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List Of Christian Denominations

List of Christian denominations

List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships. (See also: Christianity; Christian denominations). Some denominations are large (e.g. Roman Catholic, Lutherans, Anglicans or Baptists) while others are just a few small churches, and in most cases the relative size is not evident in this list. Also, modern movements such as Fundamentalist Christianity, Pietism, Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism and the Holiness movement sometimes cross denominational lines, or in some cases create new denominations out of two or more continuing groups (as is the case for many United / Uniting churches, for example). Such subtleties and complexities are not clearly depicted here. This is not a complete list, but aims to provide a comprehensible overview of the diversity that exists among denominations of Christianity, whose branches are collectively referred to as Christendom. Some links may point to non-existent articles. There are approximately 250+ branches listed here. Between denominations, theologians and comparative religionists, there are considerable disagreements about which groups can be properly called Christian denominations. These disagreements rise primarily from doctrinal differences between different groups. For the purpose of simplicity, this list is intended to reflect the self-understanding of each denomination. Explanations about different opinions concerning their statuses as Christian denominations can be found at their respective articles.

Catholicism

Catholic churches accepting the primacy of the Roman Pontiff

- Albanian Catholic Church
- Armenian Catholic Church
- Belarusian Catholic Church
- Bulgarian Catholic Church
- Byzantine Catholic Church
- Chaldean Catholic Church
- Coptic Catholic Church
- Ethiopian Catholic Church
- Georgian Catholic Church
- Greek Catholic Church
- Hungarian Catholic Church
- Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
- Latin Church
- Maronite Catholic Church
- Melkite Catholic Church
- Romanian Catholic Church
- Russian Catholic Church
- Ruthenian Catholic Church
- Serbian Catholic Church
- Slovak Catholic Church
- Syrian Catholic Church
- Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
- Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
- Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church The Latin Church, the most common form of Catholicism in Western Europe and North America, is sometimes said to be "the Roman Catholic Church." However, Catholics in full communion with Rome regard all of the above to be particular churches of the Catholic Church.

Catholic churches closely related to, but not accepting the primacy of the Roman Pontiff

- American Catholic Church in the United States
- Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
- Catholic Apostolic National Church
- Catholic Apostolic Church
- Catholic Apostolic Church in North America (CACINA)
- Catholic Life Church
- Celtic Catholic Church
- Charismatic Episcopal Church
- Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association
- Christ Catholic Church
- Free Catholic Church
- Liberal Catholic Church
- Mariavite Church
- North American Old Catholic Church
- Old Catholic Church
- Palmarian Catholic Church
- Philippine Independent Church
- Polish National Catholic Church
- Sedevacantism
- true Catholic Church

So-called Nestorian churches

- Assyrian Church of the East

Non-Chalcedonian Churches

Oriental Orthodox Communion

- Armenian Apostolic Church
- Coptic Orthodox Church
- Ethiopian Orthodox Church
- Eritrean Orthodox Church
- Indian Orthodox Church ("Malankara Syrian")
- Syrian Orthodox Church ("Jacobite Syrian")
- The Antiochian Catholic Church in America is theologically aligned with these Churches, but is not in full communion with them, primarily because it ordains women and does not impose celibacy on its bishops.

Orthodox Christianity

Eastern Orthodox Churches

Protestantism

Protestants before Luther

- Hussites
- Utraquists
- Taborites
- Moravians
- Unity of the Brethren
- Lollards
- Waldensians

Lutheranism

Reformed and Presbyterian Churches

Reformed churches

- Canadian and American Reformed Churches
- Christian Reformed Church in North America
- Christian Reformed Churches of Australia
- Church of Lippe
- Dutch Reformed Church
- Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore
- Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches
- Federation of Reformed Churches
- Free Reformed Churches of North America
- Heritage Reformed Congregations
- Hungarian Reformed Church in America
- Orthodox Christian Reformed Church
- Protestant Reformed Churches in America
- Reformed Christian Church in Croatia
- Reformed Church in America
- Reformed Church in Bavaria and Northwestern Germany
- Reformed Church in Hungary
- Reformed Church in the United States
- Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine
- Reformed Church of Japan
- Remonstrant Brotherhood
- United Church of Christ
- United Reformed Church
- United Reformed Churches in North America

Presbyterian churches

United / Uniting churches

- China Christian Council
- Church of Bangladesh
- Church of Pakistan
- Church of North India
- Syrian Marthoma Church in India
- Church of South India
- Evangelical Church in Germany
- Protestant Church in the Netherlands from 1 May 2004
- United Church of Canada
- United Church of Christ
- Uniting Church in Australia

Anabaptists

- Amish
- Beachy Amish
- Nebraska Amish
- Old Order Amish
- Swartzendruber Amish
- Hutterites
- Bruderhof Communities
- Mennonites
- Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations
- Anabaptist Association of Australia and New Zealand
- Brethren in Christ
- Chortitzer Mennonite Conference
- Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (aka Holdeman Mennonites)
- Conservative Mennonite Conference
- Evangelical Mennonite Church
- Evangelical Mennonite Conference
- Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference
- Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (formerly Evangelical Mennonite Brethren)
- Mennonite Brethren Churches
- Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
- Japan Mennonite Brethren Conference
- US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
- Mennonite Church Canada
- Mennonite Church in the Netherlands
- Mennonite Church USA
- Mennonite World Conference
- Swiss Mennonite Conference

