Elton Trueblood on Denominations

There is no vital religion in the world today that is not sectarian, and there cannot be. The reason far this is rooted deeply in human nature. We naturally farm into groups and find our best life in reasonably small fellowships. Like-minded fellowships in different committees strengthen one another in conscious loyalty to a heritage.

Such groups are called denominations. There is nothing very dangerous or surprising about this and certainly there is nothing about it that is unique ffJ religion. We do it in everything else, as the existence of lodges, political parties and service clubs so abundantly testifies. It is very curious, indeed, that a man who takes for granted the existence of separate organizations for Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Clubs should profess to be shocked by the fact that Christians are organized in a similar way.