Conservative/Fundamental/Evangelical wing:
(e.g. Southern Baptists and Assemblies of God
1. They generally believe in historical Christian doctrines, such as:
2. The inerrancy of the Bible.
3. The Bible not only contains the Word of God, it is the Word of God; God inspired the individual authors to prevent them from error.
4. The virgin conception of Jesus.
5. Jesus led a sinless life while on earth.
6. Satan is a very powerful and all-evil presence in the world. He possesses many supernatural powers.
*7. Salvation is not achieved by doing good works. Only those who have trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior will be "born again," be saved and go to heaven after death.
*8. Hell exists as a place of eternal punishment for the unsaved.
*9. The rapture and the return of Christ to earth is imminent.
10.Creation science: that the universe was created by God less than 10,000 years ago.
11. Feel a strong obligation to evangelize: to share their religious beliefs with those who are not saved, in order to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
12. Are strongly opposed to women having access to abortion.
13. Regard homosexuality as a chosen, changeable, sinful behavior, condemned by God. They often reject sexually- active homosexuals as church members, and certainly as clergy.
14. They actively oppose and condemn any action to give gays and lesbians equal human rights to heterosexuals -- particularly the right to marry.
15. Conservative faith groups and para-church organizations often recommend that their members vote for political candidates on the basis of their rejection of free abortion access and equal rights for gays and lesbians.
Mainline denominations have gradually become more inclusive. Decades ago, they fought over the issue of equality of women. This was settled by allowing women to be ordained, and to hold positions of power in the denomination. Current conflicts deal mainly with human sexuality -- particularly sexual orientation.
Many people tend to view the Christian world in terms of "us ". e.g. "there is my denomination, and then there are all the other faith groups that consider themselves to be Christian ."(1) For example, a Fundamentalist or other Evangelical Christian might believe that his/her faith group represents true Christianity. She/he might consider non-conservative denominations, grouped together, as non-Christian, heretical Christian, quasi-Christian, false Christian etc.
Similarly, (2)a liberal Christian might lump together Fundamentalists, Pentecostals, Charismatics and other Evangelicals as a single group without differentiating among them. Contributing to this view of Christianity is the public's general lack of knowledge of other denominations within their religion, and an inability to differentiate among those faith groups which are very different from their own.
Reference:
"America’s Christian Commitment Has Remained Relatively Stable for the Past Decade," Barna Research Online, at: http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/
J. Gordon Melton, Ed, "The Encyclopedia of American Religions: A Comprehensive Study of the Major Religious Groups in the United States and Canada," 3 volume set, Triumph Books, New York, NY, (1989)
Borgna Brunner, Editor, "Time Almanac 2002 with Information Please®," Page 436.
1997 to 2003 incl. by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.
Last update: 2003-JUN-22
Author: B.A. Robinson
FOOTNOTE:
*JW's,LDS,All Bible Students,Second Adventists & Catholic would agree with all points except: points#7, 8, and #9. LDS and JWs do believe that salvation is achieved by doing good works...going "door-to-door". However LDS believe in reaching the third and highest relm of heaven, while JW's believe in eternal life upon this restored earth.
The Catholic Church offically changed it's view on hell from an eternal punishment to eternal seperation from God, while JW's believe that hell is merely a mistranslation of the Hebrew word SHEOL which translates into Englsih as "grave", or simply to cease to be foreve, as do Second Adventists and all Bible Students groups. JWs, All Bible Students, Second Adventists and Catholics do NOT believe in a 'Rapture', and I do not think LDS does either.
ALL Evangelical groups, both Protestant and Non would agree on all these...except #15. JW's do not believe in voting period nor getting into politics in any way, nor do the Christadelphians.
