Trying to find a church home

[ntchristian]

No!

In that case, what would you do?

 

[Particular]

That makes sense.

The wonderful thing is that I can find some great sermons being streamed online. I can be blessed by wonderful teaching while fellowshipping with friends around me.

 

[utilyan]

May I ask what denomination you are a member of?

I'm Catholic.

 

[Rob_BW]

I think that is quite a good suggestion. But what about major doctrinal differences, even if only a few of them? For example, what if you lived in a community of Roman Catholics, or Lutherans, or any other that you had major differences with? Could you become a part of that?

Well, if I was stuck on an island...

I'd have no problem hanging out with the Lutherans. If it was just Catholics, I'd probably skip Mass and maybe see if they had any weekly Bible study.

I'm actually in basically a desert island now. The baptist chaplain is not my flavor of baptist at all. So I've been attending a Sunday service run by a Lutheran & Anglican, and attending the Anglican's Bible study on Fridays.

 

[ntchristian]

Actually the only major doctrinal difference I have with the believers' only baptism churches is the atonement. And maybe if they would allow me to maintain my belief on that, I wouldn't have a problem becoming a member.

I must say, since I have begun this journey away from Orthodoxy and toward the believers' baptism churches, I have found it curiously odd that the Protestant Reformers did not really reform such a major doctrine as the atonement, that they instead enhanced the Roman Catholic doctrine and made it much worse even, instead of returning to the early church view as held in Orthodoxy. I bet most Protestants are not even aware of this fact.

Does anyone know if there are Protestant groups who hold the same view of the atonement that Orthodoxy does? I haven't been able to find any in my reading.

 

[ntchristian]

I'm Catholic.

Roman Catholic?

 

[utilyan]

Actually the only major doctrinal difference I have with the believers' only baptism churches is the atonement. And maybe if they would allow me to maintain my belief on that, I wouldn't have a problem becoming a member.

I must say, since I have begun this journey away from Orthodoxy and toward the believers' baptism churches, I have found it curiously odd that the Protestant Reformers did not really reform such a major doctrine as the atonement, that they instead enhanced the Roman Catholic doctrine and made it much worse even, instead of returning to the early church view as held in Orthodoxy. I bet most Protestants are not even aware of this fact.

Does anyone know if there are Protestant groups who hold the same view of the atonement that Orthodoxy does? I haven't been able to find any in my reading.

NT, you never made clear your view of ransom. Who is getting paid "a ransom".

Cause some orthodox got their own versions close to penal like The Recapitulation Theory. More of God the Doctor than Volcano god.

Most folks on this board subscribe to God is so ticked off with humanity he needs to let off his steam in the sadistic pleasure of torturing his son and pouring out his wrath on Jesus.

 

[utilyan]

Roman Catholic?

Yeah. We don't call ourselves Roman Catholic unless maybe your a catholic from Rome.

 

[Rob_BW]

Satisfying the justice inherent in God's being seems to make more sense then paying off the devil.

Or if we take the more modern view, and decline to say who the ransom was paid to, then it hardly differs much from penal substitution, that I can see.

 

[utilyan]

Satisfying the justice inherent in God's being seems to make more sense then paying off the devil.

Or if we take the more modern view, and decline to say who the ransom was paid to, then it hardly differs much from penal substitution, that I can see.

Wouldn't that make "Justice" Actually God , Since the other is forced to subordinate?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

May I ask what denomination you are a member of?

He is a Catholic

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Yeah. We don't call ourselves Roman Catholic unless maybe your a catholic from Rome.

What about the authority of the pope and cardinals and bishops? Do you follow that hierarchy?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

In that case, what would you do?

Go back to a radical faith.

 

[ntchristian]

Yeah. We don't call ourselves Roman Catholic unless maybe your a catholic from Rome.

No offense intended. There are Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-rite Catholic Churches.

 

[utilyan]

No offense intended. There are Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-rite Catholic Churches.

