Promoting a Culture of Inclusion

Defining Inclusion

Ironically, my job just did a survey about diversity inclusion and one of the definitions given for an "inclusive environment" was the ability to be your authentic self. Even after desegregation, black people were considered unprofessional if we wore our hair in it's natural state. Our way of talking, our style of dress, etc., are often dubbed as "ghetto" and labeled inappropriate. There's a long standing tradition of black people "turning off" their identity to fit in to white spaces. The multicultural church I attend often plays CCM during service, and will even sing from the catalogs of Tasha Cobbs or Travis Greene, but they've never brought in Christian rap. In fact, on one occasion I searched for a song they'd sung in service and found there is a "rap" verse in the song that they just skip over. Most Christians, regardless of race have framed their entire view of Christianity and holiness out of Eurocentric ideas. In doing so, we force people to hide the ethnic parts of themselves to fit in. To have a truly inclusive church, it's not just about being polite to those entering the building. We have to make people comfortable being themselves.

In high school, most of my close friends were white because I was often the only black person in my class. I didn't talk to them about racial things I experienced because I didn't think they'd understand or care (and it's embarrassing). My Asian friends didn't tell me about the things they were experiencing. It wasn't until we were out of college that we started truly expressing ourselves to each other. I felt alone in high school, but in the past few weeks, the people I was afraid to be my authentic self around in high school were the first people to condemn what was happening and ask if I was ok. How can I be your sister in Christ if I don't know you?

Because our society is broken, there are issues specific to each culture. There are things immigrants go through that I do not. There are injustices being done to people in the Asian and Hispanic/Latino communities that I may not understand. An inclusive church does not bury these topics to avoid offense, but instead seeks to educate its members on how to assist those effected.

It is important that we create an environment where people feel comfortable bringing their whole self into the relationship. Regardless of race or class or gender, you should be able to tell me something is bothering you or that you're excited and I should be able to cry with you or join you in celebration. You shouldn't have to clam up because the topic makes me uncomfortable and I shouldn't be clueless to your experiences in this world.

Subconscious Racism

In the U.S. we talk about racism as though it's a black and white issue (I mean that literally and metaphorically), but it's a lot more complex than we want to talk about. Most people think as long as they aren't using racial slurs and actively hating people who are different than them, everything is ok. Unfortunately, there's subconscious racism. Subconscious racism is a bias toward what society has told us is good versus bad. We do it without thinking.

The mind is a lot like a computer, or rather computers are modeled after the mind. In computer science there is a field called machine learning, in which the goal is to train the computer to make decisions based on data. This is how Netflix suggests movies for you to watch. If you watched every RomCom in the database, there's a high probability that you'll like the newest RomCom. Similarly, if the only people you've ever seen with tattoos have been inmates, you will start to associate tattoos with criminals. That's how our brains work.

The problem is that our circles and the media are biased, so our brains are making correlations with corrupted data. Let's compare my own circle to national stats for an example. About 4% of the U.S. population has a PhD,[1] but probably 60% of my friends have a PhD. About 5% of the U.S. is Asian,[2] but closer to 70% of my coworkers are of Asian descent. The numbers in my personal experience are skewed; if I didn't look outside of my circle, my perception of the world would be off. When I was in college, I did an internship in which I met a girl who had never had a conversation with a black person before. She was from the middle of nowhere Iowa and everything she knew about black people was what was taught to her by white teachers or shown to her on TV. I have a whole series on the blog about how the media portrays black people so we won't derail the conversation to get into details. The bottom line is that regardless of your race, everything you consume is shifting your perception of the world and we live in a Eurocentric society. Each of us is conditioned to think European ideals are the standard (if you are unfamiliar with this, please take this time to research The Doll Test[3]).

These ideas are deeply implanted into our brains. Most of the time, we don't understand the complexities of them ourselves. No matter what our religious affiliation is, we bring this baggage with us. If we live in a Eurocentric society, it makes sense that people giving their lives to Christ may have a Eurocentric ideas. They bring those into the Church.

Eurocentric Worship

A major ramification of subconscious racism is the Eurocentric style of worship. Conservative churches, both black and white, often consider things associated with black culture to be unholy. In the conservative black church I grew up in, we weren't allowed to have drums during worship. Amazing Facts, a conservative 7th Day Adventist organization, condemns Christian rap (and Christian rock).[4] Shouting, praise dancing, and many other forms of ethnic worship styles are often seen as inappropriate.