Brethren denominations

- Church of the United Brethren in Christ
- Plymouth Brethren
- River Brethren
- Brethren in Christ Church
- Old Order River Brethren
- United Zion Church
- Schwarzenau Brethren
- Church of the Brethren
- Conservative Grace Brethren Churches, International
- Dunkard Brethren
- Ephrata Cloister
- Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
- Old German Baptist Brethren
- Old Order German Baptist Brethren
- The Brethren Church (Ashland Brethren)
- Social Brethren

Baptists

(All Baptist associations are congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent)
- Alliance of Baptists
- American Baptist Association
- American Baptist Churches USA
- Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland
- Association of Grace Baptist Churches
- Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America
- Association of Regular Baptist Churches
- Baptist Bible Fellowship International
- Baptist Conference of the Philippines
- Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec
- Baptist Convention of Western Cuba
- Baptist General Conference
- Baptist General Conference of Canada
- Baptist General Convention of Texas
- Baptist Missionary Association of America
- Baptist Union of Australia
- Baptist Union of Great Britain
- Baptist Union of New Zealand
- Baptist Union of Scotland
- Baptist Union of Western Canada
- Baptist World Alliance
- Bible Baptist
- Canadian Baptist Ministries
- Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists
- Central Baptist Association
- Central Canada Baptist Conference
- Christian Unity Baptist Association
- Colored Primitive Baptists
- Conservative Baptist Association
- Conservative Baptist Association of America
- Conservative Baptists
- Continental Baptist Churches
- Convención Nacional Bautista de Mexico
- Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches
- Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
- European Baptist Convention
- European Baptist Federation
- Evangelical Baptist Mission of South Haiti
- Evangelical Free Baptist Church
- Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada
- Free Will Baptist Church
- Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of America
- General Association of Baptists
- General Association of General Baptists
- General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
- General Conference of the Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc.
- General Six-Principle Baptists
- Global Independent Baptist Fellowship
- Grace Baptist Assembly
- Independent Baptists
- Independent Baptist Church of America
- Independent Baptist Fellowship International
- Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America
- Interstate & Foreign Landmark Missionary Baptist Association
- Landmark Baptist Church
- Liberty Baptist Fellowship
- Myanmar Baptist Convention
- National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.
- National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
- National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A.
- National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
- National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A.
- New England Evangelical Baptist Fellowship
- New Testament Association of Independent Baptist Churches
- North American Baptist Conference
- Norwegian Baptist Union
- Old Baptist Union
- Old Regular Baptists
- Old Time Missionary Baptists
- Primitive Baptists
- Progressive Baptists
- Progressive National Baptist Convention
- Reformed Baptists
- Regular Baptist Churches, General Association of
- Regular Baptists
- Separate Baptists
- Separate Baptists in Christ
- Seventh Day Baptists
- Southeast Conservative Baptists
- Southern Baptist Convention
- Southern Baptists of Texas
- Sovereign Grace Baptists
- Strict Baptists
- Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists
- Union D'Eglises Baptistes Francaises Au Canada
- United American Free Will Baptist Church
- United American Free Will Baptist Conference
- United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces
- United Baptists
- United Free Will Baptist
- Unregistered Baptist Fellowship
- World Baptist Alliance
- World Baptist Fellowship
- See also: List of Baptist sub-denominations

Charismatics

- New Frontiers
- Vineyard Movement
- Sovereign Grace Ministries
- Charismatic Episcopal Church

Friends (Quakers) and Their Offshoots

- Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
- Friends General Conference
- Friends United Meeting
- Evangelical Friends International
- United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing (Shakers)

Methodists

- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
- Bible Methodist Church
- British Methodist Episcopal Church
- Chinese Methodist Church
- Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
- Congregational Methodist Church
- Church of the Nazarene
- Evangelical Church
- Evangelical Methodist Church
- Free Methodist Church
- Fellowship of Independent Methodist Churches
- Fundamental Methodist Conference, Inc.
- Independent Methodist Church
- Korean Methodist Church
- Methodist Church, Hong Kong
- Methodist Church in Ireland
- Methodist Church in Singapore
- Methodist Church of Great Britain
- Methodist Church of New Zealand
- Methodist Church of South Africa
- Methodist Church of Sri Lanka
- Methodist Church of Mexico [http://www.iglesia-metodista.org.mx Iglesia Metodista de México, Sitio Oficial]
- Primitive Methodist Church
- Salvation Army
- United Methodist Church
- Wesleyan Church
- Wesleyan Reform Union

Pietists and Holiness Churches

- Apostolic Christian Church
- Bible Fellowship Church
- Christian & Missionary Alliance
- Christian's Missionary Church
- Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.
- Church of God (Anderson)
- Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma)
- Church of God (Holiness)
- Churches of God General Conference (Winebrenner)
- Church of the Nazarene
- Evangelical Covenant Church
- Missionary Church
- United Christian Church

