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Looking for a faith...
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Anonymous
| Ok, I realize this is kind of a tacky way to go about this, but now that I have my first child I have begun to surprise myself by thinking more and more about religion and trying to go back to church. Which I never thought I would ever want to do again for various reasons that are too cumbersome to explain in this format. I was raised Catholic but am divorced so that's pretty much out for me. My husband doesn't really care where we go to church and was raised going to a lot of different places as a child. I always liked the structure, formality, and, admittedly, the pomp and circumstance of a Catholic mass, but maybe that's just because it's what's familiar and nostaligic for me. But now I'm thinking I need to find a faith that's more inclusive, less dogmatic, and maybe where women play a more visible role. An Episcopal church seems to be the logical next step to explore, but that's just because from my perspective it seems the most like a Catholic mass. But I frankly don't know a whole lot about, say, Methodists or Lutherans or other protestants. We definitely plan to raise our child in a Christian tradition so I thought I would inquire whether any of you have found a faith that you are happy with that is inclusive? |
Anonymous
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I was born and raised in the Catholic Church but like you, can't stay there as an adult (for a variety of reasons I'd rather not go into here).
I visited various Protestant denominations and found that I was far more comfortable in the "high Protestant" denominations than in the "low" ones, "high" meaning, "closer to Catholic." I find the familiar liturgy to be beautiful and comforting. Ultimately I chose a Lutheran congregation, where I've happily worshipped for the past ten years. It sounds as if Lutheran or Episcopalian would be a good fit for you. |
Anonymous
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Try this:
http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/BeliefOMatic.aspx I found it sort of enlightening. |
Anonymous
| Sounds like Episcopal could fit the bill -- many women clergy, very diverse, open to gay couples. My husband was raised Catholic and I was raised Methodist, and Episcopal was our "compromise." |
Anonymous
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I was raised Presbyterian and have attended Episcopal churches as an adult.
You are probably going to be more comfortable in a faith that is "liturgical" meaning there is prayer book and structured order to the service that doesn't change from week to week, church to church. That would be Episcopal, Lutheran. Most Episcopal/ Lutheran churches have primarily eucharistic services every Sunday -- meaning communion is served. I was raised in non-liturgical denominations, Presbyterian mainly, and went back to a childhood church and was surprised by how "loose" I found the service to be - -the local minister can change the prayers, the order of the service, in whatever way suits. This would include Methodist (I think), Baptist, UCC. Communion is generally not a weekly event. I don't know where you live, but if DC is convenient, I invite you to check out St. Columba's Episcopal Church on Albemarle St, just off Wisconsin, in DC. Great children's programs, including special services that are very informal for preschool children and their families. Great playground for after church. Mother's groups that meet Wed am for SAHM and Sunday night for working moms. There are quite a few raised Catholic families, or one parent raised Catholic, another raised Presbyterian. Our senior rector is a woman, associate rectors include another woman and a gay man. . . St Columbas is a very large and busy place, so some people find it hard to not get lost. good luck |
Anonymous
Not currently practicing myself. Raised Episcopalian and now a lapsed Unitarian ( ). But I do know that St. Stevens is quite a progressive Episcopalian church. (I was so surprised when I was in college in the 70s and someone took me to the second irregular ordination of women priests there. I didn't know that Episcopalians did that kind of thing!)
Don't know if that's what you're looking for but add it to your list and see what you think. |
Anonymous
| OP here, thanks so much, I really appreciate the comments. Sounds like I should look into Episcopal and Lutheran churches. Seems strange to be starting this process over as an adult so I really appreciate the guidance. Thanks! |
Anonymous
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I think it goes like this in order of liturgical similarity to Catholic
------------------ Episcopalian Lutheran ------------------- Methodist Presbyterian ------------------- Baptist Church of Christ Assembly of God et al I was raised Baptist (and that's where I simmered in my young feminista dislike of the way women are marginalized in the church) and migrated to Methodist after trying all 31 flavors of Protestant. If you were raised Catholic, I doubt you'd find familiarity in any place below Methodist or Presbyterian on the chart. |
Anonymous
This was very interesting. More so for what I found my responses to be, not having thought about these issues in quite a while. Thanks for sharing. |
Anonymous
| Pardon my ignorance, but is there anyone who feels comfortable explaining the difference in faith between Episcopals and Lutherans? I'm talking about the differences in practice versus how the faiths were formed historically. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| If you like the pomp and circumstance of Catholic masses, I agree with the PPs about Lutheran and Episcopalian. I was raised Catholic and currently attend a Presbyterian Church, and I really miss the ritual of Mass. The only "fix" I get is every couple of years when I go with my parents. I sometimes think of going to a Catholic church on my own, but I think the family should go to church together. My DH has a thing about Catholics excluding other Christians from communion, so he won't go with me. |
Anonymous
I don't believe there is much difference, TBH. Indeed, the two denominations are in full communion with one another. I went Lutheran because it seemed friendlier. How'd that for rational? 
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Anonymous
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I was also raised Catholic & married in a Catholic church. I attended Mass regularly as a child (Dh did not) but as an adult, I rarely went as I was really turned off by the Catholic church for a wide-ranging variety of reasons that I'm sure are not unique to me!
We joined a Presbyterian church about 5 years ago and we love it. We attend regularly with our family and really feel like we have found a "church home." It is far less ritualistic than a Catholic service, but I like that. (I personally felt that what I often experienced in a Catholic Mass was "going through the motions" without a lot of thought.) And in all the Catholic churches I've attended, I have never felt a sense of welcome and community like what I felt from the very first time I attended our current church. Our church is also much more mission-focused than any Catholic church I've belonged to - not necessarily in the sense of sending people to third world countries (though we do that too) but even just serving others in your daily life and interactions at work, school, and home. A heart for service is something I really want to impart to my kids, so I am grateful that we are able to raise them in this church. |
Anonymous
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Arent Unitarians by definition lapsed. (Posted by a UU)
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Anonymous
| Universalist Unitarian. It's awesome. |