Usher Gloves

If you attend an old black church, you've probably see ushers in their white uniform, with white gloves. Did you ever wonder why? There was a time when black and white people did attend church together. Black people sat in the balconies, segregated from the white people, or served just as they would on the plantation. The black people that served during the service were ushers. While ushers are responsible for many things, their biggest role in the service is collecting offering. It is rumored that white people didn't want to risk touching a black hand or have those black hands touching the money/collection plate, so they made the ushers wear gloves. The discipline and stance of ushers that was kept when black people formed their own churches likely stems from the internalization of how they were treated and expected to behave previously.

Music

The first time I went to multicultural church and they started singing, my first thought was "oh, this is why we have separate churches." If we're being honest, music is cultural. How you grow up influences your taste in music; this isn't always racial, but statistically, you'll probably find more black people favoring genres such as Jazz, R&B, Reggae, Hip-Hop/Rap, etc. and more white people favoring genres such as Country, Bluegrass, Rock, etc. One person may feel the Spirit when they hear hymns, another when they hear Gospel, and another when they hear CCM. Unfortunately, like Amazing Facts, many ministries have dubbed whole genres of music inappropriate simply because it isn't their cup of tea. The Amazing Facts website uses Philippians 4:8 to justify their stance, yet one could literally take the words of a hymn and make it into a rap song, after all rap is just poetry over a beat. By condemning Christian rap they imply that either the music is unholy or that there is something unholy about the way the words are expressed. If I were to contact someone from Amazing Facts about this, I'm sure they would say it has nothing to do with race, after all they condemn Christian rock too, and I believe in their conscious mind and heart, its true. They don't have a problem with black people. They have a problem with people who don't fit into their definition of Christianity, which is based on European standards. Despite being predominately associated with white culture, if you trace the roots of rock, it was inspired by R&B and black culture.[5] Many churches (black churches included) still shy away from ethnic music in service because of the way they've been taught Christianity.

History in the Church

The black Baptist church I attended always celebrated Black History Month. We did Black History Month plays and speeches the same way people put on productions for Easter and Christmas. Black churches do this because our history isn't taught in school. If we're already bringing pagan holidays like Easter and Christmas in to the church, why can't we celebrate the history of different cultures in our churches?

The multicultural church I attend is proud to have a multi-ethnic pastoral staff and to host sermon series with pastors from various backgrounds, but we don't anything for Black History Month, Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Hispanic Awareness Month, etc. What if we allowed people to speak to their unique experiences? What if we learned about their unique experiences in Christianity? What if we made it a priority to understand other people? What if we invited people to truly share themselves with us?

References

1. "About 13.1 Percent Have a Master’s, Professional Degree or Doctorate". Census.gov. February 21, 2019
2. "QuickFacts". Census.gov. July 1, 2019
3. "The Significance Of “The Doll Test”". Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc; visited June 4, 2020
4. "FAQs". Amazing Facts; visited June 4, 2020
5. Greg Kot. "Rock and roll". Encyclopædia Britannica. April 4, 2019

Acts 6-8 & 10-11: The Transition

A major transition happened in the course of Christianity after the stoning of Stephen--the Word began to be preached to the Gentiles! In this episode we cover: Acts 6-7: The Stoning of Stephen Acts 8: Philip Preaches to the Samaritans & an Ethiopian Acts 10-11: Preaching to the Gentiles We'll get back to the conversion of Paul in Acts 9 next week! Also, what exactly does it mean to be a Gentile?

Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands...Acts 7:48 KJV

The Stoning of Stephen

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.Acts 7:54 KJV

Stephen was one of the deacons chosen to assist the widows. He is devout man who performs many miracles within the community which enrages the Jews who don't follow Christ. Because of this, they accuse him of blasphemy—which was a very serious crime in Israelite society. When Stephen addresses the issue, he doesn't defend himself. Instead he gives a history of the Israelite nation, pointing out the similarities of his contemporaries to the forefathers who struggled with idolatry. This enrages them even more, so they kill him. Among the Jewish leaders who take part in this is Saul (later known as Paul)! Like Christ, Stephen's last words are a plea of forgiveness for those killing him.