Pentecostalism

- Abundant Life Worship Centers
- Apostolic Assemblies of Christ
- Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus
- Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada
- Apostolic Faith Church
- Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God
- Assemblies of God
- Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
- Calvary Holiness Association
- Charismatic Episcopal Church
- Christian City Churches
- Christ Gospel Churches International
- Christian Church of North America
- Christian Congregation of Brazil
- Christian Revival Crusade
- Church of God (Charleston, Tennessee)
- Church of God (Chattanooga)
- Church of God (Cleveland)
- Church of God (Huntsville, Alabama)
- Church of God (Jerusalem Acres)
- Church of God for All Nations
- Church of God by Faith
- Church of God, House of Prayer
- Church of God in Christ
- Church of God Mountain Assembly
- Church of God of Prophecy
- Church of God with Signs Following
- Church of God of the Union Assembly
- Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith
- Church of the Little Children of Jesus Christ
- Congregational Holiness Church
- CRC Churches International
- Destiny Church
- Elim Fellowship
- Elim Pentecostal Church
- Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas
- God is Love Pentecostal Church
- Holiness Baptist Association
- Independent Assemblies of God, International
- International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
- International Pentecostal Church of Christ
- International Pentecostal Holiness Church
- Ministers Fellowship International
- New Life Churches
- Open Bible Standard Churches (association of autonomous churches)
- Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
- Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland
- Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
- Pentecostal Church of God
- Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church
- Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America
- Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith
- Pentecostal World Conference
- Potter's House Christian Fellowship
- Redeemed Christian Church of God
- The Church of God (Jerusalem Acres)
- The Church of God for All Nations
- The Fellowship (FGFCMI)
- United Gospel Tabernacles
- United Holy Church of America
- United Pentecostal Churches of Christ
- United Pentecostal Church International

African Independent Churches

- Church of the Lord
- Kimbanguist Church
- Zion Christian Church

Neo-charismatic churches

- True Jesus Church,
- Church Assembly Hall
- New Birth Movement
- Montagnard Evangelical Church
- Bible Christian Mission,
- Filadelfia Fellowship,
- New Life Fellowship,
- New Life Outreach,
- Reaching Indians Ministries,
- Believers' Churches in India
- Rajasthan Bible Institute

Messianic Judaism

- Chosen People Ministries
- Jews for Jesus
- Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations
- The Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA), founded in 1915, is the largest association of Messianic Jews in the world

Other movement churches

- Christianity, in modern times, exists under diverse names. These variously named groups, Lutherans, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Catholics, etc. are called denominations. Denominationalism is an ideology, which views some or all Christian groups as being, in some sense, versions of the same thing regardless of their distinguishing labels. Not all denominations teach this, however; and there are some groups which practically all others would view as apostate or heretical: that is, not legitimate versions of Christianity. There were some denominations or semi-Christian groups in the past which do not exist today. Examples include the Gnostics (who had believed in an esoteric dualism), the Ebionites (who venerated Christ's blood relatives), and the Arians (who believed that Jesus was a created being rather than coeternal with God the Father, and who outnumbered the non-Arians for a long time within the makeup of the institutional church). It is a matter of debate as to if these groups were heresies (new doctrines that were against the doctrines that were the true original ones), or if those beliefs were simply not defined by the larger Christian community up until that point. The greatest divisions in Christianity today however are between Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and various denominations formed during and after the Protestant Reformation. There also exists in Protestantism various degrees of unity and division. Comparisons between denominational groups must be approached with caution. For example, in some groups, congregations are part of one monolithic church organization, while in other groups, each congregation is an independent autonomous organization. Numerical comparisons are also problematic. Some groups count membership based on adult believers and baptized children of believers, while others only count adult baptized believers. In addition, there may be political motives of advocates or opponents of a particular group to inflate or deflate membership numbers through propaganda or outright deception.

