Christian Flag: Which Denominations Say Its Pledge

Charles Overton came up with the concept of a Christian flag during an impromptu speech in 1897. Since then, the Christian flag has symbolized the unity of Christianity. Considered to be a free and universal symbol, the Christian flag does not adhere to any particular denomination.

However, only a few denominations today accept the Christian flag and its pledge, such as the following:

SPECIAL: Prayer Changes Your Brain in 4 Amazing Ways

1. United Methodists and Methodists: Methodists (there are two branches) base their teaching off of those of John Wesley. In 1908, Methodist minister Lynn Harold Hough wrote the first pledge to the Christian flag.

However, the United Methodists today express disapproval, although do not outright forbid, the use of both Christian flags (and the corresponding pledge) and American flags. Many Methodist churches, however, explicitly endorse the Christian flag and its pledge. Currently, there are about 13 million Methodists in the United States, and 8 million of that are United Methodists.

2. Presbyterians: Mainstream Presbyterian churches typically embrace both the Christian flag and its pledge. In the 1940s, the denomination explicitly approved the use of the Christian flag and its pledge in a church resolution. The Presbyterian denomination has its roots in Calvinist traditions. In the United States, there are two main branches of Presbyterianism. There are currently about 4 million Presbyterians in the United States.

ALERT: When Do You Think Christ Is Returning? Vote Now

3. Baptists: The Baptist denomination and its many branches believe in adult rather than infant baptism. The denomination draws from the Puritan and Anabaptist traditions. Currently, there are approximately 30 million Baptists in the United States, and 16 million of those are Southern Baptists. The Baptist Church tends to accept the Christian flag and its pledge.

4. Lutherans: The Lutheran denomination is rooted in the teachings of Martin Luther. Lutheran churches started using the Christian flag and its pledge during World War II in order to prove their patriotism as most such churches had German roots.

Evangelical Lutheran churches tend to discourage the use of both the Christian flag and its pledge. However, like the United Methodists, they do not explicitly forbid it. Today, there are about 8 million Lutherans in the United States, 5 million of which are Evangelical Lutheran.

SPECIAL: Can Prayer Heal You? Dr. Crandall Discovered the Truth

Related Stories:

• 5 Beliefs That Set Fundamentalist Christians Apart From Other Denominations

• Christianity's Denominations: The 11 Branches of Christ-Based Religion