For my own knowledge, what are the core differences between denominations like Lutheran, Methodist, Anglican, Pres etc??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have tried for years to find a simple way of understanding the differences with Google and reading and I am honestly still confused.

How do the denominations differ:

Presbyterian
Lutheran
Anglican
Methodist
Episcopalian


Please feel free to break down any others too.

I don't know Methodist, but I've attended the other churches. As an attendee:

Presbyterian:
Church service highly relies on the program. Not a very visceral worship style. Can be a long worship. Sermon is the main focus of the service. There will be a coffee hour afterwards. You don't have to stay for that if you want.
Governance style is completely democratic. All about voting and Robert's Rules of order.
Lots of converts who grew up in other denominations, especially Catholic because former Catholics hated the pedophilia debacle and want a denomination with more transparency.

Lutheran:
Worship style is like Catholic. Less upper crust than Episcopalian. Many blondes.
Politics can vary greatly depending on which Lutheran denomination. If ELCA it's gay friendly.
All about coffee. Lots of conferences and being Lutheran is a core part of their identity.

Anglican:
Not really a meaningful distinction. More conservative Episcopalians I guess? Kind of a synonym for episcopalian.

Episcopalian:
Worship style is literally Catholic down to the letter and but they are proud of how they are not Catholic.
Proud of how they are not anti-gay.
Very wealthy.
Very fusty and old school.

Should have also said:
Presbyterians serve communion once a month.
Lutherans and Episcopalians have the eucharist at every Sunday service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do missionaries from different denominations ever fight with each other?

Huh? I volunteered in Haiti and the Catholic and Episcopalian churches were down the street from each other. They didn't fight. The Catholic Church priest (a Haitian) did ask my husband and I if we wanted to adopt an orphan.

Missionaries are usually good friends, regardless of denomination because they are religious expats and there aren't that many of those around so they form a tight circle. Except for the Mormons. They don't talk to anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reformed of the Calvinist churches believe in TULIP: Total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.

Presbyterians are Calvinists, and Baptists broke off from Calvinism but are not nearly as theologically preoccupied as the mainline churches so I don’t know they adhere to TULIP in a strict sense.

All of Protestantism is like that, start with Catholic theology and start taking away, interpreting differently, internally schisming ad infinitum. Episcopalians think they’re Catholics but have female priests and gay marriage. Lutherans think they’re Catholics but one of their their pope lives in Missouri and one of them lives in Wisconsin, and the third is also a lady priest.

Neither Episcopalians nor Lutherans think they’re Catholic.

They think they have high liturgy, the true faith, everybody else is wrong (the Ls anyway), etc. They adhere to the Apostle’s Creed (although it is unclear what they mean when they say “I believe in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic church). A couple of Lutheran friends told me St. Augustine was a Lutheran, even.

“Catholic” also means “universal” and that’s what Episcopalians etc. mean when they say the Creed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have tried for years to find a simple way of understanding the differences with Google and reading and I am honestly still confused.

How do the denominations differ:

Presbyterian
Lutheran
Anglican
Methodist
Episcopalian


Please feel free to break down any others too.

Let me attempt off the top of my head (no google/AI):

Presbyterian - descended from Calvinism, therefore has some predestination beliefs
Lutheran - broke off from Catholicism, head was Martin Luther
Anglican - allowed divorce so Henry VIII could divorce, became Church of England, now global (see Episcopalian below), has communion
Methodist - Hillary Clinton, Protestant work ethic, less fancy than Episcopal but not as barebones as Quaker
Episcopalian - same as Anglican except the American branch (as a result, more liberal than global Anglican Church which has many churches in Africa with more conservative leanings), has communion


How'd I do?