Historical schisms and methods of classification schemes

Christianity has not been a monolithic faith since the first century, if ever, and today there exist a large variety of groups that share a common history and tradition within and without mainstream Christianity. Since Christianity is the largest religion in the world (making approximately one-third of the population), it is necessary to understand the various faith traditions in terms of commonalities and differences between tradition, theology, church government, doctrine, language, and so on. The largest division in many classification schemes is between the families of Eastern and Western Christianity. After these two larger families come distinct branches of Christianity. Most classification schemes list six (in order of size: Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Assyrians). Others may include Restorationism as a seventh, but classically this is included among Protestant movements. After these branches comes denominational families. In some traditions, these families are precisely defined (such as the autocephalous churches in both Orthodox branches), in others, they may be loose ideological groups with overlap (this is especially the case in Protestantism, which includes Anabaptists, Adventists, Baptists, Congregationalists, Pentecostals, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Reformed churches, and possibly others, depending on who is organizing the scheme. From there come denominations, which in the West, have complete independence to establish doctrine (for instance, national churches in the Anglican Communion or the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in Lutheranism). At this point, the scheme becomes more difficult to apply to the Eastern churches and Catholic faiths, due to their top-down hierarchical structures. More precise units after denominations include kinds of regional councils and individual congregations and church bodies. congregation The initial differences between the East and West traditions stem to socio-cultural and linguistic divisions in and between the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Since the West (that is, Europe) spoke Latin as its lingua franca and the East (the Middle East, Asia, and northern Africa) largely used Koine Greek to transmit writings, theological developments were difficult to translate from one branch to the other. In the course of ecumenical councils (large gatherings of Christian leaders), some church bodies split from the larger family of Christianity. Many earlier heretical groups either died off for lack of followers and/or suppression by the church at large (such as Apollinarians, Montanists, and Ebionites). The first significant, lasting split in historic Christianity came from the Assyrian Church of the East, who left following the Christological controversy over Nestorianism in 431 (the Assyrians in 1994 released a common Christological statement with the Catholic church). Today, the Assyrian and Catholic churches view this schism as largely linguistic, due to problems of translating very delicate and precise terminology from Latin to Aramaic and vice-versa (see Council of Ephesus). Following the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the next large split came with the Syrian and Alexandrian (Egyptian or Coptic) churches dividing themselves, with the dissenting churches becoming today's Oriental Orthodoxy. (A similar Christological statement was made between Pope John Paul II and Syriac patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, as well as between representatives of both Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy). Although the church as a whole didn't experience any major divisions for centuries afterward, the Eastern and Western groups drifted until the point where patriarchs from both families excommunicated one another in about 1054 in what is known as the Great Schism. The political and theological reasons for the schism are complex, but one major controversy was the issue of papal primacy: the West insisted that the Pope of Rome held a special position of authority over other patriarchs (in Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Jerusalem), while the East taught that all patriarchs were co-equal and had no authority over other jurisdictions. Either church considers the other to be the catalyst for the split, and it was only in the 1960s, under Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras that significant steps began to be made to mend the relationship between the two. In Western Christianity, there were a handful of geographically-isolated movements that preceded the spirit of the Protestant Reformation. The Cathars were a very strong movement in medieval southwestern France, but did not survive into modern times. In northern Italy and southeastern France, Peter Waldo founded the Waldensians in the 12th century. This movement has largely been absorbed by modern-day Protestant groups. In Bohemia, an Orthodox region, the Papal States (then a much more powerful land empire than today's Holy See) took over the region and converted it to the Catholic faith. A movement in the early 15th century by Jan Hus called the Hussites defied Catholic dogma and still exists to this day (alternately known as the Moravians). By far, the largest and most devastating pre-Reformation split was when Henry VIII of England declared himself the head of the Church of England with the Act of Supremacy in 1531, founding Anglicanism as a separate branch of Christian faith. A huge schism was unintentionally founded by the posting of Martin Luther's 95 Theses in Saxony on October 31, 1517. Initially written as a set of grievances to spur the Catholic church into reforming itself, rather than beginning a new sect, Luther's writings combined with the work of Swiss theologian Huldrych Zwingli and French theologian and politician John Calvin instigating a rift in European Christianity that created today's second-largest branch of Christianity after Catholicism itself, Protestantism. Unlike the other branches (Catholicism, Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, the Assyrians, and Anglicans), Protestantism is a general movement that has no internal governing structure. As such, diverse groups such as Presbyterians, Reformed churches, Lutherans, Methodists, Congregationalists, Anabaptists, Baptists, Adventists, Pentecostals, and even possibly Restorationists (depending on one's classification scheme) are all a part of the same family. The largest amount of new churches and denominations have come from Protestantism in its first four hundred years, compared to the millennium and a half prior in all of Christendom.

Western groups

Catholicism and Protestantism are the two major divisions of Christianity in the Western world, if Anglicanism is included as a part of the latter. For example, the Baptist, Methodist, and Lutheran churches are generally considered to be Protestant faiths, although strictly speaking, of these three the Lutheran denomination is the only one of these founded as a "protest" against Catholicism. Anglicanism is generally classified as Protestant, but since the "Tractarian" or Oxford Movement of the 19th century, led by John Henry Newman, Anglican writers emphasize a more catholic understanding of the church and characterize it as more properly understood as its own tradition — a via media ("middle way"), both Protestant and Catholic. One central tenet of Catholicism is its literal adherence to apostolic succession. "Apostle" means "one who is sent out." Jesus commissioned the first twelve apostles (see Biblical Figures for the list of the Twelve), and they, in turn laid hands on subsequent church leaders to ordain (commission) them for ministry. In this manner, Catholics trace their ordained ministers all the way back to the original Twelve. Catholics are distinct in their belief that the Pope has authority which can be traced directly to the apostle Peter. There are small schismatic groups from the Catholic faith, such as the Old Catholic Church which rejected the definition of papal infallibility at the First Vatican Council, and Anglo-Catholics, Anglicans who believe that Anglicanism is a continuation of historical Catholicism and who incorporate many Catholic beliefs and practices. Catholicism is widely referred to as Roman Catholicism, but this title is an inaccurate reflection of the make-up of the Catholic faith, as there are other religious rites than the Latin Rite (which makes up the vast majority of believers). These smaller groups are included in the Eastern Rite, and is largely composed of Eastern Christian groups that defected from their tradition to submit to papal authority. Catholicism is a top-down hierarchical faith in which supreme authority for matters of faith and practice are the exclusive domain of the Pope. Since Protestantism does not represent a unified body of believers, but a faith tradition which has itself split several times, it is more often understood in large denominational families. Each Protestant movement has developed freely, and many have split over theological issues. For instance, a number of movements that grew out of spiritual revivals, like Methodism and Pentecostalism. Doctrinal issues and matters of conscience have also divided Protestants. The Anabaptist tradition, made up of the Amish and Mennonites, rejected the Catholic and Lutheran doctrines of infant baptism; this tradition is also noted for its belief in pacifism. The measure of mutual acceptance between the denominations and movements varies, but is growing largely due to the ecumenical movement in the 20th century and overarching Christian bodies such as the World Council of Churches. Protestant theology for each denomination is usually guarded by local church councils.

