[sword-devel] Doctrinal Statement

[Franklin Bratcher]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Kapusta" <info@pc-shareware.com>
To: <sword-devel@crosswire.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 7:25 PM
Subject: [sword-devel] Doctrinal Statement


Just MHO, but regardless of being a "cult" or "sect," Christadelphians hold
many core doctrines that I find totally incompatible with the Scriptural
teachings. It's the old Arian heresy among other things. As someone
mentioned earlier, I don't expect full doctrinal agreement on every point,
but the line, to me, is drawn at WHO Jesus is, WHAT He did, and WHY He did
them. If we do not agree on Christ,. then we plain just don't agree. FYI, it
is the teachings on who Christ is, that causes many to label
Christadelphians a cult along with the Watchtower, both deny the eternal
identity of Jesus Christ.

> For the record, the Christadelphians are not a cult.  The more correct
term would be "sect".   However, the Seventh-Day Adventists
> are a sect.  The Baptists are a sect.  There is a difference between a
sect and a cult.  "Cult" has the connotation these days of a
> mentally disturbed or overly emotional group of people who blindly follow
an authoritarian teacher...Jim Jones, David Koresh,
> Reverend Moon, etc.
>
> cult  n. 1.a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be
extremist or false, with its followers often living in an
> unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic
leader.
>
> The Christadelphians are not guided by an authoritarian organization or by
any charismatic leader(s).  They have no clergy, pastors
> or priests.  The Bible is their only authority.  They do not have secret
rites, or manifest bizarre behaviors.  They do not shun
> discussion with those who oppose them, and in the late 1800's and early
1900's, were actively involved in public debates with other
> sects and dissenters.  Having had discussions with them personally, and
debated them, I was impressed with their knowledge of the
> Scriptures, even if you don't agree with their theology.  They embrace the
Apostolic Creed, but not the Nicean or Athanasian...but
> then again, the apostle Paul didn't embrace the Nicean or Athanasian Creed
either.  And they proclaimed the news concerning the
> restoration of the Jews to the land of Palestine as early as 1847, decades
before the Zionist movement emerged.
>
> Having performed in-depth research on the group myself in the late 1980's
and reviewed their writings as far back as the Civil War
> period, I know that these things are true.  Most "Christians" who throw
around the word "cult" use it in a derogatory manner of
> others, and if the truth be told, most often of others who they know very
little about.
>
> Just for the record...
>
> Philip
>
>