Question for Non Catholic Christians

[Crankyshank]

I'm a bit curious about something. This is no way a flame, but I was wondering if you guys are taught religious history or is this something you have to learn about on your own.

The reason why I ask this, and this is in no way reflective of the people here- more to do with my in-laws, is because I've encountered many more people who have no real knowledge of the Reformation or the beginnings of Christianity within the Catholic Church. I was amazed when several people told me that the King James Bible is the one and only original bible handed down by God and that Protestants existed long before the RCC.

That astounded me, but then I realized in the case of my MIL she has no inclination to study anything religious extra-curricularly and her pastors have never delved into religious history except to say Catholics are bad. and sadly she's not the only one that has told me this.
Catholic history and the Reformation was taught pretty heavily here and I was wondering if that's a rarity.

This isn't a dig on anyone- I'm just being nosy.

 

[missypie]

I was raised Southern Baptist. My dad is an ordained Southern Baptist minister. I was never taught ANY church history. I think the first time I heard any church history is when I watched "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" on PBS in Jr. High. It seems that Baptists pretty much teach the Bible... no church history, no confessions, no creeds...if it's not in the Bible, it isn't taught.

I am now a (happier) Presbyterian. The kids in the communicants classes learn church history. You learn a bit in the New Members classes; a lot more if you become a deacon or an elder, and various Sunday School classes have focused on it.

 

[Crankyshank]

that's interesting.
So how did they handle the Bible's origins? Or did they pretty much glaze over it and just focus on the content?

 

[Missy1961]

OK, I'm a Catholic, but I wanted to respond to this.

I did learn alot of church history when I went to Catholic school for grade school. But when I went to high school (the mid 70's) we were taught religious history in Social Studies class--a little bit in 9th grade and alot in 10th grade when we studied European history. This was in public high school in NY.

 

[hipporina]

I am Southern Baptist and no, we don't worry about church history. However, we also do not believe, nor have I ever heard anyone preach, that Catholics are bad.

We focus our study time on the Bible and all that it teaches us. We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and was written by man's hand through God's inspiration. Personally, I don't care about where the Baptist church came from or any other denomination. I would much rather focus on learning to live a Christ-like life.

 

[lovethattink]

---I grew up Methodist and DH Catholic. As for my Christian Ed, some was taught at Sunday School, but mostly we learned about church history during Confirmation classes. As for DH, he learned nothing about church history at church, but learned his while attending catholic school. DH and I both prefer the NIV version of the Bible, because it is easier for us to understand. At home, we have a NIV, a KJV, and a Catholic The New American Bible. And we'll use whichever one is most handy. The point is, we use them! To us, the Bible and prayer are the most important parts of Dh's and mine relationship with God.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I'm Lutheran, which one could also call "Catholic Lite". Although I attended Sunday School as a child and Youth Group as a teen, I don't remember ever discussing the origins of the bible. I would guess that there might be adult classes for that. Not sure.

The main message that was taught is that God loves everyone and forgiveness is always granted--you just have to ask. I remember doing plays and stuff written from parables.

I don't think we touched on Martin Luther and the 95 Thesis until much later.

Don't ask me what we learned in all those Confirmation Classes, I was dozing off. (Sweet pastor back then but REALLY boring--God Bless his heart.)

 

[Catzeyes]

I am Lutheran and was raised that way. I attended a Lutheran grade school and high school. I do not remember being taught much about the different religions in grade school but we had many courses in high school. I was never taught that any of the other religions where wrong. We were however taught the differences in the faiths.

 

[Crankyshank]

It's not so much the whole catholics are bad that I am curious about, although it always saddens me when some people make judgements that their religion is superior to others without knowing anything about the origins of their religion and how it ties into the religion they're condemning. Again, not saying anyone here is doing that.

I have encountered many people that have no idea about the origins of the Bible and was just wondering if it was broached at all. Because I'm Catholic school educated and we're taught that the Bible was the be used as a tool to living a spiritual and grace filled life and we learned as part of that how the traditions evolved, I was really just curious to know if it was something others learned as well, so I really thank you for your responses.

I hear a lot about how the bible says this and that so it must be so, and I really was wondering how many people really know that the bible was created by a council of people just trying to organize Christianity and has been edited over time and how they reconcile that knowledge with the need to take the bible literally. Kind of the opposite of what Jimmie was asking yesterday.

 

[Galahad]

I was taught church history, the reformation, as well as the history of the protestant denominations during confirmation classes in a Presbyterian church in the 1960's. My sons were similarly taught during their confirmation classes in Methodist churches. This stuff is also covered pretty frequently in "Sunday School" classes, both for youth and adults in Methodist churches. Neither Presbyterians nor Methodists tend to go down the "Catholics are bad" road.

 

[Bichon Barb]

DEFINITELY was not taught any negatives about any other religions. If you were a Protestant where I grew up, you were a minority. Attended Catholic church many times with my friends. I married a Catholic and my sons are baptized Catholic. (Although they will be taught, as I was, to be open minded and that no one religion is the "right" religion.)

 

[CheshireVal]

I'm a Presbyterian. I don't really remember being taught Church history in Sunday School or any other time.

I might have learned some of it in confirmation classes, but I don't remember that either!

I still find myself largely ignorant of a lot of other religions and traditions... what I do know is kind of self taught.

