First, a plain disclosure. Neighbor Radio is made by Christians. So this is the chapter where we describe our own family, and we’ll try not to flatter it.
About 62 out of every 100 American adults call themselves Christian, according to Pew. That sounds like one big house. It’s more like a whole block of houses that share a last name and disagree about the thermostat.
The main branches
- Catholics. About 19 in 100 Americans. Catholics are part of a worldwide church led by the pope, the bishop of Rome. Mass, the main Sunday service, centers on communion. Many American Catholic parishes hold Mass in Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog or other languages too.
- Orthodox Christians. A smaller group, often with roots in Greece, Eastern Europe, Russia, Ethiopia, Egypt or the Middle East. Worship is old, sung and full of icons, which are painted images of Jesus and the saints. Orthodox churches figure the date of Easter using the older Julian calendar, so their Easter often falls on a different Sunday.
- Protestants. About 40 in 100 Americans. Protestant churches trace back to the 1500s split from Rome. This is the crowded part of the block.
Pew sorts Protestants into three families:
- Evangelical churches stress a personal decision to follow Jesus and the Bible’s authority. Many Baptist, Pentecostal and nondenominational churches fit here.
- Mainline churches include many Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Episcopal congregations. Services are often more formal.
- Historically Black churches, such as many Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal congregations, grew up when white churches shut Black believers out. They became centers of worship, music, community and civil rights work. Among Black Americans who attend services, Pew found 60% go to congregations where most people and the senior clergy are Black.
What they share
Most Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God, that he died and rose again, and that the Bible matters. Many pray the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39, WEB). On paper, this is the easy part.
What they argue about
Plenty. Whether to baptize babies or only believers. What happens at communion. Whether women can be pastors. Whether the pope is in charge. Hymns or a worship band. Some of these arguments are centuries old. Some started at last month’s board meeting.
Latter-day Saints also call themselves Christian, and many other churches disagree on key teachings. They get their own chapter.
Here’s the honest part. Christians are the majority on this street. That means our house is also the one most likely to forget the other houses exist. The commandment about loving your neighbor didn’t come with a footnote saying “unless they go to a different church.”
Try it on
Think of a Christian church unlike yours. Do you know what they actually believe, or just what your church says they believe?