Denominations are associations of congregations, though sometimes it might be said that congregations are localized subdivisions of denominations, that have a common heritage. Moreover, a true denomination does not claim to be the only legitimate expression of the church. A denominational heritage normally includes doctrinal or experiential or organizational emphases and also frequently includes common ethnicity, language, social class, and geographical origin.面额协会的毕业典礼，虽然有时候，可以说，教会是局部性下属的面额，即有一个共同的遗产，而且，一个真正的面额并不声称自己是唯一合法的表达教会的一个教派遗产通常包括理论或体验或组织的侧重点也经常包括共同的种族，语言，社会阶级，地理来源。 However, many or all of these once common features have usually evolved into considerable contemporary diversity, especially in older and larger denominations.然而，许多或所有这些曾经共同的特点往往演变成相当当代多样性，特别是在老年人和较大面额的。 This often results in as wide a range of differences within a denomination, despite organizational unity, as exists between denominations.这往往造成广泛的分歧，在一个教派，尽管组织团结，因为存在着不同面值。
The term "denomination" in general refers to anything distinguished by a name.而言， "教"一般是指什么区别名称。 In religious contexts the designation has traditionally applied both to broad movements within Protestantism, such as Baptists and Methodists, and also to the numerous independent branches of such movements that have developed over the years primarily because of geographical expansion and theological controversy.在宗教背景指定历来既适用于广泛调动新教，如浸信会和卫理，也给许多独立的分支，如运动，有多年的演变，主要是因为地域的扩张和神学争论。
Even though denominations within Protestantism have come to be the largest expression of organized Christianity beyond the level of the congregation, there has never been much theological reflection on denominationalism.即使面额内部新教来得到最大的表达有组织基督教超越级别的会众，从未有过很多神学思考denominationalism 。 A look at theology textbooks or church creeds confirms this.看看神学教科书或教会的信条证实了这一点。 Probably the simplest explanation for this omission is that the Bible in no way envisages the organization of the church into denominations. It instead assumes the opposite, that all Christians, except those being disciplined, will be in full fellowship with all others. Any tendencies to the contrary were roundly denounced (1 Cor. 1:10 - 13).大概最简单的解释，这种疏忽的是，圣经没有出路设想组织的教会到面额的， 它反而是假设相反，即所有基督徒，除了这些被处分，将在充分研究金与所有其他人的任何动向相反被全面揭露（ 1肺心病。 1:10 -1 3） 。 Paul could write a letter to the Christians meeting in various places in Rome or Galatia with every assurance that all would receive its message.保罗可以写了一封信给基督徒会议在各个地方，在罗马或galatia每保证所有能得到的信息。 Today, for any city or country, he would have to place the letter as an advertisement in the secular media and hope.今天，对任何一个城市或一个国家，他将不得不把信作为一个广告，在世俗的媒体和希望。
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Although a true denomination never claims to be the only legitimate institutional expression of the church universal, it frequently thinks itself to be the best expression, the most faithful to the Scriptures and to the present activity of the Holy Spirit.虽然真正的面额从来没有宣称自己是唯一合法机构表达教会普遍的，它往往认为自己是最好的表达，最忠实于经文，并以本活动的圣灵。 Had it not thought so, at least when beginning, why else would it have gone through the trauma of separating from (or not joining with) an older denomination?如果没有思考，所以，至少在一开始，否则为什么它经历了创伤的分离（或不加入同）旧面额？ A true denomination does not, however, make exclusive claims upon its members.一个真正的面额不过，这并不代表作出专属债权后，它的成员。 It frees them to cooperate with Christians from other denominations in various specialized ministries.它释放出他们与之合作基督徒从其他面额各专门部委。
In theory denominationalism is sharply contrasted with two much older approaches, catholicism and sectarianism. That catholic or sectarian groups are often called denominations reflects either an excessively loose use of the designation or historical development within the group. 在理论上denominationalism是鲜明对照，与两老得多的办法，天主教和宗派主义，即天主教或宗派团体通常被称为是面额的，这不是一个过于松散，使用指定或历史发展集团。
