It’s fairly well known that only Muslims are allowed to travel to Mecca, whether or not they are attempting to make the Hajj or not.
Are there any places that only Christians (or only Christians of a certain tradition or group of traditions) are allowed?
I know that there are areas in some churches that only clergy are supposed to access (for example, the area behind the iconostasis of an Orthodox church), and that the Temples of the LDS faith are off-limits to non-Mormons as well as Mormons who don’t have the right approvals.
Depends on sect, some will be welcoming of visitors (esp. if you’e buying beer, cheese, or fudge). And I doubt the closed ones will welcome in Christian Baptists, or even Catholics/Orthodox etc. who aren’t members of the order.
Maybe a place like Elohim City or a more closed white power place.
I was going to say Mt Athos, but looking at wikipedia, it looks like non-christians can visit with special permission, though only for a limited time (and interestingly, no lady-folks irregardless of religion).
Basically, I think you are latching on to my question. I’m a Christian, and a man, and I’ve been inside a local Catholic convent (though, apparently there are places there that only the enrolled sisters and possibly the assigned priests can go, and I made no attempt to do so). Nobody asked if I was Catholic (or even Christian) or not. I believe (moral certainty) that they would have allowed a Buddhist or Jew to visit.
Yeah. I’m thinking about places where the person at the gate/door says, “This place is for Christians only. I’m gonna need to see your baptismal certificate or a letter from your pastor before you can come in.”
Even those monasteries which are normally closed to visitors will welcome workmen - and when the lights aren’t working, the nuns won’t be particularly worried about the denomination or lack thereof of the electrician. The right of refuge applies to everybody, as well.
I know that Mt. Athos is closed to women, but can’t think of any Christian location which is specifically and under any circumstances closed to “heretics and unbelievers”.
There used to be a prohibition on non-Catholics behind the altar at churches (and even Catholic laity needed a pretty compelling reason to be up there), but this may have loosened up in the past 40 years.
Going by my church when I was a kid, they don;t really care anymore. I am 29 now, and as a kid my CCD class was doing a play in the church, and the area in front and behind the alter was the stage. If they let kids fart around behind the alter, I don;t think they care much.
CCD classes are Catholic faith formation and youth instruction classes. Sunday school but during the week, usually at night and for middle schoolers and up.
Quick: which C stands for Catholic? “Confraternity of Christian Doctrine” Huh?
Nitpick/anecdote: what we called CCD was pretty much Sunday School for me. It was during Mass, for the first 3/4ish, then we were released to sit with parents.
I went to Catholic schools, so I din’t have to do CCD, but I’m pretty sure they start well before middle school. That is where you would receive instruction to receive your First Communion, which is usually in 2nd grade (or at least that’s when it was done when I was a kid).
Yes, and they are also closed to Mormons who don’t have the right papers (i.e. a “Temple Recommend”, which you can get denied if you are in gross sin or haven’t paid a proper tithe). In fact, I mentioned this in my OP.
I will say that this is within a broad scope interpretation of my question, but I’m more interested in places where the criteria is more just being a member of the faith or not. I’m guessing that, other than LDS, the only mainstream Christian groups that I would see doing this are Catholics and Orthodox.
Mt. Athos was a good thought - I had heard of it in the past but didn’t think of it during my OP. The thing about no women though changes the situation slightly. Thanks though, it is a good response.
There were a lot of them in the past. In cities throughout Spain during the Spanish Inquisition - such as Valencia - Jews and Muslims were ordered to convert to Christianity or leave the country. Even those who converted were often still oppressed or killed if they were suspected of only pretending. A number of the other inquisitions imposed similar rules throughout Europe over the centuries.