Eastern groups

In the Eastern world, the largest body of believers is the Eastern Orthodoxy. The Eastern Orthodox Church also believes it is the continuation of the original Christian church established by Jesus. According to the Eastern Churches' understanding of Papal primacy, the bishop of Rome was first in honor among the bishops, but possessed no direct authority over dioceses other than his own. Consequently, each church in the Eastern Orthodoxy is autocephalous, and is internally responsible for matters of doctrine and practice. Today, the Patriarch of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) is known as the Ecumenical Patriarch, and holds the title of honor among other bishops (see primus inter pares, or first among equals). In addition to the four ancient churches there are approximately 10 others organized more or less along national lines (there is some controversy over whether or not the Orthodox Church in America is or should be autocephalous). The largest of these, and the largest Orthodox Church overall, is the Russian Orthodox Church. Many of these groups are represented as independent ecclesiastical bodies in America who, for the most part, are still in full Communion with each other. In addition, smaller Orthodox communities have a large degree of internal responsibility, known as autonomy, but are under the authority of another regional church. Small schisms exist today with "Old calendarists" groups and national churches that are not in communion with other Orthodox Churches (such as the Macedonian Orthodox Church and Montenegrin Orthodox Church). The Oriental Orthodox organizes its church in a similar manner, with six national autocephalous groups and two autonomous bodies. Although the region of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea has had a strong body of believers since the infancy of Christianity, these regions only gained autocephaly in 1963 and 1994 respectively. Since these groups are relatively obscure in the West, literature on them has sometimes included the Assyrian church as a part of the Oriental Orthodox Communion, but the Assyrians have maintained theological, cultural, and ecclesiastical independence from all other Christian bodies since 431. The church is administered in a hierarchical model not entirely unlike the Catholics, with the head of the church being the Patriarch Catholicos of Babylon, currently HH Mar Dinkha IV. Due to oppression, the church's headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois, rather than Assyria (northern Iraq and part of Iran). Some believers have remained in the Middle East, though, and a small congregation still exists due to missionary efforts of the 7th and 8th centuries in China. Even within this small group, there is a rival Catholicos (Patriarch) in California.

Non-mainstream Christianity

While a precise definition of what constitutes mainstream Christianity is difficult at best, there are some groups that fall outside of what is popularly construed to be Christian groups, but share some manner of historical connection with the larger community of Christians. Considering this diversity, it may be impossible to define what Christianity is without either rejecting all definitions, or adopting a particular definition as authoritative and thus excluding others. In terms of the modern aim of scientific and objective definition, both options are considered problematic. Christianity, even in its infancy as a Jewish sect, rejected ethnic definition. It was conceived and grew as an international religion with global ambitions, spreading rapidly from Judea to nations and people all over the world. Doctrines, rather than ethnicity, define essential Christianity - even where ethnic groups have been Christian for generations. The multiplicity of communities of faith may be partly accounted for by the definition of Christianity according to specific points of indispensable doctrine, the denial of which sets the heretic, or apostate, outside of the "Church", where perhaps he is accepted by another "Church" holding doctrines compatible with his own. Points of distinctive doctrine may be a very small number of simple propositions, or very numerous and difficult to explain, depending on the group. Some groups are defined relatively statically, and others have changed their definitions dramatically over time. As an example, before the Enlightenment, Christian teachers who denied the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (a widely held doctrine about the nature of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit formulated from New Testament passages in 325), would be cast out of their churches, and at times exiled or otherwise deprived of the protection of law. In later times, some points of the traditional doctrine of the Trinity are considered false doctrines according to groups such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Iglesia ni Cristo, and the Jehovah's Witnesses (representing tens of millions of believers combined). For example, Latter-day Saints teach that God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct personages. Other similar movements coalesced to form today's Unitarian-Universalism, which formally renounced Christian origins in 1961, and exist as a separate religious body. Due to the virtual absence of any formalized doctrine, though, there are several UU's who still self-identify as Christians, although they are certainly the minority.

Christians with Jewish Roots

One group which has maintained its Jewish identity alongside an acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah and the New Testament as authoritative are Messianic Jews, also called Hebrew Christians. Since the founding of the church, there have been Jewish elements retained by particular groups that wanted to retain their national heritage alongside the Gospel message. In fact, the first council was called in Jerusalem to address just this issue, and the deciding opinion was written by Christ's brother James the Just, the first bishop of Jerusalem and a pivotal figure in the Christian movement. The best known group of Messianic Jews in America today is Jews for Jesus, and due to the entirely different history of such movements and groups, they defy any simple classification scheme.

Uncategorized

Some denominations which arose alongside the Western Christian tradition consider themselves Christian, but neither Catholic nor wholly Protestant, such as the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. Quakerism began as a mystical and evangelical Christian movement in 17th century England, eschewing priests and all formal Anglican or Catholic sacraments in their worship, including many of those practices that remained among the stridently Protestant Puritans such as baptism with water. Like the Mennonites, Quakers traditionally refrain from participation in war.