Catholic or national churches at the period of their greatest growth are almost always supported, that is "established," by the civil government, whether imperial or tribal or, most commonly in recent centuries, national.天主教或基督教国家，在其执行职务期间最大的增长几乎总是支持，即是"既定" ，由文官政府，是否帝国或部落或最常见，在最近几个世纪以来，国家。 Such churches usually have been able to survive even after that official support is withdrawn when the government became Muslim, Marxist, or secular.这种教会通常已无法生存，甚至之后的官方支持，是撤回，当政府变成了穆斯林的马克思主义者，还是世俗。 Catholic (from a Greek word for "the whole") churches see themselves as properly embracing from infancy all Christians within their territories, in contrast with the voluntary nature of individual affiliation with a denomination.天主教（来自希腊语意为"全" ） ，教会认为自己是正确拥抱从婴儿所有基督徒在其领土内，而相比之下，自愿性质的个体从属于某个面额。 When catholic churches, of which the Armenians have the oldest, are dispersed, then the basis for association becomes ethnic rather than territorial.当天主教教堂，其中亚美尼亚人有最古老的，是分散的，那么依据协会成为民族，而不是领土。 Over the centuries catholic churches have usually recognized each other as having jurisdiction over the Christians of their respective territories or peoples.数百年来，天主教教堂通常承认对方有管辖权的基督徒，在各自领土内或人民。 (The largest of them, the coalition mostly of southwest Europeans and their derivative national churches known as Roman Catholicism, has been recognizing others only in this century since its claims were universal.) （最大的人，联军大多西南欧洲人及其衍生全国教会称为罗马天主教，并已认识到别人，只有在本世纪以来，其自称具有普遍性） 。
This mutual recognition is facilitated by the catholic view, except in northwest Europe where the national churches became Protestant in theology, that the churches in each place are properly governed only by bishops in a supposedly traceable succession from the apostles.这种相互承认是促成由天主教的看法，除在西北地区如欧洲国家的教会，成为基督教神学，教会在每个地方都得到妥善仅由主教在一个理应继承可追踪从使徒。 In recent decades, and especially in countries outside their homelands, most such churches have become in practice increasingly like denominations.在最近几十年中，尤其是在国家外，他们的家园，多数此类教会已经成为在实践中越来越像教派。 That is, they have been willing to concede some legitimacy to and encourage their members to cooperate with other than catholic or national eccelsiastical bodies.也就是说，他们都愿意让步的一些合法性，并鼓励其成员与其他比天主教或国家eccelsiastical机构。
In theory denominationalism is also sharply distinguishable from sectarianism. Each Christian sect sees itself as the only legitimate institutional expression of the followers of Christ. Unlike catholic churches the sects have never embraced more than a small percentage of any population (with the possible exception of some short lived medieval sects). Sects are frequently distinguished not only by their exclusive organizational claims but also by their disagreement with the fourth century understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity that is traditionally adhered to by all catholic churches and Protestant denominations. (Such professedly Christian movements as Spiritualism and New Thought may be said to be divided into denominations even as Protestantism is, but it is too confusing to blend these differing kinds of denominations given their widely divergent theologies.) Some sects, especially when they are Trinitarian, have been evolving into denominations.在理论上denominationalism也急剧有别于宗派主义， 每基督教教派视本身为唯一合法机构表达了信徒的基督像天主教教会教派从来没有拥抱，一个多小的百分比任何人口（可能的例外是一些短命的中世纪支派） 。 教派往往是杰出的，不仅他们独有的组织声称，而且他们的分歧与第四世纪的理解中庸三位一体，即传统上坚持所有天主教教会和新教教派。 （如professedly基督教变动作为唯心论和新的思想，可以说分为面额，即使是基督教，但它过于混乱，融入这些不同种面额，献出了大相径庭神学）的一些宗派的，尤其是当他们三位一体，已演变到面额。 Conversely, some denominational branches so focus their energies on their distinctive beliefs and practices that they might as well be sects.反过来说，一些教派党支部，使他们集中精力于自己的独特的信仰和习俗，他们可能也是被支派。
Besides attracting to its ranks the once clearly distinct catholic churches and some sects, denominationalism has brought forth several other institutional responses. These are related in various ways to the obvious discrepancy between denominational distinctiveness (or rivalry) and the biblical portrayal of a unity of all Christians as close as that of the Father and the Son, a unity perceived not just by faith but observable by the world (John 17:20 - 23).除了吸引到其排名曾明确提出鲜明的天主教教堂和一些支派， denominationalism带来了其他几个机构的反应， 这些都是相关的各种方式，以明显的差距教派区别（或竞争） ，以及圣经中描绘的一个团结的一切基督徒接近，即父亲和儿子，一个团结的感觉，不只是信仰，但有瞄头，由世界 （约翰17:20 -2 3） 。
One response has been to oppose denominations and urge all true Christians to leave them and meet simply as churches of Christ, Christian churches, churches of God, disciples, brethren, Bible churches, evangelical churches, and similar inclusive names.一反应一直反对面额，并敦促所有真正的基督徒离开他们，并满足仅仅作为教会的基督，基督教教堂，教堂的神，弟子弟兄们，圣经教会，福音派教会，和类似包容的名字。 Despite obvious appeal in times of denominational confusion, strife, and declension, the reality is that no such movement has anywhere attracted most Christians to itself.尽管有明显的，在上诉的时候，教会混乱，纷争，并衰退，但实际情况是没有这样的运动随时随地吸引了大多数的基督徒自己的道路。 Instead this has been just another way of increasing the number of denominations, and sects, usually with the group's reluctance to admit it.相反，本已只是另一种方式的人数增加教派和教派，通常是同组的不愿承认。
