me because from the outside all the churches that came during/after the Reformation could be called “Reformed.”

About the “Lutheran,” thing, I agree that it seems time for the disparate members of the “Lutheran” body to distinguish themselves better, considering the variety of belief and practice–and differing validity of orders–among its members.

 

[House_Harkonnen]

As I have learned and read more about the Reformation, I have noticed that many of the names given during its course were not exactly given in good faith. Is there any name you don’t like your community to be called, and why?

As a Catholic, I prefer to be called Catholic rather than Roman Catholic. It is not a completely inaccurate name, but when I have heard it–for example once from a history professor–the phrase often drips with disdain, as if in an attempt to communicate the foreign and distant nature of the Church.

“Lutheran” is an apt title for me.

I don’t follow Luther, I follow Christ. But I do really like Luther.

 

[jimkhong]

Depends on the context of the conversation.

If you are talking about me being in communion with the Bishop of Rome, or that my liturgy is derived from that of Rome, as opposed to those who are not, then I am a Roman Catholic.

If you are talking about the background, culture and mind-set that informs how I live my Catholicism, then I am not a Roman, I am an Asian Catholic.

If you are talking about the faith that we hold in common as taught by my bishops and as opposed to those who accepts the teachings of other bishops/preachers/etc, then I am a Catholic.

If you are talking about being part of a Christianity that explicitly and continually adopts the faith of the early Church as opposed to those who accepts a blank page for the period between Biblical figures and the founding of their worship community, then I am a catholic.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Is this an actual thing? I don’t think I could be offended by someone calling me a mackeral smacker, I’d probably die laughing.

 

[1Tim215Mommy]

r

I know what Orthodox means, and I accept it as a valid and positive title for your faith. I asked because it seems odd to think of the adherents to a faith like yours referring to themselves as, “orthodox,”–after all, every Christian more or less thinks of himself as orthodox. So I thought there may be a more official name like The Christian Church. But like all of us in this era of schism and division I suppose the Orthodox must accept an adjective that distinguishes them from the rest of the “gamut.”

The Christian Martyrs died for The Orthodox Faith, not for a counterfit faith. It’s A pre-schism title for The Church established By Christ Himself. Those of us who follow it are Christians.

 

[Miriam1947]

I personally prefer LDS or Latter-Day Saint. However, as I’ve been telling my friends about my conversion I have been using the term “Mormon” because that’s the term everyone knows.

Now as I become more practicing and devout, I am starting to use LDS and LDS Church most often.

Did you convert from a particular religion to LDS?

 

[BlessedLDS]

Did you convert from a particular religion to LDS?

I was a Catholic before converting a month and a half ago.

 

[clem456]

““What do you prefer to be called?””
Joe

 

[EvangelCatholic]

Lutheran is fine with me since all Lutherans follow the Augsburg Confession. Obviously, evangelical catholic is probably a better name but both the words ‘evangelical’ and ‘catholic’ have so many other connotations that it may confuse others. So Lutheran is the best name for Lutherans!

 

[cmodrmac]

I guess we could use the term catholic but with a small c

Episcopalean in fine -not particularly happy with Anglican although at least as of now is still accurate

I am intriqued why a Lutheran would term himself an “Evangelical Catholic”

 

[Miriam1947]

I was a Catholic before converting a month and a half ago.

Perhaps I missed your story. I converted to Catholicism in 2008 and it would be impossible for me to leave the Eucharist.

Does the sacrament in LDS mean the same to you as the Eucharist did in Catholicism.?

 

[steido01]

I am intriqued why a Lutheran would term himself an “Evangelical Catholic”

See post #2. Lutherans don’t follow Luther, so the name can be misleading.

Evangelical as in “Good News” or “Gospel-focused.” Catholic as in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Put them together and it reflects the viewpoint of us Augsburg folk.

The Reformers called themselves Evangelical Catholics, not “Lutherans.” Those who disagreed with them started calling them “Lutherans” in an attempt to make the Evangelical Catholic beliefs seem as though they were the personal heresies of one man (Luther). In response, the Reformers started referring to the anti-Reformers as Roman Catholics. In time, each group co-opted the labels given them by their one-time opponents.

 

[Jessie5000]

I just liked to be called by my name, Robert. As far as catholic, Roman catholic…It does not really matter to me…but please doo not call me late for desert.

Being called Catholic/Roman Catholic is not important, what is important is that I grow in my ability to follow my belief in God with actions that demonstrate my faith.

 

[steido01]

What are these Reformed Churches you speak of? It always confuses me because from the outside all the churches that came during/after the Reformation could be called “Reformed.”

“Reformed” generally refers to Zwinglian and Calvinist-influenced churches. Lutherans have nothing to do with these, other than the fact that neither is in communion with Rome.

In an overly-simplified nutshell, Reformed folks will generally say that Lutherans did not go far enough in the Reformation - sometimes even calling us Lutherans “papalistic!”

This may help some: intrepidlutherans.com/2011/04/differences-between-reformed-and.html

 

[Brandon_Cal]

The Reformers called themselves Evangelical Catholics, not “Lutherans.” Those who disagreed with them started calling them “Lutherans” in an attempt to make the Evangelical Catholic beliefs seem as though they were the personal heresies of one man (Luther).** In response, the Reformers started referring to the anti-Reformers as Roman** Catholics. In time, each group co-opted the labels given them by their one-time opponents.

I was under the impression that the Reformers, in response to being called Calvinists, Lutherans, etc. called Catholics “Papists”, and the modifier “Roman” was added on in the 19th century by Anglicans. Have I been mistaken?

 

[Brandon_Cal]

I personally prefer LDS or Latter-Day Saint. However, as I’ve been telling my friends about my conversion I have been using the term “Mormon” because that’s the term everyone knows.

Now as I become more practicing and devout, I am starting to use LDS and LDS Church most often.

It was in the 90s that the LDS Church started to distance itself from the term “Mormon” with respect to the practitioners of the religion, and started to really emphasize the full name of the Church (or even refer to members as “Latter Day Saints” in every possible situation). When I was growing up in the Church a million years ago we wore the term “Mormon” proudly, and I even have fond memories of singing songs on Tuesday nights in Primary like “I’m a Mormon Boy”, I remember when the first TV commercials for the Church came out and rather than it concluding with “A message from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” they would say “A message, from the Mormons!” I even remember the days when we would shy away from the term “Christian”, though obviously times have changed!