Turning Point

This marks a major turning point in the history of Christianity. Before Stephen's murder, the gospel was only preached to the Jews. After his death, we see focus shift to spreading the gospel beyond the Israelites. This is important to remember as it often comes up in discussion about prophecy!

The Star of David?

⁴²Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? ⁴³Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.Acts 7:42-43 KJV

During Stephen's speech to the Jewish leaders, he quotes Amos 5:26, which mentions the star of a foreign god that Israel has made "their star." The star in reference is the star known today as the Star of David—the hexagram. This star actually represents idolatry.[6][7][8] It is interesting that Amos condemned them for it in the Old Testament, Stephen condemns them again in the New Testament, and today that star is on the flag of Israel...

Preaching to the Gentiles

What Does Gentile Actually Mean?

The dictionary definition of Gentile is non-Jew, and this is how most Christians define it. However, if you pay close attention to the Bible, this definition seems amiss. Throughout the text we see Biblical authors refer to Hamites (descendants of Ham) and Semites (descendants of Shem) by their tribe names—Ethiopian, Egyptian, Canaanite, Philistine, etc. We never see the Israelites refer to these people as Gentiles and in Genesis 10:5, we see the "isle of the Gentiles" reference a place where Japheth's descendants reside. Furthermore, the Jews have a particular dislike for the Gentiles that is unlike their "separate-ness" from others. The Israelites frequently intermarry with the tribes from Ham and non-Israelite Semites, and we see in Acts 8 that Philip has no problem speaking to the Ethiopian or the Samaritans. Yet Peter has to get a divine message from God to feel comfortable meeting with the Roman Cornelius, and it is only after Peter shares the gospel with these Gentiles (Romans) that the disciples get together to demand answers.

The Samaritans

Acts 8:1-24 covers Philip preaching to the Samaritans. There were already believers in Samaria, many who had already been Baptized—remember when Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well? However, the Samaritans had not received the Holy Spirit, so Peter and John were sent to show miracles and bring the Holy Spirit to them. We are told multitudes were saved there.

Among those multitudes was a sorcerer named Simon who converts. Despite believing, Simon still doesn't fully understand. He desires the abilities Peter and John have (giving the Holy Spirit). He proposes paying for the abilities and is promptly rebuked. Simon's desire to skip the work and jump straight to the power is more common than we think. While many of us would not suggest we "pay" for God's gifts, many do have a desire to skip the process of working and expect all the benefits of a full relationship with Christ. Christ Himself said some things can only be done with prayer and fasting, which means we have to grow in our relationship with Him to be able to perform certain miracles (Matthew 17:19-21).

The Ethiopian

Philip also preaches to a man from "Ethiopia." I put Ethiopia in quotation marks because it is important to remember that here Ethiopia does not reference the country we think of today but rather a broad region in Africa including Cush, Ethiopia, and Nubia. This man is already a believer in the God of Abraham, but he is unsure of how Christ fits into the picture. After asking Philip, he receives the gospel and requests Baptism.

Candace

Many think "candace" is a proper name in Acts 8:27, however it is actually a title similar to pharaoh.[2][3]

Eunuch

There's a bit of a debate over whether the term eunuch is always literal in the Bible. [5] At the very least it refers to a man who is celibate, though if taken literally, it also means he is celibate because he is disfigured. It was common during the ancient days for those who guarded queens (and concubines) to be emasculated so the king wouldn't have to worry about these guards sleeping with the women [*resists urge to go off on a rant about the sexism involved here*].[4]

Cornelius

Cornelius is a Roman soldier who is a man of God seeking truth. God visits him and sends him to Simon Peter. This is the interaction that requires a vision from God to both men (Cornelius and Simon Peter). When Peter visits Cornelius (and his household), the Holy Spirit falls on everyone in there, including the Gentiles. It is this event that prompts the disciples to convene and discuss whether the Gentiles are to be included in the gospel, ultimately understanding that God has included them in salvation.