Another response has been for local congregations to remain organizationally independent but to engage in cooperative endeavors with other Christian organizations near and far that have a variety of denominational links.另一个反应一直是地方教会，以保持组织上的独立，但从事合作事业与其他基督教组织或近或远说，有各种各样的教会联系。 In fact many congregations that have historical and legal ties to a denomination are functioning as if they did not.事实上，许多教友说，是有历史和法律关系上一个新面额正在运作，因为如果他们不同意。 (Conversely, an independent congregation that isolates itself is in effect just a small sect.) （反过来说，一个独立的聚集，这株本身实际上只是一个小教派） 。
The practicality of congregational independency has been enhanced in this century by the growing numbers and kinds of nondenominational specialized ministries such as home and foreign missions; colleges and seminaries; camp and conference grounds; publishers of magazines, books, and Sunday school curricula; evangelistic teams; youth organizations; radio and television broadcasters; occupational fellowships; and many others. Such ministries stress the doctrines and practices held in common by all or at least many denominational families, perform many functions that once were handled mostly by denominational agencies, and enable both denominational and independent congregations to experience broader fellowship. Perhaps a biblical precedent could be the evangelistic team of "Paul and his company" (Acts 13:13).实用性堂会的独立性已增加，在本世纪内，由越来越多种nondenominational专门部委如家和外国使团;学院和神学院;阵营和会议的理由;出版的杂志，书籍，和周日学校课程;福音队;青年组织;无线电和电视广播;职业奖学金;以及其他许多人。 此类部委强调学说和做法，在举行共同所有或至少在许多教会家庭，演出的许多功能，一旦被处理，大多由教会机构，使两教会和独立的毕业典礼，体验更广泛的奖学金，也许一个圣经的先例，可能是福音队的"保罗和他的公司" （使徒13时13分） 。 Such organizations have at least as much validity as do the denominations whose leaders frequently disparage them, but only as helpful supplements to and extensions of a vibrant congregational life rather than as a replacement for it.这些组织都至少有多达效力做面额其领导人经常轻视他们，但只作为有益的补充和扩展的一个充满活力的堂会生活，而不是以此替代它。
Yet another response to denominationalism has been the attempt to promote more visible unity in this century through ecumenicity.又一次回应denominationalism一直试图推动更有形团结在本世纪内通过ecumenicity 。 The ecumenical movement has seen many denominational mergers, sometimes across family lines, as well as denominational cooperation at the higher official levels through councils of churches. Generally speaking, the nondenominational specialized ministries are unambiguously evangelical in theology, while the promoters of conciliar ecumenism are not.在基督信仰合一运动，但也经历了许多教派兼并，有时遇到家系，以及教会合作，在更高层次的官员，通过议会的教堂。 一般来说， nondenominational专门部委都毫不含糊地福音派神学，而推动者conciliar基督信仰合一是不是。
Denominational identity is not nearly so accurate a predicter of theological stance, worship style, organizational preference, or social class as it once was. There is no indication that denominations will soon disappear, but neither does it appear that anyone is eager to justify them theologically. 教会的身份并非如此准确predicter的神学立场，信仰的作风，组织的偏好，或社会阶级，因为它曾经是有没有迹象显示面额将很快消失，但也没有出现任何急于辩解theologically 。 The trend seems to be toward a new kind of denominationalism, one that is no longer based primarily on associations of congregations with a common heritage.趋势似乎被推向一个新的种denominationalism ，一个不再是主要基于协会的教友同一个共同的遗产。 Such associations will no doubt continue, but increasing emphasis seems likely to be placed directly on the local congregation of whatever, if any, denomination, and on the network of specialized ministries supported by and extending the outreach of congregations and their members.这些协会将毫无疑问继续推行，但日益重视，似乎有可能被直接放在对当地聚集，无论如何，如果有的话，面额，对网络的专门部委的支持，并扩大推广的教会及其成员。
DG Tinder危险品打火
(Elwell Evangelical Dictionary) （ Elwell宣布了福音字典）
Bibliography
参考书目
RE Richey, ed.,
Denominationalism; RP Scherer, ed., American Denominational Organization; HR
Niebuhr, The Social Sources of Denominationalism.重新richey ，版，
denominationalism ;反相scherer ，海关，美国教会组织;尼布尔人力资源，社会资源的denominationalism 。
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