This week: Nondenominational Edited by: Jeff  
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"Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief."
-- C.S. Lewis
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm one of your regular editors for the official Spiritual Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 350 newsletters across the site during that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email or the handy feedback field at the bottom of this newsletter! 
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Nondenominational
The Christian faith can largely be drawn into three major denominations: Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. Within those denominations, there are sub-denominations such as Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, etc. Even within sub-denominations there can be several different significant branches, such as the Baptists, there are Southern Baptists, Continental Baptists, Reformed Baptists, United Baptists, etc.
In Judaism, there are denominations such as Orthodox (including Hasidic), Reform, Karaite, Reconstructionist, Haymanot, Humanistic, etc. Islam has denominations that include Sunni, Shia, and Ibadi, each with their own sub-denominations as well. And that's not even getting into all of the different types of Buddhists, Hindus, and various other world religions.
The point being, no matter what your religious affiliation or spiritual orientation you identify with, you're probably not lacking in options to choose from in terms of your specific spiritual practices. And yet the concept of a "nondenominational" believer is growing in popularity with every passing year (as are the people who identify as irreligious). It's a movement that's grown in popularity so much that, by some estimates, if every "nondenominational" Christian in the United States were counted as one unified group, it would be the third largest Christian group behind the Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists.
Historically, nondenominational followers of a religion are originated by disputes over theology or religious practice, when some members of an existing denomination break away from the creedalism of their former institution. Some scholars believe that in areas where individual freedom is prized, it often encourages the idea of forum shopping (something I covered in my last newsletter: "Spiritual Newsletter (October 5, 2022)" ), which increases the likelihood that a believer will eventually choose not to identify with any specific denomination but rather a more general identity. In the case of Christianity, specifically, that can look like someone who identifies as a "nondenominational Christian" or even "spiritual but not religious" but where, if they really drill down on their theology, it matches up with the general tenets of Christianity.
There's nothing wrong with identifying as nondenominational, of course. I consider myself a nondenominational Christian because I don't follow any particular denomination's creed or statement of faith fully... and if I'm being honest, while I understand the general differences between an Eastern Orthodox Christian and a Catholic and a Protestant, I couldn't necessarily tell you the difference between a Calvinist, an Anabaptist, a Seventh Day Adventist, etc. I could be a Lutheran and not even realize it!  But as someone who studied comparative religion for a few semesters in college, I think it's worth examining why one might consider themselves nondenominational in the first place. It might be because they're making a break from existing tenets of faith that they no longer agree with, or it might be because they aren't familiar with what the various tenets of faith are for various denominations.
In a "big tent" concept like being a nondenominational [insert your religion here], it can be hard to find your people, i.e., others who share your specific beliefs and practices. And if you're someone who feels like they are missing that piece of your spirituality, it might be worth considering whether you're truly nondenominational, or if you're someone in search of the right denomination to identify with.
Until next time,
Jeff
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Spiritual: November 30, 2022 Issue [#11687]
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