Coconut Press Article 4: Denominative Determinism (unpublished)

Growing up in Northern Ireland, before I became a Christian, I was often asked to define myself as either Protestant or Catholic. The first time I was asked the question, I didn’t even know what it meant and had no answer to give, but it didn’t take me long to realise that, as far as the divided communities of Ulster were concerned, I was definitely a Protestant and, without even understanding why it should be, I developed an innate suspicion of Roman Catholics and saw them as distinctly other.

When I finally did become a Christian it was, inevitably, as part of Protestant Evangelicalism. Though I dabbled in Pentecostalism and Presbyterianism, I mostly didn’t associate myself with any particular denomination as I wasn’t a regular churchgoer. This changed when I finally left Northern Ireland to go to university in Scotland. I joined a Baptist church for a while and eventually settled as part of a Church of Scotland Presbyterian congregation, where, if anything, I grew only more evangelical. The church I was part of eventually left the C of S over an issue surrounding gay ministers. I fully supported the decision at the time.

Why am I telling you this? I’ve recently begun to look at my Christian journey as one which has, mostly unintentionally, explored the broad spectrum of denomination even as I have gradually moved in a more liberal direction. I’m now a member of the Church of England, a church organisation even more broad in its range of opinions and styles of worship than the Church of Scotland ever was. When leaving the C of S, I saw that breadth as weakness of doctrine. Upon joining the C of E years later, I had begun to see it, not only as a kind of strength but, ultimately, as a more honest reflection of the Christian Church worldwide and the vast range of experiences of Christians throughout the ages, also.

I’ve spent much of the past year exploring the idea of vocation in the Church of England and I hope to formally put myself forward for ordination, but as part of this process, I have been encouraged to experience the breadth of Anglicanism. Even in my own small market town, the range of Church of England churches is staggering and I have found their differences both enlightening and challenging. The biggest of these challenges, however, was visiting the local Anglo-Catholic church, where the liturgy and style of worship more closely resemble that of a Roman Catholic mass than any other.

Thanks in part to my upbringing and in part to the doctrines I had adhered to in evangelicalism, I had tended to think rather poorly of the kind of theatricality often displayed in this kind of worship. ‘High Church’ for me had always had negative connotations - all bells and smells, no sound doctrine or teaching - and yet the service I took part in on that Sunday morning was one which, though not the kind I would want to experience every week, I found fascinating, refreshing and actually very helpful in helping me to find space to seek God at that moment. I was able to understand how the many styles of worship across the Christian Church are representative of the kinds of people who make the church and, like most examples of diversity, something to be encouraged.

Earlier this year, in response to some of my work in the Church of the South Pacific, I was invited to join the Discord server of the NationStates Core of Catholics, a group of Roman Catholic players from across the game. I was rather nervous, to begin with, but, in the spirit of broadening my horizons, I decided to join. As a non-Catholic, I retain ‘observer’ status and that’s exactly what I have been, for the most part: observing the kinds of discussions that take place more than actually taking part in them.

It has been in equal parts a fascinating and uncomfortable experience. I have been able to rejoice in the diversity of the Church and have seen, even on the most controversial of issues, such as the Church’s response to transgenderism, that a range of opinion does exist, but I have also had both my more liberal outlook (I do not think I would agree with my former church’s decision to leave any more) and my Protestantism confirmed. There are aspects of the Roman Catholic faith that I could never sign up to. My faith relies too much on certain aspects of doctrine that simply aren’t compatible with a Roman Catholic understanding of the Church, for example.

I am, however, still glad to remain part of that server and to rejoice, even in frequent disagreement, alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ; because that is how I see them. They are different, yes, but they are no longer other and I believe that it is important to keep these connections open so that no part of the Christian church can claim it is the sole authority on God and salvation, nor the only part whose members are ‘truly Christian’. We must rub alongside each other and, even if we rub each other the wrong way, we must be tolerant and loving and seek to understand.

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35 (New Revised Standard Version)

The Church of the South Pacific is a safe space to discuss spirituality of all kinds and is open to people of all faiths and none.