 

[caitycaity]

But when I went to high school (the mid 70's) we were taught religious history in Social Studies class--a little bit in 9th grade and alot in 10th grade when we studied European history. This was in public high school in NY.

this was taught in my public high school in ny too. in 9th and 10th grade.

 

[Galahad]

Originally posted by caitycaity
this was taught in my public high school in ny too. in 9th and 10th grade.

DS is in 9th grade in public school and in covering some history of religion/comparitive religion stuff. Lots of emphasis on Islam (this was also true last year).

 

[helenabear]

Catholic answering here... but I just wanted to add in my *public* high school we touched on some of the history of religions along with European History in general. In many cases, you can't do one w/o touching on the other (just why things might have happened that is). I admit, that's when I finally had it in my brain the approx dates for the Anglican split and the Reformation. I think this was 9th or 10th grade I learned a bit more about it. Obviously anything dealing with religions was studied in CCD for me.

Just as and aside... I do think it is sad when one puts down another religion and calls them bad. I've heard it with groups putting down Catholicism and have heard Catholics putting down other Christian sects (even w/in my own family). Breaks my heart to hear....

 

[tar heel]

I grew up in a Southern Baptist Church and learned no church history whatsoever. In high school, I had a student teacher in world history who was very interested in church history, so I learned a little bit there. I didn't really learn a lot until I got to college -- history was one of my majors and I also took six religion classes.

I did grow up in a church that considered versions of the Bible other than King James to be suspect and Catholics to not be saved. I was very surprised when I found out the origin of the KJV and how it's one of the worst translations of the original texts available. I prefer my RSV study bible by far -- love the footnotes that talk about what other things the passage might mean, references to other verses, etc.

I am now a mainstream Presbyterian. One thing that means is that my ministers have lots of education and have studied Hebrew and Latin. In Sunday School class particularly, our minister often points out that the meaning of the orginal Hebrew words in some Biblical passages is nothing like what our translations say. Some church history is also covered in confirmation class.

 

[believe]

Not sure what you mean about church history. To me that is in the Bible. My Sunday School teachers would also mention 'history' bits when appropriate. We also have resources in the church to go to for any questions we may have. We were taught how the King James Bible came about and why our church has selected that Bible as the one for our church.

 

[Madi100]

I was raised Lutheran. My maternal grandfather was a pastor. I have at least two great uncles that are ministers. I know that at least three of the girls in my grandma's family married Lutheran ministers. I have two uncles that are pastors. I have one cousin who is a pastor and one that is a youth pastor. Our family is sooooo Lutheran. You should see our family reunions with all of these pastors. They fight for the right to say the prayer I do remember being taught the history of the church. One session in Sunday School we learned all about Martin Luther. We had a book, and I kept it for years after and used it to play school.

Although I still belong to a Lutheran Church, I have not attended a Lutheran church for eleven years. We have attended Missionary Alliance and since where we live now there is not a MA church, we attend a Methodist. The reason for that is that I do not like a church that tends to focus on laws and why this way is better than this way. I remember one sermon when I was younger focused completely on why Lutheran was the religion to be. I have decided that for me and my family that I will attend a church that focuses on God's love. The good things that come from loving God. Our church teaches the Bible, and that is what we like. I know the history. The ten commandments have been taught to me since I was a young child. I know them. Now I want to focus on the good that comes from loving God. So, I have no idea what the history or either the Missionary Alliance or the Methodist church are, and I really am not too concerned to learn them.

 

[2BOYMOM]

I was raised Independent Baptist, my Dad was the Head Deacon. I do not remember being taught any church history at church but I attended a Christian school and was taught it there.

I attend a Four Square church now and love it. I also prefer the NIV Bible to the KJV.

Madi100 - My sister attends a Missionary Alliance church and loves it. I have visited several times and I like it too.

 

[pamlet]

I think it depends on your stance of the "church" - is it organized "religion" - or is it the "body of believers".

My background is basically non descript protestant - with a heavy emphasis on independant baptist churches. Therefore no overlying "organized" religion.

I went to a Christian high school, as well as a VERY strict Christian university. I took both church history courses, as well as a wonderful course in Reformation history. (I was a history major with an emphasis in US History). Included in that Reformation course was a huge emphasis on the Roman Catholic Church - afterall you can't truly understand how the reformation came about without understanding why it would have come about.

That said - I know I'm unusual - in most non organized protestant churches I do not believe "church history" is taught because to them the "church" is merely the "body of believers". They also use the Bible as their sole means of interpreting "what's what".

Because there is no "structure" telling individual churches what to believe - there are certain groups who believe that ONLY the King James Bible is the inspired Word. ( I personally do not believe that by the way). It get's pretty complicated when people nit-pick over the nuances of interpretion. There are SO many translations out there - I think it gets confusing.

While I don't believe that the King James is the ONLY inspired Word - I do personally prefer it, as that is what I grew up with. ( and I really DO love that "flowery" language.)

I am by no means well versed in the various translations - my husband has over the past year become very interested in comparisons, etc - in fact he's written a program that brings the various online translations to compare. ( He realizes there are programs out there - however he was doing it as an excercise for himself in programming).

SO - back to the original question ... laugh... I think that "organized religion" probably does teach more "church history" - as their "church" is much more than just a body of believers. Churches, or groups that are not part of a larger "denomination" probably tend not to... unless it is at the "educational" level - in other words - in SCHOOL.