How do I become a Protestant?

owenc

pwd wrote: »

As mentioned, it's completely inaccurate that protestants don't believe in a virgin birth. There are a large number of RCs who believe this very strongly for some reason, to the point of disagreeing with actual protestants on the matter. I'm guessing it's been used in protestant-bashing arguments in Ireland or something. The actual difference is just that protestants don't pray to Mary, or to saints, but to the holy trinity only.

Protestants don't have mass, they go to church.

You don't always have the option of taking part in holy communion in all protestant branches. It's not always a part of methodist services at all; some times it is only held occasionally: Methodists often abstain from alcohol completely, or at least be very temperate. When it is held, children are excluded (they can go to Sunday School for the latter part of the service). Protestants believe there is no physical transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of christ, and that it is symbolic, or spiritual only.

Protestants don't consider clergymen to have any special connection with God in the way Catholics believe priests have. You also don't have to be ordained to preach in a protestant service.

Protestants don't have confession.

Probably the most fundamental difference between the faiths is that Protestants generally believe you are saved through faith alone, RCs say it's through faith and good works. There are differences in the branches. Calvinists believe in predestination, for example.

Protestant services generally involve everyone singing more of the time, and not just a choir. They don't have the bit where you say peace be with you. In my experience, the clergymen tend to focus less on reasons why you should give lots to the collection, and more on sermons.

In church of ireland every two weeks in a month the ones in my class were saying the minister gives them biscuits and ribena!:D

johnfás

owenc wrote: »

Can you transfer out of a protestant church?

Yes, with a great deal less formality, in most instances, as compared to the Catholic Church. Generally it simply requires a conversation with the clergyman of whatever church you were baptised and/or confirmed in. Records are kept at a much more local, rather than diocesan, level in the Protestant churches so amendments are easier and less formal. As I understand it, when withdrawing from the Catholic Church one must interact with the diocese.

The reality is that transferring in Protestant churches is not uncommon as people may often move from one Protestant denomination to another owing to a changing family circumstance or moving house to a locality which does not have a certain type of church. For this reason, most clergymen in the Protestant churches are quite used to making such amendments.

owenc

johnfás wrote: »

Yes, with a great deal less formality, in most instances, as compared to the Catholic Church. Generally it simply requires a conversation with the clergyman of whatever church you were baptised and/or confirmed in. Records are kept at a much more local, rather than diocesan, level in the Protestant churches so amendments are easier and less formal. As I understand it, when withdrawing from the Catholic Church one must interact with the diocese.

The reality is that transferring in Protestant churches is not uncommon as people may often move from one Protestant denomination to another owing to a changing family circumstance or moving house to a locality which does not have a certain type of church. For this reason, most clergymen in the Protestant churches are quite used to making such amendments.

Ok, thats what i thought was just checking that up to see if i was correct.

Puck

pwd wrote: »

Protestants don't have confession.

Oh yes we do. I can confess to my pastor and he, being my brother in Christ and my friend, can also confess to me.

pwd

johnfás wrote: »

Methodist churches have communion once a month, every month - the first sunday in the month in most churches. This is with the same frequency as almost all Church of Ireland parish churches. Like most Protestant churches, children in the Methodist Church go to Sunday school during the service every week - communion sunday is no different. Alcohol may not be served on Methodist premises at any time. Consequently communion is served using unfermented wine. Children are not excluded from communion, in fact one might say that children are more welcome than in most churches as the Methodist Church practices an "open communion table" which is a broad invitation to all present to take communion. However, children, as in most Protestant churches, are generally at sunday school while communion is being taken. Like most Protestant churches, where children are present they would generally only take communion after they have made their confirmation - however, that is a personal choice.

If we would like to know about other denominations, it would be great if we could ask questions to each other, rather than stating anything with the air definitive authority, when it is in fact not accurate.

Well that's what you're doing here.

Not every Methodist church does have communion on a monthly basis. Some do exclude children.

johnfás

pwd wrote: »

Well that's what you're doing here.

Not every Methodist church does have communion on a monthly basis. Some do exclude children.

Every Methodist Church in Ireland has communion on a monthly basis. I can tell you that as a simple fact as someone in a position to tell you that authoritatively.

pwd

Really? You've been to every methodist church in Ireland enough to say that? Mad.
I'm a Methodist myself and while I might not have gone in a while, I never saw them perform the eucharist in church. Not once.

homer911

pwd wrote: »

Really? You've been to every methodist church in Ireland enough to say that? Mad.
I'm a Methodist myself and while I might not have gone in a while, I never saw them perform the eucharist in church. Not once.

