Quote
doulos said:
In my somewhat limited experience with other denominations--having the typical SBC paranoia about "other churches"--I've sort of lumped churches into groups. There's the charismatic bunch which I wouldn't touch with a hot poker. And there's the "Reformed" group which to me consists of Prebyterians and Lutherans, etc. I'm not sure just now who's in the etc.

Is the difference in the little things or are there major doctrinal issues that divide the reformed group? (Apparently So. Baptist used to be this way too.)

Just curious...

Lutherans have some significant differences from Reformed churches. Lutherans deny a limited atonement (and thus reprobation), and they have a more "Catholic" understanding of the sacraments, e.g., Jesus' body and blood is present with the bread and wine in communion, and baptism produces regeneration (which can be lost if the baptized doesn't continue in faith). For these reasons they are typically classified separately from the Reformed churches.

Within the Reformed churches, I'm not sure of all of the differences. I think the continental Reformed (e.g., Dutch Reformed, German Reformed, etc.) tend toward presumptive regeneration of baptized children? I'm not certain. I'm not aware of any significant theological differences. You can compare, for example, the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, Heidelberg Catechism) and the Westminster Standards (Westminster Confession, Larger and Shorter Catechisms) and they are very much in harmony.

The differences start to come up when you consider the Congregationalists and (Particular/Regular/Reformed) Baptists. In the case of the Congregationalists, the difference is one of polity. And with the Baptists, there differences are polity as well as the sacraments, especially baptism, of course. But both the Savoy Declaration (Congregationalist) and the London Confession (which is the basis for the Philadelphia Confession which I understand the first SBC churches held) are dependent on the Westminster Confession.

Kyle

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.