Baptism

Baptism is featured heavily in in these chapters. There are a few things I noticed in these chapters that I wanted to point out. One of the issues I had trying to get baptized in our time is that people don't want to baptize you into the Body of Christ, but into their denomination. When I brought this up to the pastor who eventually baptized me, he made a point about that fact that just as God meant for babies to be born into a family, so He meant for babes in the faith to be born into a family. On the surface this sounds great, but if you read Acts 8, it's apparent that after baptizing the Ethiopian, Philip leaves. Similarly, it does not suggest that anyone stays permanently in Samaria after baptizing the Samaritans.

Another issue I take with the way some congregations/denominations handle baptism is the requirement of baptismal classes. Philip shares the gospel with the Ethiopian, who is baptized on the spot because he truly believes. While we aren't told how much time elapsed during the journey, it doesn't seem to be more than a few days at most and could very well have been a few hours for all we know!

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References

1. "Gentile". Merriam Webster; visited May 19, 2020
2. Joshua J. Mark. "The Candaces of Meroe". Ancient History Encyclopedia. March 19, 2018
3. Brent MacDonald. "the Bible and the Kingdom of Cush - so called "Ethiopia"". Not Just Another Book. 2014
4. "Eunuch". Bible Study Tools; visited May 19, 2020
5. Megan Sauter"Eunuchs in the Bible". Bible Archeology. January 21, 2020
6. "Remphan". Bible Study Tools; visited May 19, 2020
7. George Lujack. "Star of David or Star of Remphan?". Scripture Truth Ministries. March 21, 2018
8. "In Acts 7:43, what are “the tabernacle of Moloch” and “the star of Remphan”?". Hermeneutics - Stack Exchange; visited May 19, 2020

Book Review: Pagan Christianity?

Pagan Christianity? by Frank Viola and George Barna dives into the traditions of most modern churches. The authors research the history of each tradition and contrast it with the early Church described in the New Testament.

Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices by Frank Viola and George Barna was recommended to me by a friend from church. Many of the young adults I know have been on a quest to sort out what's real and what fake, what's mandated by God versus man, and what God truly intended His Church to look like. So when my friend mentioned the book, many of us were excited to read it. It didn't live up to my expectations, but I think it's still worth the read for many.

Summary

Frank Viola and George Barna cover many traditions, such as the order of service, dressing up, the building itself, and the division of the body into clergy versus laity. In each chapter of the book (perhaps purposefully numbered at 12), the authors walk us through the history of a given tradition, starting with the original New Testament Church, following the twists and turns to the modern tradition. Essentially, the book is a history of how certain pagan traditions became intermingled—often to the point of being sacrosanct—with our current church.

Bias

The authors are clearly biased toward a particular narrative, only presenting the traditions they disagree with. It is also evident that the authors write from a Protestant point of view, as many Catholic traditions such as praying to Mary, bowing to statues, creating saints, etc. are not given much attention. There is no mention of the pagan origins of Easter or Christmas, and only two to three sentences about Sunday not being the Sabbath. This is one of the reason I only give the book 3 stars. Clearly the authors did a lot of research, in fact there are countless footnotes and citations within each chapter. So why did they only present certain pagan traditions?

The History Aspect

For me, there wasn't anything particularly shocking in the book. Many of the traditions that aren't Biblical are pretty easy to spot if you read the word often or do even a little research on your own. However, I did like the historical context provided for each topic. Having that background makes it easier to discus with those who are deeply immersed in a particular tradition.

Redundancy

The book is written in an academic format in which each chapter contains a summary of the chapter and the final chapter is actually a summary of the whole book. If the concepts were more complex, or perhaps if I had picked this book up before I'd done any researching on my own, I might have appreciated this. However, since the topics were fairly simple, it just came off as redundant to me. These summaries did not provide new information or clarify anything in the chapter, so after about the fourth or fifth chapter I started skimming the summaries.

The Follow Up

Many reviews I read criticized the authors for not providing solutions, but I will give them credit that they have a follow-up book that is supposed to do just that. I, however, was not impressed with this book enough to read the second one.

Overall Thoughts

Overall I think this is a good book for people who have solid faith but have never questioned what they've been taught in church. Many intertwine faith in God and faith in the Church, so if your relationship with God is not strong and you lose confidence in the church, your faith crumbles. For this reason, I say proceed with caution. For some, this could be the eye opener that strengthens their faith, because they've been questioning the church anyway. However, for those who are unable to separate the traditions of the church from the Word of God, this may be more confusing than helpful. If you are new in your walk with Christ, or have not spent much time in the Word, but are curious, I would recommend reading the book with someone who is more seasoned and has a deeper understanding of the Word.

