# Are there churches that really have NO identity more specific than "Christian"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619 "2012-12-31T01:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/41 "2012-12-31T20:56:34Z")
I do think there is a distinction to be made between non-denominational Protestant, and those churches that explicitly reject both the entire Protestant and Catholic traditions in favor of their own interpretation of what the original church was like. Non-denominational Protestant are often extremely mainstream: they are non-denominational because they don’t take a firm stand on any, or at least many, of the various points of contention between various flavors of Protestant. Mega-churches are often like this. The other type of non-denominational–“We alone, of all the churches in all the world, are true follows of Christ as are called to be in the Gospel” churches are not mainstream at all, and usually have very firm positions on all points of contention in terms of biblical interpretation. They aren’t part of any denomination because no one else gets it exactly right. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/42 "2012-12-31T21:46:36Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Or, as an ELCA minister told me when we were looking for a church, “We’re the \*\*\*fun \*\*\*Lutherans.” > > Of course, that may just have meant they put Cheetos in their hotdish. Now if they were _really_ fun, they’d put pot in their brownies. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/43 "2012-12-31T21:54:51Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Or, as an ELCA minister told me when we were looking for a church, “We’re the \*\*\*fun \*\*\*Lutherans.” > > Of course, that may just have meant they put Cheetos in their hotdish. Awesome. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/44 "2012-12-31T21:57:13Z")
The Stowe Community Church in Stowe, Vermont, is not affiliated with any denomination. As I understand it (I am not a member), it is one of about a hundred independent Christian churches nationwide. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/45 "2012-12-31T23:23:17Z")
Emo Phillips demonstrated the Christian differences once: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BDmeqSzvIFs/hqdefault.jpg "Emo Philips - Golden gate bridge (1987, official sub ita)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDmeqSzvIFs) Not an answer to OP’s question, I know. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/46 "2013-01-01T05:01:34Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Emo Phillips demonstrated the Christian differences once: > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDmeqSzvIFs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDmeqSzvIFs) > Not an answer to OP’s question, I know. We are all so tribal. I was brought up Catholic but I went to a ELCA Lutheran Sunday School because, unlike my radical Catholic parish which sort-of let us be, my friend went to Sunday School regularly. They were curious about the church but, being a kid without religious schooling, I couldn’t answer their questions very well. Their church had most of the same elements as mine but they were a bit more casual about the whole service. I’ve seen similar at Episcopalian and Presbyterian services. A friend who was Wisconsin-synod was told by his father that he could not remain friends with me because, being Catholic, I was evil. Got that? Another friend got the same lecture from her conservative Baptist father (a classmate told her dad she was consorting with Catholics). Weird stuff. Basically though, I see many Christian churches (including Catholics and Orthodox) as very similar. Most are about community more than about our specific beliefs. The beliefs are important, but the community is more so. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/47 "2013-01-02T21:06:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > On the other side of the coin, though, Lutherans hold a position which is at least compatible with Catholics concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and follow the same tradition of Apostolic Succession, both of which are absent in many other denominations. I went to a Catholic elementary school, and in religion classes was told the Eucharist _is_, literally, the body of Christ. Basically, transubstantiation; the wafer changes into the body of Christ. Even though it still has the form of a wafer, it’s no longer bread; you’re chowing down on Jesus himself. Lutherans are a step down from that, believing that Christ is present in the Eucharist. A communion wafer is still bread, but it’s the body of Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/48 "2013-01-03T00:33:40Z")
It’s my understanding that the Lutheran churches as a whole take no position on the question of the substance of the Eucharist, and that individual members are free to believe in transubstantiation. That’s what I meant when I said that the position is compatible with the Catholic position. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/49 "2013-01-03T00:52:54Z")
A comic I like says that non-denominational churches are usually (Southern) Baptist churches with a cool website, which matches my experience. To translate, that means that their services are like that of a Baptist, and they have a large youth focus. Okay, to be more specific, they usually don’t have any real liturgy, which rules out Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc. How can they have one if they don’t belong to a denomination? So that really leaves Baptist and the more modern day denominations. But the modern day ones all push speaking in tongues or similar, while most of these churches are more charismatic (i.e., they get wild but no tongue talking). Those two restrictions pretty much leaves them with Baptist. Now, belief-wise, they may disagree with Baptist theology. In fact, most don’t believe one of the main tenets of Baptist theology: Eternal Security–the belief that, once you are “saved”, you are that way forever. But the church is run more like a charismatic, modern-themed Baptist church than anything else. Also, Manda JO, I’d call those churches you refer to as their own denominations. Every one of them I’ve met has a name for their denomination, even if their church is the only member. Yeah, the name is often something generic like “The True Christians” or “Christ’s followers,” but it’s still a name. And, honestly, most of the things people fight over are so small and insignificant when you think about it. So you think that the Eucharist literally turns into the body and blood of Christ. You still take it just like everyone else. What does it matter if I think it doesn’t? Does it affect my salvation? Most say no. So why get in a fight about it? Even worse are the ones that can both be true, like the different between my denomination, the Assemblies of God, and the Pentecostal denomination. You know what the main difference is, theologically? One of us believes God is one being that has three distinct persons. The other believes that God is all three of those persons, but all those persons are the same. Why in the world can’t it be both? ---
**Author:** ![MsBatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@MsBatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsBatt)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/50 "2013-01-03T02:17:46Z")
Members of the Church of Christ self-identify only as Christians, as opposed to Baptists who self-identify as Baptists, Methodists who self-identify as Methodists, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/51 "2013-01-03T05:54:47Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > If they do not belong to some larger denominational organization, they are a denomination unto themselves, following the SNIP theological views of their particular pastor (or whatever he or she calls himself). That’s brilliant. Thank you for that. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/52 "2013-01-03T06:07:04Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > How common are PowerPoint slides in churches? If there is PowerPoint it’s not a church, it’s hell. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/53 "2013-01-03T06:15:45Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I took the [test](http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx) at beliefnet some years back. The top rating for me was a generic liberal Protestant. At the bottom of the list was Roman Catholic. That was _below_ Mormonism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc. > > Roman Catholics and Protestants are not as similar as one might think. Tried to use that, it just attempted to sign me up for newsletters, no link to an actual quiz. That’s a shame, sounded neat. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/54 "2013-01-03T06:25:39Z")
Well if [Bill O’Reilly](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s7IUZ-CCo4) is to be believed (and why not?), a premise such as the one in the OP is simply impossible. Churches are religious; Christianity is philosophical. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/55 "2013-01-03T07:11:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > More likely, I’m influenced by my current position: I’m a Catholic, and on the points which Catholics consider important, Lutherans and Catholics are fairly closely aligned (Catholics and Anglicans even more so, but that’s not one of the denominations **Musicat** mentioned). But it occurs to me that other denominations probably consider other points more important, and I’m not sure where Lutherans fall on those. Well, IME many Protestants misunderstand Catholic positions a lot (cf any of the threads about infalibility in these same boards), and many are ambiguous in their own positions, for example: > [@elmwood](#): > > Some Lutheran churches may be named after saints, but Lutherans have no concept of sainthood… which I also suspect includes a misunderstanding of the RCC’s concept of sainthood. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619/56 "2013-01-03T14:24:17Z")
Yeah, fundamentally, the RCC concept of sainthood is just “some people are in Heaven”, a point that very few Christians would dispute. Of course, to be fair, a great many Catholics misunderstand the Church’s concept of sainthood, too, so one can hardly blame non-Catholics for making the same mistakes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-churches-that-really-have-no-identity-more-specific-than-christian/645619.md?page=2)