What are confessionalism and conversionism?

Answer

Confessionalism entails loyalty to a formal, written creed or doctrinal statement. This does not necessarily mean that one must endorse the contents of a creed to be saved. However, it does necessitate that the details of a statement must be “affirmed” by someone who wishes to be recognized as a member of a specific denomination. Those who hold differing views are not automatically condemned in a confessionalism approach, but dissent places an individual outside that group. Trends toward confessionalism often emerge in response to controversies or cultural shifts.

The most direct contrast to confessionalism is conversionism. While confessional churches stress agreement with an objective set of doctrinal statements, churches characterized as conversional—or conversionist—prioritize personal experience. Confessionalism requires agreement with a formal set of beliefs; conversionism asserts that one’s relationship with God is not determined by external statements. Conversionist churches effectively empower the individual, rather than others, to determine if they are adhering to the correct set of beliefs.

Like many such issues, both confessional and conversional are idealized terms. Nearly every church, congregation, or individual holds a position along a spectrum between the two concepts. Maintaining an absolute view of either would be nearly impossible. “Perfect” confessionalism would tolerate no deviation from the stated doctrines, yet even very conservative churches acknowledge at least subtle variations in interpreting the creed. “Perfect” conversionism would demand no agreement with any doctrine, yet even very liberal churches anticipate agreement on a specific set of fundamental principles.

In contemporary times, the distinction between confessionalism and conversionism is not as pronounced or significant as it may have been in the past. Opposition to issues such as theological liberalism often makes reference to creeds and statements of faith.

ith, but this is rooted in a deeper disagreement than the basic outlines of “confessional” versus “conversional.” Common creeds used to summarize faith are historic texts such as the Nicene Creed and Apostles’ Creed. Other, more recent traditional sources are documents such as the Westminster Confession of Faith.

A church that requires teachers and leaders to affirm something beyond basic Christian doctrinal views could be considered “confessional.” In contrast, congregations that allow disagreement on all but the most generic Christian beliefs could be considered “conversional.” Groups that ignore important Christian doctrines—or actively oppose them—are not meaningfully “Christian” at all.