Over 800,000 Christians Hurdle Divisions to be 'One' Church

[Miss Molly]

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080616/32837_Over_800%2C000_Christians_Hurdle_Divisions_t o_be_%27One%27_Church.htm

Has anybody heard of this??

[FaithContender]

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080616/32837_Over_800%2C000_Christians_Hurdle_Divisions_t o_be_%27One%27_Church.htm

Has anybody heard of this??

Oy. :doh

[whamo]

Check out http://www.oneprayer.com/

[Berean Girl]

But is is part and parcel of the same mess - ecumenism.

Stay away. :doh

[whamo]

I don't think you read through the ONE Prayer web site. It is NOT ecumenical.

It actually looks to be Christ centered.

[HeIsEnough]

Interesting how its 800,000 and most never heard of it before.

I think the article shows a lack of understanding about what the church is, and only focuses on the visible.

The true church actually is in unity around Christ, and one with Christ. The visible church is a mass of confusion, and never will be in true unity. It is full of wolves and false doctrine, like we were told it would be.

[JoelH]

Interesting how its 800,000 and most never heard of it before.

I think the article shows a lack of understanding about what the church is, and only focuses on the visible.

The true church actually is in unity around Christ, and one with Christ. The visible church is a mass of confusion, and never will be in true unity. It is full of wolves and false doctrine, like we were told it would be.

I believe much of mainline Protestantism denies the existence of the universal church as an invisible body of true believers - the Anglican/Episcopal church does not quite believe in that unless you are its evangelical wing, and the Lutheran church is quote similar. They are far more similar with Catholics and Eastern Orthodox in believing the universal church is a physically visible entity, but rather than it being an institution obtaining its authority allegedly from the Apostles, they believe any institutions that officially uphold the historic Christendom creeds and the collective beliefs as agreed in the Ecumenical Church Councils (defined as the Apostles Creed, The Nicene Creed, and the Athanasius Creed) are collectively part of the universal church.

Needless to say, the Catholics and Eastern Orthodox eccessiology are even more distant from the biblical teachings. Christian Post is an ecumenical-leaning publication, and I will not be surprised if it denies the invisible universal church.

[HeIsEnough]

I believe much of mainline Protestantism denies the existence of the universal church as an invisible body of true believers -

Could be, but I also believe not many have even pondered the question...I tend to believe that if the right question is posed to a believer whole is a Berean, they will eventually conclude that the true church is invisible, though visible portions are seen with our eyes.

[JoelH]

Could be, but I also believe not many have even pondered the question...I tend to believe that if the right question is posed to a believer whole is a Berean, they will eventually conclude that the true church is invisible, though visible portions are seen with our eyes.

I belonged to the Anglican church for a few years. From what I gathered there the church theology of the Anglican church is heavily "church = visible entity" and tied with secular political power, and it seems to me all the "stained glass" types churches are like that. The average layperson (this is an Anglican term meaning those not involved in church ministry) is taught "proper hnemumatics" means the Bible must be read through the prism of church history. "Whenever the Bible is seemingly silent on one thing, look to the early church fathers practices" is their motto. This is why I'm afraid even many berean-like believers in mainline Protestantism will fail to understand invisible universal church.

[JoelH]

I don't think you read through the ONE Prayer web site. It is NOT ecumenical.

It actually looks to be Christ centered.

"Church as the last hope the world has" is seemingly biblical superficially, but in fact it contradicts true teachings from the Bible.