Eucharist is not a term generally associated with protestant churches. You are more likely to hear the terms "Holy Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"

homer911

Puck wrote: »

Oh yes we do. I can confess to my pastor and he, being my brother in Christ and my friend, can also confess to me.

Protestant churches usually have a statement of general confession as part of their formal services. There is also often a moment of silence for the congregation to recall their own sins and to seek forgiveness in prayer.

Johnny_Coyle

To the OP,
In his own words "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church."

SINGULAR

POSSESSIVE

Jesus did not come to create 30,000 churches, as our Protest-ants have.

Jesus came to create his one church.

The grass can appear greener on the other side. However, maybe there's a reason it is not being eaten.

antiskeptic

Johnny_Coyle wrote: »

To the OP,
In his own words "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church."

SINGULAR

POSSESSIVE

Jesus did not come to create 30,000 churches, as our Protest-ants have.

Jesus came to create his one church.

The grass can appear greener on the other side. However, maybe there's a reason it is not being eaten.

That leaves one very big church resting upon one very short snippet of scripture (and one interpretation of that snipped) ... for it's foundation.

Some of us require a little more by way of substantiation than that. We are talking about eternal destination afterall

moonpurple

in reply to OP

Protestantism began in Germany with martin luther, not in the uk

I am not a member of these guys but they are big in america and not assocaited with 'de english'

www.baptistireland.org

find one near you and go down and talk to the vicar

what would he or she be like?

take a look at reverend lovejoy in the simpsons, after all bart simpson is a protestant and it does not seem to make him miserable?
:pac:

Jellybaby1

pwd wrote: »

Really? You've been to every methodist church in Ireland enough to say that? Mad.
I'm a Methodist myself and while I might not have gone in a while, I never saw them perform the eucharist in church. Not once.

If you are not a regular worshipper then it is quite possible you just didn't go to your Methodist church on those days when they had Holy Communion! It reminds me of the story of the man who complained he was fed up with his church saying they always sang the same hymns all the time. When his friend enquired further it turned out the first man only went to church at Christmas, hence only hearing the same hymns (carols) every time he went!!! lol. It can happen!

evensteve

Outside most church of Ireland churches you will see a board with the service times and the name of the rector (priest). Holy Communion services are usually shown there, if you are uncertain about whether you want to attend one. Partaking of communion is not compulsory, though most do. During the service, you will hear the creed recited. In it, concisely and accurately stated, are the core tenets of the faith. You may be surprised to hear reference to the Catholic church. The term catholic, in this context, means universal. Members of reformed churches do not see themselves as a splinter group of a larger body, but rather as a continuation of the original church which rejects some of the practices that arose after the foundation of the church. The creed requires help in understanding. It was stated previously that Protestants don't pray to saints, however the creed explicitly acknowledges 'the communion of saints' which means that it is believed that a prayer to a saint can be passed on to a member of the Trinity. As the Virgin Mary is a saint, this includes her. Protestants are free to choose. During the service it is probable that you will be invited to share the sign of peace. Having attended both Catholic and Protestant churches, I don't find a huge amount of difference in the services, so should you decide to attend you will not feel out of place. If you want to take it further, you could contact the rector by phone and most likely he or she will advise you further.

homer911

evensteve wrote: »

It was stated previously that Protestants don't pray to saints, however the creed explicitly acknowledges 'the communion of saints' which means that it is believed that a prayer to a saint can be passed on to a member of the Trinity. As the Virgin Mary is a saint, this includes her.

