Evangelical Protestant views on ecumenism

Evangelical Protestant views on ecumenism are often characterized as hostile, including those of most Baptists, and some Lutherans, Seventh-day Adventists, non-denominational Christians, and Evangelical Christian denominations such as the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, which do not participate actively in the ecumenical movements.

Doctrine of separation

The doctrine of separation is adopted by some Evangelical churches towards churches and denominations that have joined ecumenical activities. Many Pentecostals, such as Assemblies of God, shun ecumenism, but some organizations, including some Pentecostal churches, do participate in ecumenism. Other American conservative Protestant Churches, such as the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Presbyterian Church in America, and Free Methodist Church, often view ecumenism in ways similar to their evangelical counterparts.

National Association of Evangelicals

Many evangelical churches, particularly those in the Baptist tradition, practice congregational self-government, in which the local congregation manages its own affairs and makes decisions regarding theological questions and worship styles. Since the local congregation is seen the highest ecclesiastic authority, there is no compelling reason for these churches to seek a formal merger of denominations. Many evangelical churches do partake in church associations like the National Association of Evangelicals or World Evangelical Fellowship, and cooperate through para-church ministries like World Vision or Young Life. Evangelical churches sometimes cooperate with mainline Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians in projects such as disaster relief or political lobbying. Some of the more conservative Evangelicals, usually called fundamentalists, and Pentecostals view interdenominational activities or organizations in more conservative circles such as the National Association of Evangelicals or Promise Keepers as a softer form of ecumenism and shun them while others do not.

Baptist views

Many Baptists in the United States have notoriously opposed ecumenism and even cooperation with other Baptists, as illustrated by the recent example of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance. The Baptist World Alliance, while seeking co-operation among Baptists, is not specifically a staunch ecumenical body, and yet conservative fundamentalist elements within the Southern Baptist Convention have forced that denomination to withdraw from even that small effort to ecumenical cooperation. Fundamentalists within the SBC cited the BWA's acceptance of Baptist denominations which practiced the ordination of women, which the SBC officially opposes. Critical observers of the SBC noted that the SBC withdrew from the BWA when the BWA accepted the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a moderate Baptist body formed by theologically moderate Baptists alienated by the SBC's fundamentalist direction.

A considerable number of Baptists within the United States belong to loose networks of like-minded fundamentalists known as Independent Baptists. Many of these churches, as well as other fundamentalist groups, believe that modern Bible translations are heretical and that most denominations, including other Baptists and evangelicals, are apostate. These fundamentalists often believe that ecumenism may lead to an apostate counterfeit Christianity lead by the Anti-Christ, possibly in collusion with the Vatican.

Pentecostals

In 2001 a group of Pentecostals broke from traditional opposition to ecumenical movements and formed the International Circle of Faith.