What Christian [View All]

[donco6]

As most people know, Christianity comes in many varieties - some so disparate that others within the sect deny they're Christian at all. I'm wondering what flavor we have here at DU.

This list is by no means comprehensive, and I may have some errors, but it's pretty close:

Evangelical - Southern Baptists, Church of Christ, Churches of God in Christ, Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, National Baptist Church, National Progressive Baptist Church, and the Presbyterian Church in America. Many theologians would include the *conservative* members of such mainline denominations as the Episcopal Church, USA, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church.

The names of a few American denominations -- for example: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod -- contain the word "Evangelical." However, they are mainline or liberal groups and are not part of the Evangelical movement.

Fundamentalist - Derivatively, a fundamentalist Christian is a Christian who holds the Bible to be infallible, historically accurate, and decisive in all issues of controversy that the Bible is believed to directly address; which was the central issue for which the Christian Fundamentalist movement has contended. Often belong to a Bible Church. Independent Baptists, House Church movement, anything called New Life, lots of Community Churches.

Charismatic - Assemblies of God, Pentacostals, Full Gospel, Foursquare Gospel - basically anyone who speaks in tongues and/or exhibits other visible "gifts of the spirit."

Catholic - In a league of their own.

Mainline Denom - The more liberal strains of Methodist, Lutheran, Congregational, Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc.

Other: The hard-to-place groups, like Jehovah's Witness, Mormons, The Way - basically, any group that claims to be Christian, but who aren't usually welcomed in the other categories listed.