References and Footnotes

1. Frank Viola and George Barna. Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices. December 31, 2007

The Beginning of the Church

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42 NKJV

I have a more in depth overview of Acts 1-5 here
This is the first episode in a series covering the book of Acts and the history of the Church

When is the last time you heard a sermon on the book of Acts or the history of the Church?
Usually you learn the history of organizations you are part of:

• Fraternal Organizations
• Universities
• The country you live in

Small Groups

Small groups are a way to foster intimacy within large congregations. They also function as a way to disciple members and help spiritual children grow into spiritual adults.[2]

I'm not going to name the book that we used because it's simply a personal opinion that I didn't like it. While I disagree with some of the things the authors said, I don't think there was anything "dangerous" about the book that would warrant me calling it out publicly.

The book of Acts is the history of the Church. It tells what happened after Christ was crucified—what did they do, how did they try to spread the gospel, what kind of structure did they set up, and what was the expectation of the disciples to follow through with the mission Christ had given them.

The promise and deliverance of the Holy Spirit is key and leads the book.

Disciples/Apostles

• There were more than just the 12 disciples follow Christ before the crucifixion; the 12 we generally think of were the inner circle
• In the upper room there were 120 disciples!
• At this point "the 12" has become "the 11" since Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ
• 12 has Biblical significance, which is probably why they felt the need to replace Judas
  • 12 Tribes of Israel
  • 12 represents God's people or a nation
• They pray over the decision

Baptism by the Holy Spirit is more important that water baptism

Speaking in tongues

The disciples begin speaking in languages other than their own. Diverse people in the crowd miraculously hear the words in their native language. There are many controversial opinions about speaking tongues. The most important thing to remember (in my opinion) about tongues, is given in 1 Corinthians 14. You should not be speaking in tongues if no one understands it. Someone should be able to interpret it.

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:1 Corithians 12:10 KJV

Behavior of the Church

• The Church is a group of people, not a building
• They met daily—it was not a once a week occasion
• They met in each other's homes and shared meals together.
• It is mentioned 4 times that they meet daily withering the first 5 chapters (Acts 2:46-47; 3:2; 5:42)
• I googled "the significance of sharing a meal" expecting to see information on Jewish culture of Biblical references, instead I found secular sources proclaiming the importance of sharing meals. From child development sites expressing the importance of family meals to mental health sites expressing the effect of eating with others on our mental health.[3]

People sold their land and other possessions, then gave everything they had to help the group as a whole. The objective was to make sure everyone was taken care of. Behaving in this manner helped established a familial community.

Most people would give the clothes off their back for their child, but would you do the same for your neighbor? A stranger you just met? That's the type of community Christ called us to build.

References

1. Ree Hughes. "Acts 1-5: The Early Days of the Church". PSALMS to God. May 12, 2020
2. Carolyn Taketa. "Why Small Groups". Christianity Today. June 25, 2012
3. "Search: The Significance of Sharing a Meal". Google; visited March 9, 2020

Fracturing the Church

There are over 40,000 Denominations in Christianity; let's talk about where they came from and what the major differences are.

Introduction

Denomination is defined as "a religious group, usually including many local churches, often larger than a sect" or "a group having a distinctive interpretation of a religious faith and usually its own organization."^[2] There are an estimated 41,000 denominations of Christianity, though in the number would include splits in a major denomination like Baptist, such as Freewill, Missionary, and Southern Baptist.^[1] As a child I wondered why there were so many denominations, and when a Freewill Baptist church was built across the street from a Southern Baptist church I was confused as can be.

