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= "Heterodox" Sects of Christianity: A Study [WORK IN PROGRESS, CHECK BACK SOON!] =

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Anonymous Writer

Feb. 2, 2023

Christianity is a religion with many denominations, which are in themselves tiny religions with diverse beliefs. However, some sects of Christianity view others with contempt, usually for differing beliefs; They are referred to as "Heterodox," "Non-Biblical," or even "Heretical." These designations seem to have not spurred the growth of such sects, with churches like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints having almost 17 Million members worldwide. With their unique beliefs attracting many people, we might see them gaining more acceptance among self-proclaimed "Mainstream" Christians.

First, there is the most famous sect, well known for their unique evangelism tactics, Jehovah's Witnesses. This organization's beliefs can be summed up as restorationist, albeit without the Trinity involved, which they find that "...there is no Scriptural basis for the Trinity doctrine." They also have their own form of the Bible, known as the New World Translation, Which is edited to be concise with their beliefs. They accept the whole bible as inerrant, although they refer to what mainstream Christians call the "Old Testament" as the "Hebrew Scriptures" because of this. This sect has about 8.7 million members worldwide.

Next up we have the Church of Christ, Scientist. This church is known for its "Faith Healing," i.e. Prayers to Heal. They believe that with this, they should avoid most forms of healthcare when not required by law. Their revered books include not only the Bible, but also Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, a book written by the founder Mary Baker Eddy. There has been an article in The Guardian about a follower dying of Gangrene, supposedly documented by his daughter. Mark Twain wrote about Christian Science, and was sympathetic towards their beliefs, although he was hostile to the founder. To sum up their beliefs, they are a mostly anti-health sect which practices "healing rituals."

We now have a smaller movement, known as the "Hebrew Roots." This is not a single denominations, but a full movement believing in Halakha (Jewish Law), the name "Yeshua HaMashiach" (Jesus the Messiah), and observance of the Jewish holidays. Famous followers include Rico Cortes, a scout for the White Sox as of 2014 and a descendant of Sephardi (Spanish) Jews. The movement has been criticized by some Christians as repeating the heresy of the Judaizers mentioned in the Letter to the Galatians. There is a more moderate movement known as the Christian Hebrew Roots movement, which believes in the feasts of the Lord, The 10 Commandments, and the name "Yeshua", but not the rest of Halakhic law.

In a similar fashion, we have the Sacred Name Movement, which believes in the use of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎/YHWH/YHVH or the name Yahweh for God, the name of Jesus being Yeshua/Yashua (Or in the case of the Assembly of YHWHHOSHUA, they use YHWHHOSHUA, which might be pronounced "yah-weh-hosh-ua."). Some of these movements are known for a literal view on the Torah, such as forbidding any image as violating the 2nd Commandment (Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images.). Some also follow the Halakhic law, making them more like the Hebrew Roots movement.

There is a movement which isn't really deemed heterodox by Christians, but is viewed as such by Jews. This sect, known as "Messianic Judaism," is a self-proclaimed form of Judaism, although most Jews view it as a Christian denomination. It is a mixture of Jewish laws, Hebrew/Aramaic names, and Christianity. They believe in Yeshua as the Jewish messiah, and they believe in both the Jewish Tanakh and the Christian New Testament. Many Jews and some Christians have criticized the sect, especially the organization Jews for Jesus, for aggressively evangelizing towards Jews. Jews have even made an organization to oppose the Jews for Jesus, known as "Jews for Judaism." The organization quotes on their website that it "...strengthens and preserves Jewish identity by responding to religious coercion, promoting critical thinking skills, and providing spiritual guidance and support."

Next, we have the most numerous sect of them all, the Latter-Day Saints, also known as Mormons. They were founded by Joseph Smith, who proclaimed that the angel Moroni revealed the location of the Golden Plates, which Joseph Smith was said to have translated into the Book of Mormon. They claim to be the re-established church which Jesus Christ intended before the event they call the Great Apostasy. Mainstream Christians classify the Latter-Day Saint movement as its own religion, refusing to acknowledge its relation to Christianity. There are multiple splits in the organization, but the largest ones are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Community of Christ, also known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. According to Preston Bell, a Mormon himself, Mainstream Mormons believe that "we all lived with God before we were born. Leaving God’s presence and experiencing mortality was vital to our progression and happiness. However, doing so meant that we would take a one way trip - we couldn’t return to God on our own due to the barriers of sin and death. A redeemer was provided (Jesus Christ) to make it possible for us to return. Jesus taught us how to do this during his ministry. He organized 12 apostles and authorized them to continue the work that he started. Jesus still guides prophets and apostles today, who teach us about Jesus Christ..." The Community of Christ believes in a different form, emphasizing peace and justice.

Finally, we have the Branch Davidians. They are a sect of Seventh Day Adventists believing in the re-establishment of the Davidian Kingdom of Israel. Their compound in Waco, Texas was raided by the ATF and multiple other US Government agencies after reports of weapons and sexual abuse were received. The raid ended up in the Waco center burning down, possibly in a suicide-pact by the members. They were led by David Koresh, and a new sect still exists, with a memorial on the site of the Waco Siege.

There are more to talk about (e.g. Esoteric Christians, etc.), but these can be more easily found on the Internet. These are the lesser (or more) known sects of the Christian faith, and as of early 2023, they are still active. These organizations represent many varied opinions and interpretations of Christianity, and are unique in their own ways.