Messianic Movements

Other faith traditions claim not to be descended from any of these groups directly. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for instance, is often grouped with the Protestant churches, but does not characterize itself as Protestant. Its origination during the Second Great Awakening parallels the founding of numerous other indigenous American religions, especially in the Burned-over district of western New York state, and in the western territories of the United States, including the Adventist movement and the Restoration Movement (sometimes called "Campbellites" or "Stone-Campbell churches", which include the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Church of Christ). Each of these groups, founded within fifty years of one another, originally claimed to be an unprecedented, late restoration of the primitive Christian church.

New Thought

Another family of (semi-)Christian churches are grouped together under the banner of "New Thought" churches. Although the terminology is inaccurate, these churches share a metaphysical or mystical predisposition and understanding of the Bible. One of the oldest metaphysical Christian groups are the Swedenborgians, founded on the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg in 1787. The latter part of the 19th century also saw the founding of Spiritism by Allan Kardec. Lastly, the mystical elements of Yoruba, an African animistic tradition combined with Roman Catholicism via Afro-Cuban slaves, forming Lukumí (more well-known in America by its branch Santeria).

Mandaeans

One peculiar body presents virtually the last Gnostic group in existence. The Mandaeans were discovered in obscurity on the coast of modern-day Iraq and Iran by Portuguese missionaries in the 14th century. They were erroneously identified as "Christians of John the Baptist", but reject Jesus Christ entirely as a false prophet, and following esoteric teachings they claim come from John the Baptist himself. Another small Gnostic group which purports itself to be a "Buddhist branch of original Christianity" are the [http://www.essenes.net/ Essenes]. These syncretists are entirely unrelated to the ancient Jewish sect of the same name.

Christian Related Movements

Two movements which are entirely unrelated in their founding share a common element of an additional Messiah or incarnation of Christ: the Unification Church and the Rastafari movement. These groups would also fall outside of traditional taxonomies of Christian groups. There are also some Christians that reject the church altogether, believing that the only authority they should follow is God as embodied in the teachings of Jesus. Christian anarchists feel that earthly authority such as government, or indeed the established church do not and should not have power over them. They also oppose the use of physical force in any circumstance and believe in nonviolence. Russian Count Leo Tolstoy, who wrote The Kingdom of God is Within You, [http://www.kingdomnow.org/withinyou.html] was a Christian anarchist.

Related Independent Religions

In addition, Christianity has partly inspired other religions, like early Islam and later Bahá'is, whose adherents do not consider themselves Christians but do consider Jesus to be a prophet and the Messiah as well.

External links

- [http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations.htm Christian Denominations] History, profiles and comparison charts of major Christian denominations.
- [http://www.ecumenism.net/denom/ Denominational links] from the [http://www.ecumenism.net/ Ecumenism in Canada] site
- [http://www.ecumenism.net/denom/directory.htm Canadian Church Headquarters]
- [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg.aspx?eccpageID=3&IndexView=toc The Eastern Christian Churches – A Brief Survey] Denominations

Lutheran

Lutheranism is a Christian tradition committed to the main theological insights of Martin Luther. It is numerically the third largest single Christian movement, with an estimated 82.6 million people belonging to the various congregations, bodies, and churches which call themselves Lutheran. Luther's insights are generally held to have been a major foundation of the Protestant movement. The relationship between Lutheranism and the Protestant tradition is, however, ambiguous: some Lutherans consider Lutheranism to be outside the Protestant tradition, while others see it as part of this tradition.

History of Lutheranism

Early history

Lutheranism as a movement traces its origin to the work of Martin Luther, a German religious scholar who sought to reform the practices of the Roman Catholic Church in the early 16th century. The symbolic beginning of the Reformation occurred on October 31, 1517, which Lutherans and other Protestants regard as Reformation Day, when Doctor Luther posted an open invitation to debate his 95 theses concerning the teaching and practice of indulgences within the Church. Between 1517 and 1520, Luther preached and published his scathing criticisms of the Catholic Church in books and pamphlets. His ideas were supported by many other Christian theologians, and they also had a certain populist appeal. As a result, Luther gained many supporters and followers from all levels of society, from peasants who considered him a folk hero, to knights who swore to protect him, to rulers of German lands who wanted more independence from papal interference in their domestic policies. Luther also gained some powerful enemies, including the Pope in Rome and the youthful Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Concerned about the "problem" of Luther, the Pope and Roman officials decided to send representatives to Luther to discuss his concerns and to persuade him to retract his challenges to papal authority. The effort was largely unsuccessful. Luther continued to discover new areas in need of reform. Finally, the papal bull called the Exsurge Domine was issued in 1520, calling on Luther to condemn and abandon his ideas. Luther replied by burning the bull and volumes of canon law in a bonfire at Wittenberg. Finally, a new bull excommunicating Luther and those who agreed with him was issued. Charles V wanted to outlaw the now excommunicated Luther and his followers, but he was warned by advisors that doing so outright would cause a revolt, since Luther had become so popular. More importantly, the ruler of Luther's land, Elector Frederick the Wise, refused to allow any of his subjects to be condemned without trial. So instead, Luther was to be summoned to appear before the Diet of Worms. Luther went to Worms, but when called upon by imperial and papal officials to retract his ideas, Luther replied: "I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the Councils, because it is clear as day they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore, I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture ... I cannot and will not retract ..." --Martin Luther, April 16, 1521 Luther had been granted a Safe Conduct to travel to and from his trial, but remembering how a similar promise had been violated in the case of Jan Hus, Luther's supporters prevailed upon him to escape from Worms in the dark of night, before he too could be seized and executed. Luther remained in hiding for some time, all the while continuing to write and develop his ideas. Shortly after Luther escaped, Charles V issued the Edict of Worms, which outlawed Luther and his followers, declared Luther and his followers heretics, and banned Luther's writings.

