When Denominations Split and Die a Little of the Faith Dies


Leaders, and ordinary church members too, could learn from those, especially sociologists, who study the history of the Christian faith. The pattern is constant and unavoidable. People in denominations eventually disagree and split off. It's as predictable as the sun coming up each morning. Currently, the reason given is homosexuality. Actually, it's just change, any change. If it was not homosexuality, it would be something else. There are the don't change nothin' and the ok this new thing is all right groups.

Some commenters on this blog have said gay people have ruined denominations by demanding gay marriages and that gay pastors can serve. The gay issue has been blamed for several splits. The link suggests disagreements over theology, like "gay is sin", may well not be the problem. The problem instead is simply that factions form within groups. In most churches there may be some Republicans and some Democrats. Wouldn't it be logical for them to fall into conservative and liberal factions on theology? This leads to the conclusion it is not necessarily gay marriage that causes the denomination to split, it just happened to come along--the split was in the works for a long time.

I would wager there has never been a split in a denomination that resulted in denominational growth. Instead some went one direction, some another and some just dropped out. If "spreading the word" in an important tenet, it is not being followed when denominations split. If there is a Satan, he must rejoice at the pampas in churches that drive splits among members.

  



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