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ORIGINS OF WESLEYAN ARMINIANISM
James Arminius regarded himself, not as an Arminian, but as a moderate Calvinist. At the beginning of the 17th century he tried to correct what he regarded as the exaggerations of Calvin’s view by the strictest Calvinists of his day. He took issue especially with limited atonement and double predestination. However, when doing this, he fell into the opposite trap of granting to man power to cooperate in his conversion. Arminius himself probably would not have been able to accept full-blown “Arminianism” as it was developed out of the work of Wesley in the 18th century. It is this Wesleyan Arminianism which has characterized much of American Protestantism, especially Methodists and most Baptists.

SOURCE: Brug, John F. The Lutheran Doctrine of Sanctification and Its Rivals. p, 197,198
Summer, 2004. WLQ, Vol. 101, No. 3

NEW TOPIC

ORIGIN OF 'ROMAN' CATHOLIC NOMENCLATURE
The Roman Catholic Church is called “Roman” because it is one of many catholic churches. For example, there is a Polish National Catholic Church. There is an Old Catholic Church. There are members of the Anglican Church who regard themselves as “Anglo Catholics.” There are other churches that regard themselves as “catholic” without accepting the pope as the head of the Church. Lutheran churches regard themselves as “catholic” in the sense that they believe and teach what the Bible and the ancient creeds (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian) of the Church teach.

In 1054, at the time of the Schism with the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Rome declared itself to be the true catholic church. It repeated that claim at the time of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. Churches that do not believe that the Church of Rome is the only truly catholic church, or that the pope is Christ’s vicar on earth have called it the Roman Catholic Church since the early 17th century. The Catholic Encyclopedia recognizes the name “Roman Catholic” as legitimate.

Roman Catholic
November 17, 2006. WELS Q & A – Origin of the Name – Roman Catholic

NEW TOPIC! Yeah!

1) CHURCHES OF CHRIST: DESCRIPTION (History and teachings compared to Wisconsin Synod Lutherans)
The Churches of Christ are independent congregations. They are not technically a denomination, but a fellowship or association. There is interaction and cooperation among the congregations in lectureships, journals, and colleges or universities.

The Churches of Christ have their origin in the Restoration Movement of the 19th century. This movement attempted to restore primitive Christianity by rejecting what the movement’s founders considered to be the false accretions of history. The Churches of Christ (Non-Instrumental), for example, reject instrumental music in worship. Like the other churches of the Restoration Movement the Churches of Christ are decidedly non-creedal, rejecting confessions of faith and creeds, which they claim divide the church.

Although the Churches of Christ believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the sole authority for the church, it is difficult to make a doctrinal comparison with what our synod teaches because they refuse to publish a confession of faith... The Churches of Christ deny infant baptism and the real presence, and practice open communion. We also believe in the importance of creeds and confessions; the Churches of Christ reject them. Lutherans are liturgical; the Churches of Christ are not.

SOURCE: WELS Q&A – Religion/Other Religions/Church of Christ. wels.net

2) SUMMARY OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
The United Church of Christ (UCC) was formed in 1957 by the union of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. It is basically a Reformed (Calvinistic) church body, but to tie down specifics in doctrine among its members is often a challenge. It loves diversity and allows for differing, even contradictory, beliefs among its members in many matters. In the UCC creeds, confessions, and affirmations of faith function as “testimonies to faith” rather than as “tests of faith” that require doctrinal consent and agreement (these are their terms). For example, on their official website they list both Luther’s Small Catechism (1529) and the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) as creedal statements, although on the Lord’s Supper and other points these statements are in opposition to each other.

SOURCE: United Church of Christ & The Lord’s Supper
October 5, 2006. WELS Q & A – Other Religions

Comment: Yes, creeds are divisive. Jesus made it quite clear that his teachings would divide people. Though he was bringing peace to all mankind - forgiveness before our Father in heaven, he directs us back to faith and submission to the teachings of God. The only reason that all of Christianity is divided is because people refuse to believe this or that portion of God's Word. They prefer their own wisdom over God's. The most obvious sign of this is a rejection of creeds and confession.

If the man who builds his faith on the teachings of Christ is like a man who builds his faith on a rock, how does a faith that rejects being pinned down to specifics compare to a rock? Sounds like sand to me (Matthew 7:21-27).

AMERICAN MENNONITES & SOME HISTORY OF THE ANABAPTISTS

1) AMERICAN MENNONITES INFO.
Mennonites, who number over 340,000 in several denominations—making up 43 percent of all American Anabaptists—may be the most diverse group of all. Some migrated from Germany and Switzerland starting in 1683, while others hail from 19th-century Holland and Russia... Many Mennonites have embraced modern technology and evangelical forms of Protestant Christianity, but fully 30 percent of them hold, in some form, to traditional ways.

