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AllSaints1631
Guest
Why exactly do many Evangelical Protestants reject the early traditions such as the Liturgies, the sign of the cross, holy water, the Communion of Saints etc. What is their reasoning for not recognizing them?
Why do many Evangelical Protestants reject Christian traditions?
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Alexius
Guest
Hello. We have several threads about these issues already, but I’ll give some of the answers I’ve received. The Sign of the Cross, for instance, is generally not done because it “can become a meaningless ritual.” Well, so can Christianity, but we certainly won’t reject that! Most evangelicals reject such actions as “Catholic,” superstitious, and unbiblical. Things like the ancient Liturgies are rejected because of their implications. Also because they are out-dated and no longer relevant. Holy Water? Mainly because they feel it’s superstitious. Also, because they do not feel anyone has the right to command God to do something (like bless water or transform the Eucharistic bread and wine). Finally, their interpretation of “the Communion of Saints” is different than that of Catholics and Orthodox. They believe the saints to be all believers, so the “Communion of Saints” is the fellowship and commonality of all believers. Hope this helps…
Prayers and petitions,
Alexius
Prayers and petitions,
Alexius
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homewardbound
Guest
Believing in all of that would make them Catholic.
And for any Protestant I’ve ever known(and I was raised Protestant) there is nothing worse in this world than somehow becoming Catholic.
I would love to give you a better answer, but honestly its all about really having no clue about what any of that actually means. They just gobble up whatever their pastor yells at them from behind his pulpit every Sunday and they never think to actually find God on their own.
And for any Protestant I’ve ever known(and I was raised Protestant) there is nothing worse in this world than somehow becoming Catholic.
I would love to give you a better answer, but honestly its all about really having no clue about what any of that actually means. They just gobble up whatever their pastor yells at them from behind his pulpit every Sunday and they never think to actually find God on their own.
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Alexius
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This would have been my response a year ago, but I’ve since had the patience to discuss it with others. In school (an evangelical one), I would debate issues and these were answers I got. It all comes down to your statement above. If they acknowledged these issues as true, then they wouldn’t be Protestant.
Prayers and petitions,
Alexius
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ralphinal
Guest
I would add that since so many of them are in churches that are off-shoots of off-shoots and so on, they do not know many of the traditions or teachings exist, or what they are in teh first place.
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Publisher
Guest
I’m not ‘evangelicial’ but Friends historically have not used the 'outward forms" as for Friends they obscure the Reality these forms seek to point to. The gesture, liturgy and ritual tend to become of foremost importance, so Friends have sought to go beyond liturgy, forms, and gestures to delve deeper into the Mysteries of the Holy.
Friends have no problem with those that seek to employ those traditions.
In my Meeting I have sat next to Friends who have used a chokti as a tool, which I’ve used myself as well…or Buddhist juzu during worship to stay focused…this isn’t the practice of Friends, but it is not something any of us would “forbid.”
Friends have no problem with those that seek to employ those traditions.
In my Meeting I have sat next to Friends who have used a chokti as a tool, which I’ve used myself as well…or Buddhist juzu during worship to stay focused…this isn’t the practice of Friends, but it is not something any of us would “forbid.”
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East_Anglican
Guest
I’m the type of Anglican that isn’t going to lose sleep over any of them but here goes.
As an evangelical Anglican I have no problem with liturgies. Certain evangelical protestants believe that liturgical prayer and worship is bondage. some may even call it demonic. The reason for this is because they don’t understand what a liturgy is and what it is about.
They would say that we are in bondage when they are free. A freind of mine went to an evangelical service where the preacher attacked the words in The Church of England liturgy. I was quite impressed!
The sign of The Cross they would call ‘Catholic’ They also don’t understand the sign of the cross.
Some Anglicans (me included) like Holy Water. It is a tool with whice The Church can bless. They don’t understand that either.
Some also believe as I believe that The Communion of Saints includes the saints in Heaven. We are one in Christ. Hence with angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven we praise God saying Holy, Holy, Holy. Of course a lot of evangelical protestants don’t understand that either.
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BrianH
Guest
I would expand your social circle then.
Lovely, just lovely. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous statements I have read. I have NEVER heard our pastor yell, not a once. And I would say we are a very evangelical Methodist church.
But if believing caricatures and stereotypes is what you want to believe…no amount of truth will convince you otherwise.
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AgnosTheist
Guest
Because they cant be sure if any of these are approved or disapproved by God. They rather play safe and follow the examples in the bible itself.
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inthecloud
Guest
For evangelicals anything not mentioned in the Bible is “tradition of men”. Of course altar calls and contemporary worship music are not.
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BrianH
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A chance for people to hear a message and then become a Christian comes from the Bible. That is the same thing as an “altar call”
As far as I have read, the New Testaments says nothing about a particular kind of music.
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exiled
Guest
**" Also, because they do not feel anyone has the right to command God to do something (like bless water or transform the Eucharistic bread and wine). **
Thay’s a good one. They can command that God saves them through their “assurance” and OSAS, but a blessing for water is prohibited and/or presumptuous?
Thay’s a good one. They can command that God saves them through their “assurance” and OSAS, but a blessing for water is prohibited and/or presumptuous?
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East_Anglican
Guest
In the New Testament there was only one sermon preached from a pulpit. It was also the only one in a religous building. There was no chance of an alter call because they wanted to throw him off a cliff. Jesus told the woman cought in adultry to go and sin no more and did not get her to say ‘the sinners prayer’ On Penticost, Peter did not give an alter call. They still became Christians though didn’t they?
“Everybody bow their heads and close their eyes. Maybe you’ve come here tonight etc etc. Raise your hand”
I find no referance to this in scripture.
Jesus told the man he had delivered at Gaderenes to go home to his family, he didn’t tell him to say the sinners prayer and find a good ‘bible believing’ church did he?
I agree.
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Publisher
Guest
Evidently having the forms and water and liturgies don’t inspire kindess and charity in some…perhaps that is one of the reasons many Evangelicals don’t like such “trimmings”…just a thought.
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BrianH
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heisenburg
Guest
On the issue of alter calls… Catholics need to keep in mind… though we would never call it that, What BrianH is saying is in effect correct…
Someone hearing the word, and following through with it. Isn’t that one of the reasons for RCIA?
I frown upon the notion of saying a sinners prayer once saves you for all time as SOME (not all) protestants believe… But RCIA, crossing the Tiber, what ever your method of coming to the CC, all these are examples of a CATHOLIC version of an alter call…
Don’t let words trip you up… Just because the Catholic Church doesn’t use the terminology Alter Call, doesn’t mean the PREMISE behind it is false
In Christ
Someone hearing the word, and following through with it. Isn’t that one of the reasons for RCIA?
I frown upon the notion of saying a sinners prayer once saves you for all time as SOME (not all) protestants believe… But RCIA, crossing the Tiber, what ever your method of coming to the CC, all these are examples of a CATHOLIC version of an alter call…
Don’t let words trip you up… Just because the Catholic Church doesn’t use the terminology Alter Call, doesn’t mean the PREMISE behind it is false
In Christ
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Valke2
Guest
What is the purpose of holy water? Is it only used for baptismal purposes?
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Vintagecoils
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BrianH
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homewardbound
Guest
I’m sorry to have offended you. I’m from a Baptist background and they have nothing but yelling. I have been to a Methodist church, and you are right the pastor there never yelled. I apologize. I would have been Methodist, no doubt, had I not found the Church.
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