Are you possibly confusing the catholic concept of a saint with the protestant concept. Protestants believe that all Christ's followers are saints. The communion of saints refers to the unity of Christians, both alive and dead, in their common faith in Christ Jesus. This doctrine is referred to in 1 Corinthians Chaper 12. I have recently seen references to the Anglican church and the doctrine of intercession of the saints, but this was a surprise to me. I dont believe this is a doctrine in any other protestant church, but I could be wrong

evensteve

Yes, its quite possible. I am trying to illustrate that it is not an easy task to interpret the creed as recited, and that guidance by a qualified person is needed. Your explaination underlines this requirement. Thanks.

moonpurple

you will often see the notice 'all are welcome' on the outside of some churches which are not part of the roman group

in most churches in ireland you will hear the 'our father prayer' which contains the central praise to God and his son Jesus that occurs in every Christian church worldwide

Christians are a minority on the planet
there is more in common between every flavour of irish Christian church than the differences between them


just go along OP to different churches, sit down and listen, there is also the unitarian church on st stephans green with the all are welcome notice outside,

I go along to the roman catholic services to make sure that some young dubliners never forget that God is a God of love, not fear, and he wants them to try things and to be happy, to not be afraid as the angel directed the first Christmas night

I choose a RC church where the biggest feature is a large wall covering showing the main teacher of the church, a carpenters son from nazerath

I know one church nearby where you will see no representation of Jesus, some vague abstract stained glass, but where the priest is the focus like some sort of funkadelicsupahstar.... if the priest is the focus where does that leave Jesus?

'we must turn to Jesus' Archbishop Martin, 2010

wolfsbane

Johnny_Coyle wrote: »

To the OP,
In his own words "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church."

SINGULAR

POSSESSIVE

Jesus did not come to create 30,000 churches, as our Protest-ants have.

Jesus came to create his one church.

The grass can appear greener on the other side. However, maybe there's a reason it is not being eaten.

Protestants also believe there is only one Church. Many churches, one Church.

The place of the Roman Catholic Church in these churches is certainly a matter of debate, but only it believes it is the only Church.

There are other claimants to that honour too - the JWs, Mormons, and many 'apostolic' churches of the pentecostal or brethren type. The RCC has the numbers, of course. The others lay claim to signs and wonders, or just to their belief in their own special anointing.

Those interested in testing the claims of the RCC and the other claimants could do no better than see how Christ deals with His Church as it manifests in individual churches -
Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%202-3&version=NKJV

_________________________________________________________________
Revelation 3:22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

wolfsbane

owenc said:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Agent Smith
Protestants took the soup
whats the soup? I think you'll find its alot more than "soup" whatever that is.

I think the reference was to the idea that Protestant denominations got Catholics to convert in famine times by supplying them with soup on condition they converted. A bit like the Salvation Army do today.
___________________________________________________________________
John 6:27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Jellybaby1

wolfsbane wrote: »

owenc said:

I think the reference was to the idea that Protestant denominations got Catholics to convert in famine times by supplying them with soup on condition they converted. A bit like the Salvation Army do today.
___________________________________________________________________

Do you truly believe the SA do that? I don't.

johnfás

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Do you truly believe the SA do that? I don't.

They do not. The statement above is base and is without any foundation.

The Salvation Army do fantastic work in Dublin caring for homeless people. A large proportion of their work is funded with HSE grants - and they rigidly comply with the criteria attaching to such grants.

The poster should really withdraw his comment.

Jellybaby1

johnfás wrote: »

They do not. The statement above is base and is without any foundation.

The Salvation Army do fantastic work in Dublin caring for homeless people. A large proportion of their work is funded with HSE grants - and they rigidly comply with the criteria attaching to such grants.

The poster should really withdraw his comment.

I absolutely agree. Such a shame that there is so much mis-information about different churches, it is bound to confuse those with little knowledge. There are so many people feeling bad about their church for different reasons, its a pity that some have been misleading people for whatever reason. We can't allow lies, suspicion, etc to cloud the God of truth and love. On a lighter note, I believe God wants us to be happy and joyful and take a long look at the church. If you would like to smile right now, check this out. I don't mean to insult anyone, but it made me laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBQN58ZGcW4

wolfsbane

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Do you truly believe the SA do that? I don't.

Did you miss the wink at the end?
A bit like the Salvation Army do today.

I thought my sarcasm would be evident without it, but added it just in case. Seems even that was not enough.

OF COURSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE SA DO THAT!

Nor did the Evangelicals back in the 19th C.

Jellybaby1

wolfsbane wrote: »

Did you miss the wink at the end?
A bit like the Salvation Army do today.

I thought my sarcasm would be evident without it, but added it just in case. Seems even that was not enough.

OF COURSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE SA DO THAT!

Nor did the Evangelicals back in the 19th C.

Sorry Wolfsbane, I had missed your wink. One of the problems of internet discussions, sometimes it can be difficult to understand when someone is serious or joking.