Religious war

What had started as a strictly theological and academic debate had now turned into something of a social and political conflict as well, pitting Luther, his German allies and Northern European supporters against Charles V, France, the Italian Pope, their territories and other allies. The conflict would erupt into a religious war after Luther's death, fueled by the political climate of the Holy Roman Empire and strong personalities on both sides. In 1526, at the First Diet of Speyer, it was decided that, until a General Council could meet and settle the theological issues raised by Martin Luther, the Edict of Worms would not be enforced and each Prince could decide if Lutheran teachings and worship would be allowed in his territories. In 1529, at the Second Diet of Speyer, the decision the previous Diet of Speyer was reversed — despite the strong protests of the Lutheran princes, free cities and some Zwinglian territories. These states quickly became known as Protestants. At first, this term Protestant was used politically for the states that resisted the Edict of Worms. Over time, however, this term came to be used for the religious movements that opposed the Roman Catholic tradition in the sixteenth century. Lutheranism would become known as a separate movement after the 1530 Diet of Augsburg, which was convened by Charles V to try to stop the growing Protestant movement. At the Diet, Philipp Melanchthon presented a written summary of Lutheran beliefs called the Augsburg Confession. Several of the German princes (and later, kings and princes of other countries) signed the document to define "Lutheran" territories. These princes would ally to create the Schmalkaldic League in 1531, which lead to the Schmalkald War that pitted the Lutheran princes of the Schmalkaldic League against the Catholic forces of Charles V. After the conclusion of the Schmalkald War, Charles V attempted to impose Catholic religious doctrine on the territories that he had defeated. However, the Lutheran movement was far from defeated. In 1577, the next generation of Lutheran theologians gathered the work of the previous generation to define the doctrine of the persisting Lutheran church. This document is known as the Formula of Concord. In 1580, it was published with the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Large and Small Catechisms of Martin Luther, the Schmalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope. Together they were distributed in a volume titled The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. This book is still used today, and is referred to as the Book of Concord.

Results of the Lutheran Reformation

Luther and his followers began a large exodus from the Catholic Church known as the Protestant Reformation. In the years and decades following Luther's posting of the 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg church, large numbers of Europeans left the Roman Church, including the majority of German speakers (the only German speaking areas where the population remained mostly in the Catholic church were those under the domain or influence of Catholic Austria and Bavaria or the electoral archbishops of Mainz, Cologne, and Trier). Because Luther sparked this mass movement, he is known as the father of the Protestant Reformation, and the father of Protestantism in general. Today, approximately 1 out every 4 Christians in the world is a Protestant, and 1 out of every 5 Protestants in the world is a Lutheran. Thus, approximately 1 out of every 20 Christians in the world is a Lutheran.

Lutheran doctrine

German speakers

The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions

The formal principle of Lutheranism and one of the signature teachings of the Lutheran Reformation is the teaching named Sola scriptura -- "Scripture alone." Lutherans believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and is the final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine. Lutherans also hold that the Holy Scripture is explained and interpreted by the Book of Concord -- a series of Confessions of faith composed by Lutherans in the 16th Century. Traditionally, Lutheran pastors, congregations and church bodies agree to teach in harmony with the Book of Concord because it teaches and faithfully explains the Word of God. For this reason, Lutherans who follow the Book of Concord closely, especially conservative Lutherans, often refer to themselves as Confessional Lutherans. Other Lutherans, who agree with the main teachings of the Lutheran Confessions, but may take exception to some of its doctrine, subscribe to the Book of Concord in so far as they are in harmony with Holy Scripture. Some Lutheran church bodies, such as the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, also teach Biblical inerrancy. Others adopt the viewpoint that the Bible contains God's Word, but is essentially a human document, subject to error in non-spiritual matters. Those who hold to the former reject modern liberal scholarship, while those that hold to the latter embrace it.

