Why do some Protestants refuse to tell what their denominations are?

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Reuben_J

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Just a simple question: why?

They came to you, tell you that your belief is wrong and theirs is right. They will tell you how the Bible should be interpreted. When you ask which church they come from, they would not tell. Why is that? Are they coming with bad intention or insecure or unsure or maybe ashamed of their church?
 
I believe it’s insecurity. Many denominations are divided in and within themselves. I will talk to one Lutheran called confessional LCMS and they will believe something different than the ELCA which is more liberal.

This alone I think would lead to some type of proof that Sola Scriptura leads to division even within certain denominations.
 
I’d not encountered that!
Perhaps they simply wish to emphasis that they see themselves as essentially Christian, rather than from a splintered set of different denominations?
Perhaps it is simply a way of stating that they believe they are the true followers of Christ, bound to Scripture, not others’ interpretations.
 
I suspected so. I think these are probably not from main Protestant churches who would readily tell you where they are coming from.

After listening to them, I would want to know from which church they came from, so that I know which church believe the way they do. Well.
 
They might not know. I go back and forth with a co-worker who swears up and down his childhood Church did not have a denomination. I have even seen a picture of it. I call him Amish because he is from Pennsylvania but he resists that fiercely. Knows his Bible. Is an agnostic now though. And that on a good day. He does not really identify with any tradition.
 
Thanks. We are getting there. I am surprised to know this though that these actually do not know.

If they are so sure that they are right, surely there must be a pastor or a church somewhere where they get their belief from.
 
Right. He is pretty snarky about Catholics, no question about that. But he is kind of snarky overall…doesn’t have much use for religion, etc etc. I say well, that is because of the Christians you were raised with. Then he goes all defensive about his Church, attacking mine. Round and round we go. 🙂
 
My initial reaction was along the same line - thus the questions in the OP. A Christian who comes and have a long discussion disagreeing with your belief but refuse to disclose what his church is, look like he fears his church will not stand the scrutiny. I think he may has a dubious intention which he only knows.

However, I was not too sure.

Refusing to disclose one’s church is something unthinkable to me. Why would anybody do that? It also makes me glad about the Catholic Church that has been put in trial for the last two thousand years but is still as strong as a rock that never wavers.
 
I’ve encountered some people like that before. I think that deep down, they know that their denomination is not based upon the Teachings of Christ. But is man-made and contains many errors added to the Word of God by its human founders.
 
Reuben_J said:
Just a simple question: why?
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I would suggest several reasons- one a lot of protestants belong to non-denominational churches. There are a lot of protestant “emerging” churches out there which are affiliated with 2 or more denominations.

Also, a lot of protestants switch denominations, and that number is growing. An older gentleman I know was baptized/confirmed as a Lutheran, switched to Presbyterian for most of his adult life, but now attends a Baptist church. What is he? Difficult question- is he really a Baptist, or is he just a Presbyterian attending a Baptist church.

I could see where folks like him might dodge the question.
 
Reuben_J said:
They came to you, tell you that your belief is wrong and theirs is right. They will tell you how the Bible should be interpreted. When you ask which church they come from, they would not tell. Why is that? Are they coming with bad intention or insecure or unsure or maybe ashamed of their church?
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Some Protestant denominations do not like thinking of themselves as denominations. They say they are simply a “movement” or a “fellowship of churches” even though these movements and fellowships are indistinguishable from traditional denominational organizations.

In such denominations, often times, national and regional bodies are never really discussed at the local level. A member of a local church can attend a church with a generic name like “New Life Church” and never know that it is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention or the Assemblies of God or whatever.

Sometimes this is an intentional marketing strategy of the local church leadership. Sometimes it is just ignorance on the part of the members who were never really taught about the church’s teachings in any systematic way so they never really understand their church’s theological background.
 
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Reuben_J said:
Just a simple question: why?

They came to you, tell you that your belief is wrong and theirs is right. They will tell you how the Bible should be interpreted. When you ask which church they come from, they would not tell. Why is that? Are they coming with bad intention or insecure or unsure or maybe ashamed of their church?
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I find it rather humorous to read all the polemic judgements made against people like myself who have identified themselves as “Christian.”