Old Order Mennonites, who comprise about 7 percent of the Mennonite population, have many of the marks of Amish traditionalists—rejection of higher education and technology, rural and separatist living. But even Old Orders themselves disagree over whether they can drive cars, and they have thus suffered divisions. On the other end, those belonging to the largest denominational body, the Mennonite Church, construct churches in urban and cosmopolitan areas as well as rural countryside, and few retain any vestiges of plain dress... Other Mennonite bodies include the Mennonite Brethren Church, the Evangelical Mennonite Church, and the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.

Unlike Amish and traditional Brethren, Mennonite men have not traditionally worn beards. They have argued that a beard is a mark of fallen man after Adam’s sin. Others do not wish to be associated with the modern hippy movement, and still others have argued that the beard would associate them with other plain people lacking any spiritual depth. One man simply objected, “Half the sincere Christians I know don’t have beards. They’re women!”

SOURCE: Gertz, Steven. Outsider’s Guide to America’s Anabaptists
Fall 2004. Christian History & Biography

2) DROWNED ANABAPTISTS
…[T]he first zealous Anabaptists (“re-baptizers”—the term of reproof used by their enemies) could not have foreseen the magnitude of the ensuing persecution. The purge would start almost immediately at the hands of their teacher, Zwingli, and the Zurich city council, and by the end of the 16th century would wipe out some 2,500 of their brethren in the Low Countries—by burning, drowning (fitting, felt their persecutors, for those who insisted on baptism by immersion), and cruel tortures.

SOURCE: Armstrong, Chris & Jeff Bach. A People of Conscience
Fall 2004. Christian History. Movements & Traditions

Comment: Thank God that we enjoy religious freedom in this country. We made get angry at other views, but we don't have to worry about anger escalating into violence of the magnitude seen in the past. Religious differences does not override the command, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

NEW TOPIC - ANABAPTISTS

1) AMERICAN AMISH INFO
Conceived in a dispute between Swiss Anabaptist leaders in the 1690s, Jakob Ammann’s following is in many ways the most conservative of the “plain groups.” The Old Order Amish—roughly 180,000 strong or 16 percent of American Anabaptists—spurn motor vehicles, refuse public utilities, educate youth only up through the eighth grade, and meet in homes for worship. Most Amish dress in “plain” or uniform clothing to emphasize order, modesty, and humility in the community. Men are expected to grow beards, while women cover their heads. All of this is governed by the Ordnung, a mostly oral set of behavioral expectations passed down through generations.

But over 15,000 Amish belong to branches (Beachy Amish and Amish Mennonites) that do use public electricity, worship in meetinghouses, and drive automobiles. These separated from the Old Order in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as they accepted mainstream Protestant forms of ministry (missions, Sunday Schools, etc.) and appropriated new technologies.

SOURCE: Gertz, Steven. Outsider’s Guide to America’s Anabaptists
Fall 2004. Christian History & Biography

2) AMERICAN BRETHERN INFO
Bigger yet (than the Amish), and much more “progressive,” are the Brethren, who make up nearly 40 percent of American Anabaptists. Originating in Germany in 1708, Brethren mix Pietist belief and practice with Anabaptist nonconformity and biblical pacifism.

This group tends to be more evangelical and individualistic in its approach to matters of faith and stresses the importance of loving relationships. After baptism, the most significant ritual is the love feast, which brings members together to take communion and enjoy a concentrated time of fellowship (p. 29). Unlike the Amish, contemporary Brethren have few reservations about technology. They place greater responsibility on the individual to refrain from activities that would compromise his or her faith, rather than expecting church leaders to enforce restrictions.

…The Old German Baptist Brethren, the Dunkard Brethren, and the Old Order River Brethren dress plain, but they allow patterned fabrics, and they do not press their children to wear traditional garb if they are unconverted. In these groups Brethren women wear head coverings, but these women have a keen sense of the coverings’ scriptural origins (1 Corinthians 11:5, 13) and wear them as symbols their attitude toward the church body. As one woman explained it, “It’s a point of submission to God, to my husband, and to the community.” Plain dress was abandoned by most of the Church of the Brethren beginning in the 1920s.

SOURCE: Gertz, Steven. Outsider’s Guide to America’s Anabaptists
Fall 2004. Christian History & Biography

Comment: Don't these communities sound just a bit legalistic? missing the Christian freedom of the Bible? There's a difference between following the Ten Commandments and making specific demands on dress. Though I have to admit, looking at what many of our youth wear today - there certainly is an awful lack of modesty.