Non-taken. Orthodox Catholic churches very warm and pretty.

 

[Yeshua1]

I was born, baptized, and raised in the Eastern Orthodox faith. However, within the past year, I have become convinced of believers'-only baptism. I have also come to disbelieve apostolic succession and now hold that the local church is an independent body whose officers should be pastor and deacon, as in the churches of the New Testament.

Also, I have moved from the part of my state where there were several Orthodox churches, to a very rural place where there are none. So, even if I could remain Orthodox, I would have no place to go to church. There are a few Roman Catholic churches in this part of the state, but the Roman Catholic Church is not an option for me.

I feel I am close to the Baptists, and there are many churches near me, but I have a few concerns. First, I am not a cessationist where the spiritual gifts are concerned, but neither am I a classic Pentecostal or even charismatic. I think my views are closest to John Wimber's Vineyard Churches, who believe that baptism of the Holy Spirit happens at conversion but that the gifts may be given or manifested later, and that tongues is not the initial evidence of Holy Spirit baptism. They also reject the Word of Faith doctrines.

If there was a Vineyard Church close to me, I would most likely join, but there isn't. I was wondering if the Vineyard's views as I have stated above could be held within a Baptist church. I think they could, from what I have read and from some people I have talked to, but I wanted to ask the members here.

My choices for believers'-only baptism churches where I live are Baptists, Pentecostals, charismatics, and non-denominational churches, which are also Pentecostal or charismatic. Oh, and Churches of Christ, but I love instrumental music, so i don't think I could join a Church of Christ. That may seem petty, I don't know.

So, it seems my best fit would probably be Baptist, and there are plenty here to choose from, but what about my views on spiritual gifts? Would that be a barrier for me in a Baptist church?

Thanks to everyone who posts comments!

Depends on how much you are into modern spiritual gifts, as many here like myself would say that the sign gifts such as healings and prophecy giving forth divine revelations orally now ceased, but that God can still heal when He so chooses, and can still lead and guide us thru scriptures and others and circumstances!

 

[ntchristian]

Depends on how much you are into modern spiritual gifts, as many here like myself would say that the sign gifts such as healings and prophecy giving forth divine revelations orally now ceased, but that God can still heal when He so chooses, and can still lead and guide us thru scriptures and others and circumstances!

I don't see any basis in scripture for believing that healing has ceased or should cease. Do you? If so, point it out, please.

 

[ntchristian]

Non-taken. Orthodox Catholic churches very warm and pretty.

From reading your posts, it seems that your view of the atonement is close to mine, which is also the Orthodox view. But the RCC holds to the Satisfaction theory, doesn't it? That theory is the one upon which penal substitution was founded and expanded. As a Roman Catholic, aren't you required to hold the Satisfaction view?

 

[Steve Allen]

@ntchristian It seems to me that if atonement theory as taught in the Orthodox Church is "of central importance to [you]", and no one else teaches it that way, then you should remain Orthodox, and discuss your misgivings regarding the baptismal practices (as well as any other doctrine) with your spiritual father.

 

[ntchristian]

@ntchristian It seems to me that if atonement theory as taught in the Orthodox Church is "of central importance to [you]", and no one else teaches it that way, then you should remain Orthodox, and discuss your misgivings regarding the baptismal practices (as well as any other doctrine) with your spiritual father.

Early on, I considered doing that. But as I studied over the years, it became increasingly clear to me that there were just too many Orthodox doctrines that I could not accept. If something contradicts with scripture, I must go with scripture, and I found too many man-made traditions in Orthodoxy. I found the same in paedobaptist Protestants, too. So, the atonement is of central importance to me, yes, but it is not the only important doctrine. If I can find a place where I can hold my view of atonement and that church is close to New Testament doctrine, polity, and practice, that's where I'll go. I think my views are somewhere between Baptist and Pentecostal, and I'm leaning toward Baptist at this point.