Over 30,000 denominations?

[SumTinWong]

It has always bothered me when people have said, that sola scriptura can not work because it produced over 30,000 different denominations of protestants. In my neighborhood there are seven churches including two Baptists (Grace Baptist, and First Baptist) right across the street from one another.

I gotta tell you I was amazed when I read an article put out by a man who wrote the book "Upon This Slippery Rock", Eric Svendsen. Wow. I invite you all to take a look at the artcle and the article revisted, and then come back here and post your thoughts.

 

[ZiSunka]

The 30,000 congregations thing counts EVERY non-denominational church as a SEPARATE denomination. That's where the 30,000 comes from. But folks who want to slam our faith choose to interpret it as a sign that we are factious and fractured.

Most of the time that I can tell, the differences between denoms are based on small things, and all can agree on the essentials.

Remember, too, that JW, Christian Scientists and other non-orthodox beliefs are counted as Christian denominations...even Children of Manna, which is a sex-cult, is counted as Christian because it uses the name of Christ in it's doctrine, but it has little to do with orthodox Christianity. Oh, and the KKK is counted as a Christian denom, too.

 

[BjBarnett]

here guys this might be useful for your thread. a list of denominations including the churches that are in communion with the Roman see and the EO churches. it also has the protestant denominations organized very well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations

 

[Iollain]

LOL, who is doing the counting?

 

[SumTinWong]

You are right. The numbers that this study or information came from is from:
David A. Barrett’s World Christian Encyclopedia: A Comparative Survey of Churches and Religions in the Modern World A.D. 1900—2000 (ed. David A. Barrett; New York: Oxford University Press, 1982)

"Barrett identifies seven major ecclesiastical “blocs” under which these 22,190 distinct denominations fall (Barrett, 14-15): (1) Roman Catholicism, which accounts for 223 denominations; (2) Protestant, which accounts for 8,196 denominations; (3) Orthodox, which accounts for 580 denominations; (4) Non-White Indigenous, which accounts for 10,956 denominations; (5) Anglican, which accounts for 240 denominations; (6) Marginal Protestant, which includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, New Age groups, and all cults (Barrett, 14), and which accounts for 1,490 denominations; and (7) Catholic (Non-Roman), which accounts for 504 denominations."

Another observation here that the writer makes.
"In reality, Barrett indicates that what he means by “denomination” is any ecclesial body that retains a “jurisdiction” (i.e., semi-autonomy). As an example, Baptist denominations comprise approximately 321 of the total Protestant figure. Yet the lion’s share of Baptist denominations are independent, making them (in Barrett’s calculation) separate denominations. In other words, if there are ten Independent Baptist churches in a given city, even though all of them are identical in belief and practice, each one is counted as a separate denomination due to its autonomy in jurisdiction. This same principle applies to all independent or semi-independent denominations. And even beyond this, all Independent Baptist denominations are counted separately from all other Baptist denominations, even though there might not be a dime’s worth of difference among them. The same principle is operative in Barrett’s count of Roman Catholic denominations. He cites 194 Latin-rite denominations in 1970, by which Barrett means separate jurisdictions (or diocese). Again, a distinction is made on the basis of jurisdiction, rather than differing beliefs and practices."

 

[Gold Dragon]

While the number of denominations is mind-boggling, I think it is hardly fair to blame it on sola scriptura when many of these denominations existed before the Reformation. Of course it was influential in an explosion of denominations.

As lambslove implied, I think it is an amazing testament of the Holy Spirit that orthodoxy and commonality is possible in this wide range of traditions.

 

[SumTinWong]

here guys this might be useful for your thread. a list of denominations including the churches that are in communion with the Roman see and the EO churches. it also has the protestant denominations organized very well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations

Thanks BJ

 

[Gold Dragon]

I did a little summary of Christian denominations on the Church History forum which isn't getting very much play. I think it is sort of appropriate here and I would like to get more feedback as well as a feeling that my writing and research isn't collecting dust in a corner of CF.


Christianity (1st century) - apostles, Paul's missions, persecutions, councils, Augustine, Bishops
Assyrian Church of the East (431) - The Nestorian Schism occured because they offered protection to followers of the heresy Nestorianism even though they did not follow its theology.
Oriental Orthodoxy (451) - Council of Chalcedon declared their Monophysite view as heresy. Syrian and Coptic churches.
Roman Catholicism (1054) - Gradual East/West Schism of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that became final in 1054 primarily over the authority of the bishop of Rome (Pope). Latin.
Eastern Orthodoxy (1054) - Same as above. Greek.

