Unless "denomination" was coined with a meaning actually linked to colonialism(as opposed to just having been coined at a time when colonialism was the dominant policy of churches), I think I'm gonna stick to using it for its received purpose, because I don't think there's anything else that would convey the intended meaning with as much clarity.
A: My sister is having a few disagreements about religion with her new boyfriend, because he's a Christian and she's not.
B: What denomination is he?
A: I believe he's Baptist.
I don't think "family" or "connexion" would be understood by most lay people in this context, and would just lead to confusing explanatory sidetracks.
You can do so, but do not imagine for a moment that that Baptist young man thinks that he has anything in common with the Baptist church up the road, because that is not how the Baptist denomination works. It is more like a group of local co-ops that set up a joint body so as to get better deals for insurance and such.
Isn't "denomination" a protestant concept? Other churches have different ecclesiologies which make the concept inappropriate. I have no idea what the right word might be, but I suspect that the concept of denomination is culturally specific.
You can do so, but do not imagine for a moment that that Baptist young man thinks that he has anything in common with the Baptist church up the road, because that is not how the Baptist denomination works. It is more like a group of local co-ops that set up a joint body so as to get better deals for insurance and such.
Okay.
A: I'm new to the area, and I'm looking for a church to attend.
B: Is there any specific denomination you're looking for?
If he says Baptist, I'll ask for further detail before giving any recommendation.
Unless "denomination" was coined with a meaning actually linked to colonialism(as opposed to just having been coined at a time when colonialism was the dominant policy of churches), I think I'm gonna stick to using it for its received purpose, because I don't think there's anything else that would convey the intended meaning with as much clarity.
A: My sister is having a few disagreements about religion with her new boyfriend, because he's a Christian and she's not.
B: What denomination is he?
A: I believe he's Baptist.
But that isn’t exactly its “received purpose,” at least as I hear it used. “Baptist” alone wouldn’t answer the question “What denomination?” It might even lead to the follow-up question: “Yes, but what denomination? Southern Baptist? American Baptist? Progressive Baptist? Cooperative Baptist Fellowship?”
Unless "denomination" was coined with a meaning actually linked to colonialism(as opposed to just having been coined at a time when colonialism was the dominant policy of churches), I think I'm gonna stick to using it for its received purpose, because I don't think there's anything else that would convey the intended meaning with as much clarity.
A: My sister is having a few disagreements about religion with her new boyfriend, because he's a Christian and she's not.
B: What denomination is he?
A: I believe he's Baptist.
But that isn’t exactly its “received purpose,” at least as I hear it used. “Baptist” alone wouldn’t answer the question “What denomination?” It might even lead to the follow-up question: “Yes, but what denomination? Southern Baptist? American Baptist? Progressive Baptist? Cooperative Baptist Fellowship?”
Okay. But if that's the meaning, it's still a more understandable word to use than "family" or "connexion".
Isn't "denomination" a protestant concept? Other churches have different ecclesiologies which make the concept inappropriate. I have no idea what the right word might be, but I suspect that the concept of denomination is culturally specific.
That sounds vaguely right, but Merriam-Websters doesn't include protestant as part of its definition.
No, it is only certain brands of Protestantism that fit naturally with the label denomination, such as Methodism. Reformed worked, as I believe do Lutherans, actually on churches in areas (Hello Anglicanism). The argument is over what size area you can discern the Church at. Some say the only meaningful area is the local congregation, Congregationalism, some take a wider view, Presbyterianism, but never go beyond the nation state. The original Reformed ones were basically city-wide. In dominant situations, they tended more towards the Presbyterian model and in minority situations towards the Congregational model. This is very broad brush strokes. Yes, for historical reasons (persecution by Anglicans if you really want to know), Baptists have taken one of these models.
Unless "denomination" was coined with a meaning actually linked to colonialism(as opposed to just having been coined at a time when colonialism was the dominant policy of churches), I think I'm gonna stick to using it for its received purpose, because I don't think there's anything else that would convey the intended meaning with as much clarity.
A: My sister is having a few disagreements about religion with her new boyfriend, because he's a Christian and she's not.
B: What denomination is he?
A: I believe he's Baptist.
But that isn’t exactly its “received purpose,” at least as I hear it used. “Baptist” alone wouldn’t answer the question “What denomination?” It might even lead to the follow-up question: “Yes, but what denomination? Southern Baptist? American Baptist? Progressive Baptist? Cooperative Baptist Fellowship?”
Okay. But if that's the meaning, it's still a more understandable word to use than "family" or "connexion".
It’s not just a matter of “understandable.” Words like “families” or “groupings” are talking about something different than words like “denomination” or “connection/connecion,” at least as I’m used to hearing those words used. As I said above, I don’t typically hear Presbyterianism/Reformed, Methodism or Lutheranism referred to as denominations. I hear them referred to as “traditions,” “families,” “groupings” or the like of Christians who have a shared history, doctrine, liturgy or approach to worship, governance, etc.
Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Presbyterian Church in America, the Reformed Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the Global Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod would be denominations that fall within the families or groupings of Presbyterian, Methodist or Lutheran.
The other day someone asked me in a serious way 'Are Baptists Christians ?' I don't think there was anything particularly 'anti Baptist' in the question.
It was more that in certain groupings of 'Christians' people will often ask if someone is a 'Christian' or when did that person become a 'Christian' ?
Society in general, certainly in Europe, will often assume that many people are loosely 'christian' unless they openly identify themselves as belonging to some other religious group/.
Comments
A: My sister is having a few disagreements about religion with her new boyfriend, because he's a Christian and she's not.
B: What denomination is he?
A: I believe he's Baptist.
I don't think "family" or "connexion" would be understood by most lay people in this context, and would just lead to confusing explanatory sidetracks.
Okay.
A: I'm new to the area, and I'm looking for a church to attend.
B: Is there any specific denomination you're looking for?
If he says Baptist, I'll ask for further detail before giving any recommendation.
Okay. But if that's the meaning, it's still a more understandable word to use than "family" or "connexion".
That sounds vaguely right, but Merriam-Websters doesn't include protestant as part of its definition.
Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Presbyterian Church in America, the Reformed Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the Global Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod would be denominations that fall within the families or groupings of Presbyterian, Methodist or Lutheran.
It was more that in certain groupings of 'Christians' people will often ask if someone is a 'Christian' or when did that person become a 'Christian' ?
Society in general, certainly in Europe, will often assume that many people are loosely 'christian' unless they openly identify themselves as belonging to some other religious group/.