“In cases where there are only a few churches of a particular denomination in a city or area, knowing the particular denomination and a FReeper’s general geographic area...”
We will believe then that the various “denominations” are comprised of a few individuals in a geographic area if it comes down to such a discrete identification.
ArmChair, indeed.
“No matter what the denomination of the church, seminary the pastor attended, ordination process, levels of accountability, doctrinal position and fidelity to it that a church has...”
But there are so many! The doctrinal positions vary from one to another: Trinitarian, Anti-Trinitarian, Montanism, Neo-Montanism, and so forth.
“Knowing specific denominations and doctrines is pretty much irrelevant because the fact that it’s not Catholic is enough to condemn it and all in it.”
That’s the cry of “don’t put my doctrine under the microscope for all to see.” Yeah, yeah. It is easier to attack Catholics than expose what one believes and hold THAT up to a mirror.
“It’s set us free from the condemnation that is so pervasive in Catholicism. It’s set us free from obeying all kinds of rules and regulations. It’s set us free from forever striving to be good enough to try to earn our salvation and always being afraid that we’re not good enough and not going to make it.”
People who think this don’t have a clue about Christ’s own church, the Catholic Church. Obligation? To Worship God with all one’s Heart, Mind, Strength.
Done.
I have hope of my salvation in Christ.
The only thing I can do is just have faith that He will give me the Grace to walk daily.
The concept of “Once Saved Always Saved” is a doctrine that is just plain wrong.
Oh, and BTW, not all Protestant denominations believe the Once Saved doctrine. Some baptise in just the name of Christ, among other things.
There are doctrinal differences and certainly more aberrations in the Church-of-the-Arm-Chair variety, but it’s ok.
I will acknowledge the Protestants’ inability to identify their doctrines because it would identify the street on which the discrete church is located.
The issue is not Protestantism as defined as any “Christian” group outside Rome, but those who hold to its historical foundational distinctives, that being the supremacy of Scripture and salvation by grace thru faith, not salvation by grace thru merit (that believers, by their very works sake, may be accounted works of eternal life, ala Rome). And concomitant with this evangelical gospel are the other foundational salvific truths, which are stated in the Nicene Creed.
Virtually all denominations (Southern and Fundamental Baptists, Assembles of God, Calvary Chapels, etc.) hold to the above.And on the pew-level where it counts, they show more unity here and in moral views than Catholics, though both are manifesting declension.
This unity can also be seen by way of contrast with cults and groups they reject, which err in these fundamentals, which is usually due to formally or effectively holding men as a higher authority than the Scriptures. In addition these evangelicals manifest a remarkable transdenominational unity of the Spirit in worship, prayer, and other ministries and gatherings, because they were born again.
And if uniformity of doctrine itself is the key to authenticity, then Rome is no better than single Protestant denominations. And as very little of the Bible has been infallible defined, Catholics themselves have great liberty in interpreting the Bible, and even can disagree somewhat with teachings of the Ordinary and General magisteriums, while a significant both priests and laity disagree with some infallible teachings. They they usually just do not leave Rome neither do they need to, and by this Rome effectually teaches memberships with her what really counts.
Thus Rome’s claim to unity is largely restricted to official statements, and while there sadly is some serious disagreement among evangelicals, so is there such in Rome, even among priests, and which it much tolerates,
Finally, unity based upon salvific truth and its fruits - even with some disagreements - is of a higher quality than unity based on error and its fruits, which Rome overall demonstrably manifests.