Protestant Reformation Link
Lutheran (1519) - Martin Luther. First church of the Protestant Reformation. Germany. Three Solas (Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone)
Reformed (1525) - John Calvin. Huldrych Zwingli. Second church of the Protestant Reformation. Switzerland. Calvinism (predestination).
Anabaptists (1525) - Rejected infant baptism. Persecuted by Catholics and Reformers. Modern day Mennonites, Amish, Hutterites.
Hutterites (1529) - Jacob Hutter. Anabaptist. Communal living. Pacifist.
Anglican/Episcopal (1534) - Henry VIII was not granted an annulment and split the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. They wish to return to full communion with the Catholic church. Episcopal church in the US recently appointed gay bishop.
Mennonite (1537) - Menno Simons. Anabaptist. Holland/Germany. Pacifism. Some groups reject modern technology.
Presbyterian (1560) - John Knox. Scotland. Part of the Reformed churches. Calvinistic.
Baptist(1609) - Separatists from the puritan movement in the Anglican church. General (Arminian) and Particular (Calvinistic) Baptists
Congregationalists (1633) - John Cotton. Massachusetts. Separatist puritans who emphasize a congregational style of church governance.
Quakers (1647) - George Fox. Separatist puritans who emphasize pacifism and individual interpretation of scripture in a continuing revelation.
Amish (1693) - Jacob Amman. Anabaptist. Communal life. Avoid modernisms.

Great Awakening Link
Methodist (1738) - John Wesley. England. Methodical bible study movement in the Anglican church. Arminianism.
Campbellites (1826) - Alexander Campbell. Product of the Restoration Movement that tried to remove denominational barriers.
Millerite/Adventists (1830s) - William Miller. Influenced by the Restoration Movement. Predicted the date of the 2nd coming to be 1844 until the Great Disappointment.
Messianic Judaism (1850s) - Jewish Christians who have retained their cultural and ethnic identity.
Seventh Day Adventists (1863) - Ellen G. White. Millerite origin. Worship on Saturday.
Salvation Army (1878) - William Booth. England. Methodist origin. Emphasis on social service.
Church of the Nazarene (1895) - Product of the Holiness movement initiated by Methodists. Merging many Holiness churches.
Christian and Missionary Alliance (1897) - Albert Simpson. Part of the Holiness movement. Focus on evangelism and missions.
Pentecostal (1901) - Product of the Pentecostal Movement, influenced by the Holiness movment. Speaking in tongues.
Disciples of Christ (1906) - Arose as a split in the Campbellite churches over liberal/conservative theologies. Became the moderate/liberal wing.
Church of Christ (1906) - Same as above. Tries to mimic early church. Non-instrumental. Conservative/fundamentalist wing.
Assemblies of God (1914) - Part of the Pentecostal churches
United Church of Christ (1956) - Merger of congregationalist and reformed churches. Very liberal theology.
Calvary Chapel (1965) - Chuck Smith. Non-denominational denomination that came out of the Jesus Movement.
Word of Faith (1967) - A controversial movement within some Pentecostal churches that emphasizes receiving things from the Holy Spirit. Benny Hinn. Yonggi Cho.

 

[SumTinWong]

The Word of Faith movement you have at 1967, I thought Smith Wigglesworth was doing this in the same time frame as the AOG movement. I am probably wrong but I just remember hearing it somewhere.

I think we have a good point here that I read somewhere else today. Until 1054 really there was no RCC or and Orthodox church per se. There was one church. From that major split we now have many splinters. Obviously they had their differences before and yet they stayed together despite themselves. I wonder if we can learn from what they did wrong or are we just perpetuating the faults?

 

[Gold Dragon]

The Word of Faith movement you have at 1967, I thought Smith Wigglesworth was doing this in the same time frame as the AOG movement. I am probably wrong but I just remember hearing it somewhere.

It was difficult for me to get unbiased reliable information on the Word-of-Faith movement. Most are either vehemently against it or strongly supportive of it. It is the only group that I don't have a Wikipedia, neutral point of view article linked to. Maybe I'll have to create one after doing some more research.

While influences of the movement began well before 1967, I believe that was that year the movement took off when Kenneth Hagin began his radio program.

 

[SumTinWong]

Okay I will do some digging as well, but Kenneth Hagin learned his stuff from Oral Roberts (I think)and Roberts learned his stuff from reading Wigglesworth. That is the chain I think. But I could be wrong. I know the most well known link in the chain now is Copeland, and he was tutored mentored by Roberts. He used to be his pilot and driver and then the rest is history...

I guess the best place to look would be, when did Roberts start his ministry?

 

[Monica02]

here guys this might be useful for your thread. a list of denominations including the churches that are in communion with the Roman see and the EO churches. it also has the protestant denominations organized very well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations

One has to be careful when reading this link. It might lead an uninformed person to view the Celtic Church and the Churches in Communion with Rome as seperate Churches. Is the Celtic Church just the Church in Ireland? I have always understood the Irish to always be in communion with Rome. The Churches in Communion with Rome are normally reffered to as seperate rites.

 

[SumTinWong]

Thanks for that clarification Monica