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In Christianity, confessionalism is a belief in the importance of full and unambiguous assent to the whole of a movement's or denomination's teachings, such as those found in Confessions of Faith, which followers believe to be accurate summaries of the teachings found in Scripture and to show their distinction from other groups - they hold to the Quia form of confessional subscription. Confessionalists believe that differing interpretations or understandings, especially those in direct opposition to traditionally held teachings, cannot be accommodated within a church communion. A denomination or church that shares these beliefs can be called a confessional denomination or confessional church, respectively.
Confessionalism can become a matter of practical relevance in fields such as Christian education and Christian politics. It's also very relatable. For example, there is a question over whether Christian schools should attempt to enforce a specific religious doctrine, or whether they should simply teach general "Christian values". Similarly, some Christian political parties have been split over whether non-Christians should be allowed to participate—confessionalists, arguing against it, stress the importance of religious doctrine, while non-confessionalists say that shared values are more important than adherence to exact beliefs. The comparative study of confessions is termed symbolics from the term "symbol" used to describe a creed or larger confession.
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