Chapter 19: Sort of Christians
There are many different opinions about which religious groups are Christian and which are not and who can identify as being Christian. For example, many Conservative Christians would say that I am not a Christian since I do not accept the legitimacy of the Apostle's Creed among other things. I self-identify as a Follower of Jesus or a Follower of the Way.
There are two large groups that self-identify as Christian that are seen by many Christians as not Christian. These are the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. There are many others who face judgement like this.
The Roman Catholic church at one time saw all other churches as not legitimately Christian. There are many Protestants who do not see the Roman Catholic Church as legitimately Christian.
Today, many progressive and liberal Christians resist recognizing some evangelical Conservative Christians as Christians because of the ways they diverge from the life and teachings of Jesus.
To me, Christian is a term invented by the Romans to identify the followers of Jesus and has come to mean almost nothing. It is also not our place to judge the legitimacy of others. We can evaluate them, but without a claim to judge them in the name of God. If we criticize others in terms of faith and action on religious grounds, we need to do this with specific reference to the Bible or creeds and why we make that criticism.
There are many different opinions about which religious groups are Christian and which are not and who can identify as being Christian. For example, many Conservative Christians would say that I am not a Christian since I do not accept the legitimacy of the Apostle's Creed among other things. I self-identify as a Follower of Jesus or a Follower of the Way.
There are two large groups that self-identify as Christian that are seen by many Christians as not Christian. These are the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. There are many others who face judgement like this.
The Roman Catholic church at one time saw all other churches as not legitimately Christian. There are many Protestants who do not see the Roman Catholic Church as legitimately Christian.
Today, many progressive and liberal Christians resist recognizing some evangelical Conservative Christians as Christians because of the ways they diverge from the life and teachings of Jesus.
To me, Christian is a term invented by the Romans to identify the followers of Jesus and has come to mean almost nothing. It is also not our place to judge the legitimacy of others. We can evaluate them, but without a claim to judge them in the name of God. If we criticize others in terms of faith and action on religious grounds, we need to do this with specific reference to the Bible or creeds and why we make that criticism.
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