Church site 2: Denominations

What's with all the different denominations?

Throughout history there have been many differences in opinion between Christians, often violent. Christians believe that the church is broken and imperfect until Jesus returns to fully set up his kingdom, so it's not surprising that church history is often a very ugly business.

There are a range of differences between Christian denominations today: things like church leadership, baptism, and expression of worship. Some of these things also reflect cultural differences. Despite these differences between groups, all Christian believers are united by a common faith in Jesus Christ as their rescuer, king and friend. For Christians, it’s a great thing that God's Spirit isn't constrained by human boundaries!

The idea of denominations goes back to the Reformation. It implies that the church cannot be identified with one particular organisation (in contrast to sectarianism). The idea is that someone can have a genuine Christian faith without belonging to a certain institution. Groups that claim to be the one true church cannot be, because the church is defined by Christian believers (see above). Most Christians today believe that apart from a central core of beliefs, there are many things Christians can disagree on while still being united as God's people.

Many Christian young people today don't put much stake in denominational affiliation and denominational traditions. They see themselves as Christians in a community of Christians rather than, say, Anglicans or Baptists. Despite there being so many different Christian groups, however, God continues to work through each of them in his own way. Denominational structures enable a great deal of ministry to take place by providing networks of people and resources.