Growing up I noticed that as soon as there was a disagreement in a church, the congregation would split and these splitter churches would appear. These disagreements can be from differences in opinion on doctrine or just personality clashes. I've seen discussions surrounding the large number of denominations in which people assert that it "proves" God doesn't exist. They argue that God should have made His Word simple and plain to understand.^[3] However, they fail to account for several key factors that have a hand in the development of separate denominations:

• Not everyone who has an opinion on the Word studies the Word
• Some people see the Word as opportunity for personal power, so they purposely twist the Word to suit their purpose—this method works because a large number of Christians don't actually read the Word, let alone study the Word, and will easily accept anything they are told by Church hierarchy
• Similarly, not every church/denomination is of God—just because they claim to represent Jesus, doesn't mean they actually follow the Word of God
• The devil's aim is to destroy;^[4] by causing confusion he not only deters believers from the true word of God, he fuels the doubt in a disbelievers heart and keeps them from seeking truth

The Bible clearly states that you have to study to be worthy, but many non-believers are quick to assert that they deserve an easier path to God (though I'm not sure they would have an answer as to why they deserve an easy path to God). They also refuse to acknowledge the spiritual warfare occurring—the devil can quote scripture too.^[5]

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

It is not a trivial task to identify false doctrine or study the Word of God in general. The devil is committed to keeping us confused, and we will naturally lean towards doctrines and interpretations that suit our own wants. This post will identify and discuss some of the larger denominations within Christianity, highlighting points of contention between denominations, as well as some history on major splits within the Church.
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The Formation of Denominations

There have been 3 easily definable periods with regards to the church and denominations. Each of these periods had an effect on the denominations we have today and how we interpret scripture.

The Early Church

Christianity could be seen as having started the moment the first person believed Jesus was the Son of God—this would date its origin at His birth as Mary, Joseph, and all those who traveled to meet Him, acknowledged He was the Son of God. Of course, Christianity is expressed in John 3:16, thus the true point of origin for the Christian Church is the moment the disciples believed He would die and rise from the grave. The disciple were the first pastors of the church and the Bible clearly shows us their misgivings: Judas betrays Jesus, and Peter denies knowing Him. Remember at this point in time there was no physical church, just people gathering to sharing their faith and Jesus' message. In the early days of Christianity there was a group known as the Gnostics. Gnostics deny the divinity of Jesus and identify Him as a teacher instead. Surviving writings of this group exist as the Codices and the Nag Hammadi library. The true Christian church (I say true, because only those who believe the words John 3:16 are Christians, eliminating the Gnostics) consisted of Christ's disciples, Paul, and all those who came to hear their testimonies of Jesus.
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The Catholic Church

The Catholic Church is probably the most "popular" branch of Christianity and has come to wear the face of Christianity. Catholics claim their version of Christianity was proclaimed by Jesus in Matthew 16:18-19 and that Peter was the first pope.

¹⁸And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.Matthew 16:18-19 KJV

Of course in Acts 9, after Jesus appears to Saul on the road to Damascus, Jesus Himself says that Saul is to be the voice for the Gentiles, kings, and Israel. Why did God need Saul to become Paul if Peter was to spread the Word?

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:Acts 9:15 KJV

Regardless, a some point someone got the idea to start the Catholic Church. Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to embrace Christianity, but it was Emperor Theodosius who made Christianity the official religion of Rome in 380ad.^[6] Presumably the Catholic Church we know today began to form and rise to power during this time (after all it is the Roman Catholic Church).

With the rise of Catholicism, Christianity spread across Europe like wildfire. Eventually the kingdoms of Europe and their kings answered to the pope. In addition to introducing millions to the gospel, Rome co-mingled much of its pagan religions with the their version of Christianity (such as praying to statues, repeating the rosary, sun worship—all to be discussed in due time). The Catholic Church commission several crusades "in the name of God" in which they claimed it was ok to massacre non-Christians (no where in the Bible does it say that, by the way—God command the Israelites to kill the pagans when they took the promised land, but He didn't tell them to massacre the rest of the world, and Jesus specifically says to go out and preach the gospel, not go out and kill).^[7][9] In addition to the Crusades, the Catholic Church also employed the Inquisition who policed "heretics" (i.e. people who opposed the teachings of the Catholic Church).^[8][9][11] Top

The Reformation

In those days, reading was a luxury and a privilege; the average person did not read—especially not the Bible which was only available in Hebrew, Ancient Greek, and Latin. Most could not read the Bible for themselves and were forced to rely on a priest's interpretation of the Word for guidance. This began to change as the Bible was translated into the common tongue (the English translation was written by John Wycliffe in 1380ad). With the invention of the printing press and the Gutenberg Bible, the Word, as written became more available to the common man. This would eventually lead to Martin Luther's 95 Theses and the Reformation. The reformation brought about Protestantism, which lead to the formation of most of the denominations we have today.
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References

