Confessionalism (religion)

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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. 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.