Posted on 06/21/2007 6:57:50 AM PDT by DBCJR
Doubts continue to swirl over Fred Thompson's faith ... Thompson shot back that he's not only a Christian, but a member of the fundamentalist Churches of Christ.
...Professor Mark Elrod of Harding University said he doubts Thompson is "filling out an attendance card at a Church of Christ on Sundays." ...he hasn't been able to find any information regarding the former senator's actual membership... "In our tradition," Elrod said, "that's called 'being out of fellowship' or a 'lapsed member.'"
... WND has learned Thompson was baptized into Christ in the early 1950s at the First Street Church of Christ in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
His mother, Ruth Thompson, regularly attends the Brentwood Church of Christ near Nashville... Fred Thompson is known to worship there when he visits his mother.
In 1997, Thompson spoke at a fund-raising event at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn. – another college affiliated with the Churches of Christ – where he was presented with a Bible. He and his parents have set up academic scholarships in their names there.
...
According to a spokesman for Focus on the Family, Dobson had not not meant to disparage Thompson and was simply "attempting to highlight that to the best of his knowledge, Sen. Thompson hadn't clearly communicated his religious faith, and many evangelical Christians might find this a barrier to supporting him."
Dobson told reporter Dan Gilgoff he had never met Thompson ...
Thompson and his first wife, Sara Lindsey, divorced in 1985. The Church of Christ frowns on divorce, and believes only "fornication," or sexual infidelity, can be grounds for divorce and remarriage.
In 2002, Thompson and second wife, Jeri Kehn, were married in the liberal United Church of Christ, not the ultra-conservative Churches of Christ to which Thompson claims to belong.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
John Edwards is a United Methodist.
What you said! (I really oughta read the whole thread before I post . . .)
See #32, it was automatic.
They are not traditional 4th century Christians. Their views are more in tune with 1st century Christianity. 1st Century Christians are not traditional Christians either because the tradition did not start until 4th century.
Which obviously means that Fred Thompson's name is mud in my book and, if he thinks I'm going to vote for such a bald-faced heretic as himself, he'd just better think again. (/SARC!!!)
neither am I particularly but I go for my kids and I believe strongly.
church doesn't make a Chrisitan ...acceptance does.
Everybody gets to make their own rules, who's to say who's right?
Christian tradition started with Jesus and went from there.
Divide and conquer
!st century Christianity was based on gold plates allegedly found in a backyard in upstate New York eighteen hundred years in the future?
Wow.
But if we all point out to eachother something we see the other doing wrong that will help keep us accountable and we help eachother along. Encouragement.
I'm not a Mormon, but I don't believe in the doctrine of original sin, either, since I can't find it in my Bible.
bump
The extrapolation of the Trinity doctrine was not available until the 4th century, so how could anyone before that know the in and outs of that doctrine.? It required a massive amount of discussion and fits and starts.
I would simply say that any Christians who make their own rules would be wise to bump them up against scripture to see how they fare.
The original "Evangelical prof" wrote the information in a blog, and WND picked it up as totally serious. You need to read the Harding University professor's original March blog post - http://www.markaelrod.net/2007/03/29/the-i-saw-fred-thompson-at-a-church-of-christ-challenge and his June post directed to readers of WND - http://www.markaelrod.net/2007/06/11/for-readers-of-worldnetdaily
The church of Christ is not the same as the United Church of Christ (Obama's church), nor is it the same as the International Church of Christ (which has been proven to be a cult). The United Church of Christ appears to this outsider as if it has the basic philosophy of believe whatever you want and come worship with us. The church of Christ believes the scripture is the inspired word of God, the old law died with Christ's crucification on the cross, immersion is required for salvation, and that man should neither add to nor take from the word of God. Their goal is to follow the pattern set forth for New Testament Christianity as closely as possible.
What is the Nicene Creed? What does saying it do for you? Are these words that you recite? I am not familiar with this.
I said doctrine “views”.
Acceptance does? Depends on what it is. There are plenty of things Christians and God do not accept.
Professor Mark Elrod of Harding University said he doubts Thompson is “filling out an attendance card at a Church of Christ on Sundays.” ...he hasn’t been able to find any information regarding the former senator’s actual membership... “In our tradition,” Elrod said, “that’s called ‘being out of fellowship’ or a ‘lapsed member.’”
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The first thing I thought was how does this guy know whether or not Fred attends....seems like someone is trying to make a point, they aren’t very subtle are they?
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