1. "Appendix B: Methodology for Estimating Christian Movements". Pew forum on religion & public life. pg 95. 2011
2. "Denomination". Dictionary.com. 2015
3. Hatfield, Eric. "How Many Christian Denominations Worldwide?". The Way?. November 23, 2012
4. John 10:10
5. Matthew 4:5-7
6. "Conversion of Constantine". Religion Facts. 2015
7. "Crusades". History.com. 2015
8. Flamehorse. "10 Shameful Moments in Catholic History". List Verse. June 2011
9. Riley-Smith, Jonathan. The crusades: A history. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014
10. Bethencourt, Francisco. The Inquisition: a global history, 1478-1834. CUP, 2009.
11. McFarnon, Emma. "Your 60 Second Guide to Heresy". BBC History Magazine. January 2014
12. Martin Luther's 95 Theses

What's Your Denomination?

*Updated December 27, 2017

As a child I  always wanted to know the difference between religions and denominations. Since my mom's family is mostly Methodist and African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) and my dad's family is mostly Baptist, I attended services for all three denominations frequently. Yet, by the time I was in school learning about the Reformation, I still couldn't define the difference in the three denominations. This only strengthened my curiosity in the difference between the denominations. Some differences in practices are purely the observance of man made traditions (which therefore have nothing to do with God), while others are the result of different interpretations of the Bible. If you are a believer, it is important to know not only what these differences in interpretation are, but also to read, pray, and determine where you stand. If you aren't a believer, it is also important to know that these differences exists, because perhaps one of these differences is affecting your belief (or rather lack thereof).

According to this appendix, there are 41,000 Christian denominations in the world. However, most fall under one family which is used to to classify the denominations. In this post, I will focus of the families of denominations (for example Baptist, as opposed to Missionary, Freewill, and Southern Baptist). Below, I have highlighted a few doctrines and ideals that differ from church to church. You will also find a series of graphs below for a visual overview of these differences and similarities. Furthermore, I have provided a few sources for further reading on specific denominations and/or views in case you want to know more (there is way too much to place in this one post). Over time, I will likely discuss my own beliefs on each topic, but this post is merely an overview. Also, since there are several sub denominations within the denominations I have outlined, there may be variance on topics within a denomination. Furthermore, individuals within denominations may have differing beliefs. If you notice incorrect information about a denomination please comment below or use the contact page to notify me and I will get it sorted out.

Apocrypha

Use of Apocrypha?

No Yes

How many books are there in the Bible? Most Protestants will tell you 66, but those who consider the Apocrypha (or Deuterocanonical books) part of the canon (along with the Old and New Testaments) will give you a number far higher. The Apocrypha contains books which some churches recognize as canon (divinely inspired by God), some churches recognize as peripheral, and others reject. One view of why it should not be included can be found here, and a view a why it should can be found here. This was never mentioned in church when I was growing up, but before deciding what you believe, you should probably decide which books you believe in...

Belief in the Trinity?

No Yes

Trinity

Why do Christians' consider their religion monotheistic? One of my Religion teachers posed this question in class one day. Most Christians will tell you there is God the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6), God the Son (John 10), and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:6-8). The Trinity (definition source here) is a doctrine that most denominations hold, which states that there are three divine beings (God the Father,  Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit) that co-exist in one Godhead.  However, not all denominations believe this. Non-Trinitarians believe that there are three separate beings. Some non-trinitarians believe that all three beings are one in purpose, while others demote one or more from the status of God.  This is a topic generally brushed over in Church as a given, however, it is one of the major ideas that separates denominations and thus worthy of deep consideration before deciding which you believe. For more on trinitarian views see this list of non-trinitarian views and this article on trinitarian views.

Day of Worship

Most people automatically think Sunday when someone mentions the Sabbath, however the Sabbath is actually Saturday, which is a point of contention amongst denominations as well. The question of whether to worship on the true Sabbath (Saturday) or on Sunday is one that may seem minor in the general scheme of things, but could be more important than we think. Verses such as Exodus 31:17 refer to keeping the Sabbath as a sign between God and His children. Some (myself included) believe this sign is the Seal of God mentioned in Revelation. An in depth discussion of this belief can be found here.