The reason I did/have not identified the denomination I belong to is for that very reason. I wanted to come here to learn about Catholicism without having to respond to everyone’s preconceived notion of what they think that denomination is or stands for. Just look at how Baptists have been pigeonholed here, when in fact there are completely different kinds of Baptists. For my self I can only say that my relationship with God makes me a Christian and my denomination is secondary and not that important.
 
One thing to remember is that for most of us evangelicals what denomination we attend is only of mild importance. We understand that, aside from the fundamental teachings of the gospel, many of the doctrines are debatable and are the opinions of theologians and teachers. Most of us aren’t dogmatic about the doctrines that the theologians speculate about. I was raised a Southern Baptist, my Dad was a deacon and my mom taught Sunday School. However, I don’t choose what church to attend based on denomination. If I felt God calling me to join a United Methodist Church, a Presbyterian Church or an Assembly of God church then I would follow what I felt the Holy Spirit is leading me to do.

I realize this concept is foreign to Catholics, where doctrinal purity is of upmost importance. For the majority (not all) of us Evangelicals, serving and worshiping with others who have a strong faith and love for Christ is more important that agreeing with each other over every little doctrine. I had rather serve with a bunch of Methodist who have a strong faith and love of Christ and love of others than with a bunch of Baptist who I might agree with doctrinally but exhibit a shallow faith and little love of Christ and others (and vice versa). For many of us, the key question is “Is this the local church where God wants me to worship and serve”? If I have a peace about the answer to that question then the denomination is of secondary importance.
 
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I have an ex girlfriend, that was baptized Catholic and that was pretty much it. For a while, she was talking about coming back to the Church. That never happened, instead she became very anti-Catholic. She started going to a Baptist church. Oddly, she won’t refer to herself as Baptist, just that she goes to a Baptist church. I honestly don’t know why. My guess is, that a lot of these folks don’t necessarily see themselves as part of the denomination where they attend worship services. But this is just speculative.
 
I actually really like this answer. I even kind of agree with it. But I only attend parishes or denominations where I KNOW as well as FEEL that the true Christian faith is being offered there. I may or may not agree with every bit of doctrine but I think and pray long and hard about it - because it is God’s Church, God’s commandments, God’s teaching through Sacred Scripture, God’s sacraments, Church tradition, the community of believers that is the Church of the Apostles, the original Church created by God through his Son Jesus Christ. That is the criteria for me to walk through the door. Not the vibe in and of itself. Though I admit to searching out the best vibe in a true Church I can find. Then I call my being there God’s will. 🙂
 
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I’ve noticed that some of the Protestants I know are very fluid about denominations. Some of them for example were raised devout Baptists, but have no problem with shifting their attendance to some other church that’s not Baptist if they feel like they’re getting a better experience over there.

To a devout Catholic, changing your church denomination is a pretty big deal (it’s kind of like how Jewish people will still identify as Jewish even when they aren’t practicing), so when we see people who just sort of go where they feel like going, it’s like some part of the person’s identity is missing. The other person may not see it like that if the denomination wasn’t a big part of their identity in their own mind.
 
Doctrinal purity, as you call it, seemed to be pretty darn important to the New Testament writers. St Paul sure talks a lot about it. I guess the biggest question would be who or what determines what constitutes essentials of the Gospel versus theological opinion? For the New Testament era Church that was clearly the Apostles and the Elders they appointed (as seen in action with the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15).
 
Maybe they belong to a non denominational church. It could be called Joe’s Bible church for all we know. 🤷‍♂️
 
twf said:
For the New Testament era Church that was clearly the Apostles and the Elders they appointed (as seen in action with the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15).
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Precisely. And so it is to this day. I have sought that Church all my life. But I will say this - if someone is born Baptist, they are in that tradition through their family, their upbringing - that would seem to be the ‘truth.’ If we allow this to American Indians, we should allow it to Evangelicals. (not knowing truth) If this makes sense. What seems to be clearly the true original Church to me may not to a Baptist, not by a long shot. We need to understand the mindset is different. But then I point to history and say, see the original Church from the Apostles. And there it is, for all to see. Historically. I mean the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
 
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