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Returning Christian...complicated...which church?

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Truth_Faith13

Active Member
Hi all :)

I am not new to these forums as such but its been a few years and I can't remember my log in details or original email account I used (I change my email address a lot!) so here I am back under a new name so hello!

Apologies if this turns into a long first post, I have a habit of rambling...brief history...I first came here investigating religion, found Mormonism, left Mormonism and now I am Christian currently attending an evangelical church...it's a lovely church and I have my friends however since getting married and planning on children in the near future, I find myself questioning whether its the place I want to raise my kids...

First point I want to have my children christened but being evangelical they don't believe in infant baptism (personally the jury is still out on that topic but I am more inclined towards infant baptism)

I can't seem to find a church I feel agrees with my interpretation of certain issues/points..

Anglican/Church of England - married here, however most only have an attendance of 3 over 70s (nothing against the over 70s) and have female vicars (I don't agree with women in church leadership). I do enjoy the liturgy as part of the service though. Found one in my area which has a band and more modern worship however was maybe a little too modern...(as in on the floor, stomping around room....hand raising is as far modern as I go)

Catholic - lots of history. No women leaders, has the liturgy but no modern worship at all, I'm not sure i agree with the whole no birth control at all issue, their bishops/priests aren't allowed to marry even though Jesus talks of a husband managing his household being connected to church leadership, beautiful buildings though (I know that probably shouldn't be a factor :eek: ). Don't agree with the pope being infallible but I do agree with church structure.

Evangelical I have made a lot of friends but that's not a reason to go to church. Obviously infant baptism/believers baptism is the main issue, I sometimes miss the more structural liturgy of Anglican/catholic churches (I've never been to a Catholic Church but attended a school for a time so have attended mass)

I don't know if I'm just getting myself into a twist, the more I research the more questions I come across...

Open/closed communion and how often
Style of worship
Leadership structure
Infant baptism/adult baptism etc etc

All I know for certain is I accept Jesus as saviour and I don't think women should be in leadership and I would like to be in a church that holds other activities like music/toddlers etc for when I have kids....oh and I enjoy both liturgy and more modern worship :)

:help:
 
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Truth_Faith13

Active Member
Thirza Fallen said:
Hi! Maybe a Lutheran or Methodist church would fit you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for suggestions....we don't actually have a Lutheran church near me (im not sure there are many in the UK) and Methodists accept women vicars.

Ill probably struggle to find a church where I completely agree with everything...there are parts of every denomination I accept...probably just need to do more study and maybe change some of my views. :facepalm:
 
Saint Frankenstein

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
Welcome. :)

If you enjoy traditional liturgy, don't believe in women being in leadership positions, enjoy the beauty of Catholic aesthetics but don't agree with papal infallibility,the teachings on birth control (to be fair, I don't agree with the Church's ban on artificial control myself and most Catholics don't, but that's another topic) or celibate priesthood, then maybe you should look into Orthodoxy. They allow priests to marry (but not bishops).
 
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Truth_Faith13

Active Member
saint_frankenstein said:
Welcome. :)

If you enjoy traditional liturgy, don't believe in women being in leadership positions, enjoy the beauty of Catholic aesthetics but don't agree with papal infallibility,the teachings on birth control (to be fair, I don't agree with the Church's ban on artificial control myself and most Catholics don't, but that's another topic) or celibate priesthood, then maybe you should look into Orthodoxy. They allow priests to marry (but not bishops).
Click to expand...

Thanks, I haven't fully decided on papal infallibility - I'm open to change on that one I just dont fully understand its roots/origins at moment.

Is the ban on birth control a doctrine or cultural issue? If the pope is infallible and most catholics don't agree with one of the church's teachings - that would mean the pope isn't infallible?

Or am I misunderstanding something? :confused:
 
Saint Frankenstein

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
Truth_Faith13 said:
Thanks, I haven't fully decided on papal infallibility - I'm open to change on that one I just dont fully understand its roots/origins at moment.

Is the ban on birth control a doctrine or cultural issue? If the pope is infallible and most catholics don't agree with one of the church's teachings - that would mean the pope isn't infallible?

Or am I misunderstanding something? :confused:
Click to expand...

There's a big divide in the West between the laity (including some clergy and theologians) and the Church hierarchy on the issue of sexual ethics. Most lay Catholics in the West tend to ignore the Vatican's teachings on sexual morality. Most of them, or a great proportion of them, have no issues with birth control, LGBT rights, women priests and tend to be more moderate when it comes to abortion. The Vatican says that it can't change those teachings, but most Catholics aren't paying any attention to it, anyway. It remains to be seen what the result of this conflict will be.

As for me, personally? I'm a pretty progressive person. I accept Catholic theology - the Faith - but I disagree on some of the Vatican's social stances. A lot of it is reactionary and needs to be carefully reviewed for it's relation to reality (I simply think that the Vatican's teachings about sexual matters are unrealistic). I think that the Church hierarchy needs to listen to the needs, wants and concerns of the laity more. Pope Francis is trying to get the clergy to pay more attention to the laity and hopefully he will make headway with that.

Oh, and I gave you a couple of links in your thread in the Catholic DIR.
 
A

angellous_evangellous

Guest
I suggest this: find a church that you can worship with and go from there. All of the mainline churches have different strengths and weaknesses, but you can look over all that if you experience God there.
 
Treks

Treks

Well-Known Member
Welcome.

Just out of curiosity, why don't you accept women in leadership positions in the church?

Just curious, you don't have to answer if you don't want to.
 
T

Truth_Faith13

Active Member
Treks said:
Welcome.

Just out of curiosity, why don't you accept women in leadership positions in the church?

Just curious, you don't have to answer if you don't want to.
Click to expand...

I can understand both sides of the argument and where each side gets there points however for me the bible very clearly talks of men being in leadership (all the apostles were male, it speaks of overseers having wives and being able to look after their households before leading a church)...not to say women are inferior, there are a lot of very strong women in the bible.
 
Watchmen

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Would you ever consider attending a Mormon service . . . just once . . . to see what it was like?
 
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