Creeds

Recitation of Creeds?

No Yes

A creed is a brief statement of belief.^[15] The most popular creeds in Christianity are the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed. Some churches require these recitations or belief in these creeds for membership to the church, while others merely recite them during service, and others never recite them at all. The Methodist and African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E) churches I attended growing up recite creeds during church, though I don't think they are required for membership.^[16] The Baptist church I attended never recited creeds.

Sola Fide?

No Yes

Salvation

John 3:16 says whoever believes in Jesus is rewarded by eternal life, but some denominations preach heavy emphases on good works are needed, furthermore declaring that salvation can be lost by evil deeds or lack of repentance. The Protestant movement is based on sola fide,^[19] which means by faith alone. Tangled up in the differing beliefs on salvation is the "once saved always saved" doctrine as well. Once saved always saved is most popular among Baptists. The road to salvation should definitely be at the top of the list for topics you should not just take for granted but actually study and affirm for yourself.

Predestination

Predestination?

Speaking of salvation, the choice to believe in and accept Jesus belongs to us, or does it? Some churches believe that people are #TeamHeaven or #TeamHell (I couldn't resist doing that) from the start. The root of this belief, for many, is in Jeremiah 1:5. Some cite the 144,000 of Revelation as evidence of predestination, while other churches believe that you alone are responsible for your salvation. Whether you are a believer in predestination or not will probably affect the rest of your views as well.

Hell is Eternal?

No Yes

Purgatory & Hell

Purgatory, according to Catholics, is a place where those who believed, but were impure go to be purified before ascending to Heaven. Most other denominations reject the idea of purgatory. Hell on the other hand is something almost all denominations agree on. However there are some (predominately individuals as opposed to defined denominations) that reject the idea of eternal hell (See this wikipedia article on Annihilationism).

Diet & Image

Dietary Restrictions?

No Yes

Another thing denominations can't agree on is what we should and should not consume. Some denominations preach complete abstinence from alcohol, while others allow real wine during communion. Denominations like the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) believe you should abstain from foods that contain caffeine as well. Some churches suggest vegetarianism. In determining what you believe in regards to diet (among most of the other topics mentioned), I would suggest looking at Jesus—after all He is our perfect example of how to live. (Note some people question whether the word wine in John 2 refers to the alcoholic beverage or grape juice, as Daniel 1:8 suggests consuming wine is to defile one's self).

In addition to diet, many denominations disagree on the attire/image of a believer. Some image related customs that are forbidden or frowned upon by certain denominations are as follows: wearing of jewelry, tattoos, women wearing pants, tight and/or revealing clothes, etc.

References

1. "Compare Christian Denominations: Beliefs and Theology". Religion Facts. March 5, 2005
2. "Trinity". Religion Facts. March 17, 2004
3. Mary Fairchild. "Compare the Beliefs of Christian Denominations". ThoughtCo; visited April 2015
4. "Official Denominational Web Sites". Hartford Institute for Religion Research; visited April 2015
5. "Anglicanism". Religion Facts. March 17, 2015
6. "Pentecostalism". Religion Facts. March 17, 2015
7. "Mormonism". Religion Facts. March 17, 2004
8. "Seventh Day Adventists". Religion Facts. March 17, 2015
9. "Quakers (Society of Friends)". Religion Facts. March 17, 2015
10. "Jehovah's Witness". Religion Facts. June 7, 2004
11. AllTimeJeff. " Jehovah's Witnesses and Calvinistic Predestination". Jehovah's Witness; visited April 2015
12. Ryan Turner. "Reasons why the Apocrypha does not belong in the Bible". Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry. October 13, 2009
13. "Refuting an Attack on the Deuterocanonicals". Catholic Apologetics; visited April 2015
14. "Books of the Apocrphya". King James Bible Online; visited April 2015
15. "Creed". Merriam Webster; visited December 2017
16. Richard Peck. "Why Do We Say Creeds". United Methodist Church. September 1999
17. Penny Hammond. "Religious dietary guidelines and restrictions". Chewfo.com. June 23, 2012
18. Traci Schumacher. "5 Beliefs That Set Jehovah's Witnesses Apart From Other Christians". News Max. April 2, 2015
19. "Solda Fide". Wikipedia; visited April December 2017