[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by awareness

Now it's you I don't understand. It was a simple honest request. But I guess you are right, I can pretty much guess at what he's driving at.

So if he doesn't want to explain himself fully, I guess this thread is pointless.

Hey brother Blended Brother (no ad hom intended, and you know that - Untohim isn't informed), bring it down to AltVs, and finish your OP there. Then we can really have at it.

The OP is finished.

You might have missed the point, but if a group names itself it is technically a denomination by its true and absolute definition.

This was in response to What are "exclusive Brethren, Iglesia Ni Christo, International Church of Christ"

The absolute meanings of denomination, sect, church, bishop etc have been lost. Many think a group is a denomination because it has a number of definable characteristics, none of which relate to the meaning of the word itself -de-name-iate.

You see, Koinonia called us a sect, and they used the term in a relative way, without reference to a "true church". So it has little meaning other than to indicate Koionia's opinion. If they were Catholic however, and said we are a sect, then it would be more meaningful because I know it means we are not part of Catholicism. I would then consider whether Catholicism is something I would want to be part of, or not.

Koinonia could answer my question by saying what denomination (if any) they meet with. Then I might consider whether their denomination is the true church, and if it is, then they might be correct that we are a sect.

This is why I asked them to name a group that are not a sect, so we can make that assessment in an absolute way. A sect by definition must be in relation to something else.