I have been reading The Presbyterian Churches by James Moffatt.
Within it he traces the various splinter groups of presbyterianism.
While I was reading/thinking the question/thought came to me.
The early reformers believed
1) Rome had become a false church
If I understand this aright, this enabled them to justify the presence of theri new denomination (presbyterianism).
However- many of the presbyterian splinter groups have split over other matters (and I don't think they would all see themselves as the one true church, or perhaps they do?).
I guess my question is, have many presbyterian (and non presbyyterian) protestant churches made themselves sects by seperating themselves from their brethren over doctrinal and ecclesiastical issues?
For Context (James Moffatt The Presbyterian Churches)
"An old highlander, when his minister was speaking to him about the church, " exclaimed, "Eaglais! chan'eil ach bleighdean de dh'Eaglais againn" (Church" we only have splinters of a church). The significance of the old man's exclamation will be appreciated when we consider that, in a sparcely populated parish, he had before his eyes the sad spectacle of four different presbyterian churches, whose members could not unite in partaking together of what each believed to be the great sacrament of Christian fellowship".
Within it he traces the various splinter groups of presbyterianism.
While I was reading/thinking the question/thought came to me.
The early reformers believed
1) Rome had become a false church
If I understand this aright, this enabled them to justify the presence of theri new denomination (presbyterianism).
However- many of the presbyterian splinter groups have split over other matters (and I don't think they would all see themselves as the one true church, or perhaps they do?).
I guess my question is, have many presbyterian (and non presbyyterian) protestant churches made themselves sects by seperating themselves from their brethren over doctrinal and ecclesiastical issues?
For Context (James Moffatt The Presbyterian Churches)
"An old highlander, when his minister was speaking to him about the church, " exclaimed, "Eaglais! chan'eil ach bleighdean de dh'Eaglais againn" (Church" we only have splinters of a church). The significance of the old man's exclamation will be appreciated when we consider that, in a sparcely populated parish, he had before his eyes the sad spectacle of four different presbyterian churches, whose members could not unite in partaking together of what each believed to be the great sacrament of Christian fellowship".