Favorite mainline Protestant church

[Globus Cruciger]

I'm not asking about particular denominations - so, for instance, rather than worry about ELCA vs. LCMS vs. WELS, just give your opinion of the general Lutheran tradition.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Well since the more conservative Lutherans really suck, I'll vote for UCC/Congregationalist.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Obviously voted for my own (Episcopal); after that, Congregationalist.

[Hatman 🍁]

None of the above (or rather, three of the above). My vote is the United Church of Canada which is a mix of Methodism, Presbyterianism and Congregationalist.

[useful idiot]

"Mainline" is a fairly useless label, especially when describing general denominational traditions. It doesn't even work when speaking of longstanding organizations because the ELCA, PCUSA, UCC, and UMC are themselves the results of mergers that took place in the last 50 years.

In an American context it's even less useful because the term "mainline" just means liberal, and a move away from denominational distinctives. This makes them both less mainstream within broader Christianity and less distinct as denominations.

Also I don't know why you didn't include Baptist, as there is a large "mainline" Baptist presence, in the American Baptist Churches (1.3 Million), The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (around 2,000 churches) and the Alliance of Baptists (65,000).

The Congregationalists and Baptists(more arguably) both flow from the Reformed tradition, but aren't Presbyterians. Even Continental Reformed and Presbyterians have their differences in emphasis and foundational documents. There has always been a large Reformed-evangelical-low church presence in Anglicanism as well.

However, of the options given, I'd say Presbyterian/Reformed, because the Westminster Confession and Catechisms as well as the Three Forms of Unity are pretty close to my doctrinal views (exceptions being baptism and church polity).

[Globus Cruciger]

"Mainline" is a fairly useless label, especially when describing general denominational traditions. It doesn't even work when speaking of longstanding organizations because the ELCA, PCUSA, UCC, and UMC are themselves the results of mergers that took place in the last 50 years.

In an American context it's even less useful because the term "mainline" just means liberal, and a move away from denominational distinctives. This makes them both less mainstream within broader Christianity and less distinct as denominations.

Maybe it wasn't quite the best word, I was trying to use "mainline" to contrast the traditional, European-founded, more liturgically-minded churches with the newer American-founded denominations or "nondenominational" Evangelical churches.

Also I don't know why you didn't include Baptist, as there is a large "mainline" Baptist presence, in the American Baptist Churches (1.3 Million), The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (around 2,000 churches) and the Alliance of Baptists (65,000).

So despite their Anabaptist roots in Europe, it seemed to me that Baptists fitted better with the other category.

Even Continental Reformed and Presbyterians have their differences in emphasis and foundational documents.

Maybe, but I don't think there's any real doctrinal contradiction between the two. And anyhow, in the US, Presbyterians seems to be much more numerous, so I relegate the Reformed to junior partner status.

[useful idiot]

I wasn't trying to criticize your poll, except with regards to the exclusion of Baptists; I knew what you meant. It was more of a criticism of popular terminology that results from a general lack of knowledge about church history in the United States. There wasn't really a better way you could have stated it, unfortunately. That was my beef.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You left out the Disciples of Christ too.

[Simfan34]

Episcopals are all so cool and British...

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Even though I am an episcopal (confirmed) - I like the Australian Uniting Church... which is kind of like Australia's methodists... very calm and reality-based.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Even though I am an episcopal (confirmed) - I like the Australian Uniting Church... which is kind of like Australia's methodists... very calm and reality-based.

From the Wikipedia article they sound like a merger of largely the same groups in the United Church of Canada.

[Badger]

I voted for my own, UCC.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Methodists of course (formerly was one)
I consider Wesleyans a stream of Methodist.

[King]

The Lutherans around here are a fun bunch, though I imagine they suck elsewhere.  Episcopalians seem to be universally good drinking buddies.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The Lutherans around here are a fun bunch, though I imagine they suck elsewhere.

Are they mostly ELCA? If so then it's just the same here. Of course it varies on area, your typical ELCA church in Minneapolis is the type of place where if it became known you plan on voting to ban gay marriage you'd be far far more likely to have people start publicly praying over you and whatnot than if you were openly gay. It's a bit different I imagine in the rural areas where the ELCA churches are everywhere but are exclusively attended by olds and have really boring traditional services. That's why I didn't vote for Lutheranism.

[King]

The Lutherans around here are a fun bunch, though I imagine they suck elsewhere.

Are they mostly ELCA? If so then it's just the same here. Of course it varies on area, your typical ELCA church in Minneapolis is the type of place where if it became known you plan on voting to ban gay marriage you'd be far far more likely to have people start publicly praying over you and whatnot than if you were openly gay. It's a bit different I imagine in the rural areas where the ELCA churches are everywhere but are exclusively attended by olds and have really boring traditional services. That's why I didn't vote for Lutheranism.

The Lutherans around here fly a gay pride flag and are a cross way from Unitarian.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The Lutherans around here are a fun bunch, though I imagine they suck elsewhere.

Are they mostly ELCA? If so then it's just the same here. Of course it varies on area, your typical ELCA church in Minneapolis is the type of place where if it became known you plan on voting to ban gay marriage you'd be far far more likely to have people start publicly praying over you and whatnot than if you were openly gay. It's a bit different I imagine in the rural areas where the ELCA churches are everywhere but are exclusively attended by olds and have really boring traditional services. That's why I didn't vote for Lutheranism.

The Lutherans around here fly a gay pride flag and are a cross way from Unitarian.

Oh yeah that's definitely ELCA. It's not surprising that outside of their "homeland" in the Midwest they're just a church for generic liberalism, like the Episcopalians or United Church of Christ outside of their traditional areas.

I actually saw an ELCA church around southwest Minneapolis somewhere with a sign that said "WELCOME" with all the letters being different colors of the rainbow. Here's a fun comparison by the way:

http://www.gaychurch.org/Find_a_Church/united_states/us_minnesota.htm (try reading just Minneapolis and St. Paul)

http://www.gaychurch.org/Find_a_Church/united_states/us_north_dakota.htm (the one listed in Bismarck is my parents' church, and they probably still have a majority at any service against gay marriage. They just won't tell anyone they're going to hell for being gay.)

[All Along The Watchtower]

Methodists.

[John Doe]

My father raised me as a Lutheran, and that is what I will die as.

Regards,
John Doe

[Globus Cruciger]

The poor Calvinists aren't getting any love.