Central doctrines

The material principle of Lutheranism is the doctrine of salvation by God's grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide) for the sake of Christ's merit alone (Solus Christus). Lutherans believe God made the world, humanity included, perfect, holy and sinless. However, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, trusting in their own strength, knowledge and wisdom. Because of this Original Sin -- the sin from which all other sins come -- all descendents of Adam and Eve (thus, all humans) are born in sin and are sinners. For Lutherans, original sin could be characterized as the "chief sin, a root and fountainhead of all actual sins" (Formula of Concord). Lutherans teach that sinners cannot do anything (i.e. "good works") to satisfy God's justice. Every human thought and deed is colored by sin and sinful motives. God has intervened in this world because He loves sinners and does not want them to be damned to Hell, and, by His grace alone -- His free gift of mercy -- a person is forgiven, adopted as a child of God, and given eternal salvation. For this reason, Lutherans teach that salvation is possible only because of the birth, perfect life of obedience, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus Christ, Lutherans believe God and Man meet. Because He is God, He is sinless and so a worthy sacrifice, without spot or blemish. Because He is a man, He could die. In His death, death is destroyed, our debt paid for and our sins forgiven. Lutherans believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation by faith alone -- a full and complete trust in God's promises to forgive and to save. Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians by the work of the Holy Spirit when they hear God's Word proclaimed, and when they are baptized. Lutherans believe that all who trust in Jesus alone can be sure of their salvation, for it is in Christ's work and his promises in which their surety lies. They teach that, at death, Christians are immediately taken into the presence of God in Heaven, where they await the resurrection of the body at the second coming of Christ. Although Lutherans believe good works do not satisfy God's justice, this is not to say that good works play no role in the Christian life. Good works always and in every instance spring spontaneously from true faith, and have their true origin in God, not in the fallen human heart or in human striving; their complete absence would demonstrate that faith, too, is absent. With the whole Christian community, Lutherans believe that there is one God, existing in three persons. (see Trinity) Most Lutherans also teach:
- The distinction between Law and Gospel
- Single Predestination: God chose to save His children before the world was created, but does not predestine the lost to be damned. Unlike Calvin, who explained how the reprobate come to be damned (double predestination), Luther said it was a mystery -- something which humanity cannot, and probably should not, try to comprehend.
- Infant Baptism
- Baptismal Regeneration
- The Real Presence of Christ's Body and Blood "in, with and under" the Bread and wine of the Lord's Supper.
- Amillennialism For an overview of Lutheran theology, see: ELCA Perspective: Braaten, Carl E., Principles of Lutheran Theology Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983. LCMS Perspective: Pieper, Franz. Christian Dogmatics. Saint Louis, Mo. : Concordia Pub. House, 1950-1957.

Lutheran religious practices

Lutherans generally place great emphasis on a liturgical approach to worship services; however, many Lutheran churches today also hold contemporary worship services for the purpose of evangelical outreach. Music forms a large part of a traditional Lutheran service. Lutheran hymns are sometimes known as chorales, and Luther himself composed hymns and hymn tunes, the most famous of which is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" ("Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"). Many Lutheran churches have active music ministries, including choirs, hand-bell choirs, children's choirs and sometimes carillon societies (to ring bells in a bell tower). Johann Sebastian Bach, a devout Lutheran, composed music for the Lutheran church. Children's ministries are considered fundamental in most Lutheran churches. Almost all maintain Sunday Schools, and many host or maintain private nursery-schools, primary schools, regional high schools and universities. Lutheran pastors and staff are repeatedly reminded that most evangelism occurs within the church, with children. Pastors usually teach in the common language of the parish. In the U.S., some congregations and synods traditionally taught in German or Norwegian, but this custom has been in significant decline since the early/middle 20th century. Pastors almost always have substantial theological educations, including Greek and Hebrew so that they can refer directly to the canonical Christian scriptures in the original language. Lutheran pastors may marry and have families. Lutheran Churches in the United States use a number of hymnals. The most widely uses are: Christian Worship (WELS), The Lutheran Book of Worship (ELCA and ELCIC), The Lutheran Hymnal (LCMS, WELS & CLC)and Lutheran Worship (LCMS). The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod recently approved a new hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, which will be available in the fall of 2006. The Evangelical Lutheran Church has also approved a new hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, which will be available in October 2006.

Lutheran ecumenism

Lutherans believe in ecumenism the idea that there is a single Christian church, and a single Christian faith. This belief is ingrained in the Lutheran confessions, and reflects the history of Lutheranism as a reform movement rather than a separatist movement. For that reason, a number of modern Lutheran denominations, now largely separated from state control, are reaching out to other Lutheran denominations as well as other Christian denominations. However, more conservative varieties of Lutheran strive to maintain historical distinctiveness, emphasizing doctrinal purity over ecumenical outreach. The largest organizations of Lutheran churches around the world are the Lutheran World Federation and the International Lutheran Council, which include the great majority of Lutheran denominations around the globe.

Lutheranism in North America

In the U.S., congregations are grouped into over 20 different denominations. The three largest Lutheran bodies in the United States are, in order of size: the more liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the more conservative Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the most conservative of the three, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). These denominations provide seminaries, pastoral care, and Sunday School and liturgical materials. Local congregations contribute funds to support them and receive services and materials. Denominations help to start new congregations affiliated with them. In Canada, the two largest Lutheran denominations are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the Lutheran Church - Canada (LCC). The ELCIC was formed in 1986 when the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada (former congregations of the American Lutheran Church) absorbed the Canada Section of the Lutheran Church in America. The LCC was formed in 1988 when Canadian congregations of the LCMS formed their own denomination.

Denominational organization

The ELCA is divided into 64 geographical and one non-geographical synods (the Slovak Zion Synod). The ELCA has established relationships of full communion with The Episcopal Church, the Moravian Church, the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church (USA)