This thread is intended to offer a summary of basic information pertaining to the various Traditional churches that are represented here in Traditional Theology. Largely because we may be lacking in our own understanding, and also because we want lurkers and new members to be properly informed. This list is far from complete, as I know that I dont have a full understanding of each and every church that is represented here. I hope we can all participate in rounding out this list and making sure the information is accurate. Im not a member of any of these traditions (yet) so Im certainly not an authority by any measure, and I hope that each person can offer their expertise on their respective tradition. Ill essentially start with a basic framework and we can all build from there.
Please message me or a moderator if information is inaccurate, inappropriate or somehow incongruent with Traditional Theologys standards. Thanks!
In some loose alphabetical order:
1. Anglican Communion
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Church of England, The Episcopal Church of the United States, Anglican Church of Canada.
Polity: Episcopal.
Primate: Justin Welby (CoE), Katherine Schori (TEC), Fred Hiltz (ACoC)
Approximate national/global membership: 80 million (global).
Acknowledged creeds: Apostles Creed, Chalcedonian Creed and Nicene Creed.
General date of establishment: First century CE, 1538 (separation from Rome).
Synopsis: Generally thought of as having been established circa 1538 when Henry VIII severed Englands ties with Rome over doctrinal and ecclesiastical disputes. Furthermore, high-church and low-church don't automatically mean "Anglo-Catholic" or "Evangelical" respectively. In Anglicanism, there is a sort of double axis: one of churchship and one of theological emphasis. In terms of churchship, there is high church, broad church, and low church. These have to do with liturgical style. The higher the church, the more ceremonial and elaborate. The lower the church, the more "just by the strict rubrics" of the Book of Common Prayer. In terms of theological emphasis, there is Anglo-Catholicism, Middle, and Open Evangelicalism. Anglo-Catholics emphasize the Catholicity of the Church and Open-Evangelicals emphasize the protestant nature of the Church. However, either of these theological emphases reject the vital importance of the other "half". It is also important to note that Open Evangelicals are not the same as Protestant Evangelicals, adhering to the ancient tradition of a three-fold ministry, Real Presence of Christ, baptismal regeneration, and sacramental theology being of great importance, including the acceptance of the normative requirement of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion for salvation. In addition, there are two theologies which are outside the bounds: Anglo-Papism (or Anglo-Papalism, as it is sometimes called or spelled) and Crypto-Calvinism (or Crypto-Presbyterianism), which are extreme versions that reject the protestant nature or Catholicity of the Church respectfully and don't have any valid claim of being Anglican, being essentially Roman Catholic or Reformed/Presbyterian in substance and Anglican in name only ("AINO").
Primary contributions credited to: PaladinValer
2. Assyrian Church of the East
Affiliations commonly represented on CF: N/A
Polity: Episcopal
Primate: Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East. Incumbent: Mar Dinkha IV Khanania
Approximate national/global membership: 400-500,000
Acknowledged creeds: Nicene Creed
General date of establishment: First century AD
Synopsis: One of the ancient churches, the Assyrian Church of the East is sometimes mistakenly considered part of the Oriental Orthodox Church, however it is not in communion with it, nor is it in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church or the Roman Catholic Church. The Assyrian Church, also sometimes called the Nestorian Church based on it's acceptance of Nestorianism is the root cause of their decline to accept the Chalcedonian Creed. Consisting of nearly a half million members worldwide, the church originally began in the regions of Assyria and northwestern Persia (made up of modern day Iraq, southeast Turkey, northeast Syria, and northwest Iran).
3. Catholic Church
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Latin Rite, Eastern Rites (generally referred to simply as Catholic or Roman Catholic)
Polity: Episcopal
Primate: Bishop of Rome (the Pope). Incumbent: Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio)
Approximate national/global membership: 1.2 billion (global)
Acknowledged creeds: Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian, Chalcedonian
General date of establishment: First century AD
Synopsis: The Catholic Church can trace its origins to Christ and the Apostles in the first century. In 431 AD following the Council of Ephesus the Catholic Church ceased communion with oriental miaphysite churches. In 451 AD following the council of Chalcedon the Catholic Church ceased communion with the Assyrian church. In 1054 AD following many cultural, religious, and political incidents the Catholic Church ceased communion with the Orthodox Church. The largest single body of Christianity in the world, Catholicism has a large following on every continent with the exception of Antarctica.
Primary contributions credited to: MoreCoffee
4. Continuing Anglicanism
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Anglican Catholic Church, Anglican Church in America, Anglican Province of America, Anglican Province of Christ the King.
Polity: Episcopal
Primate: May vary depending on branch.
Approximate national/global membership: 10,000 (ACC), 8,000 (APCK), 6,000 (APA) - all generally in North America
Acknowledged Creeds: Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, Chalcedonian Creed
General date of establishment: 1977 (ACC & APCK), 1991 (ACA), 1995 (APA)
Synopsis: Largely due to social and ecclesiastical disagreements, the Continuing Anglican movement dates back to approximately 1977 where at the Congress of St. Louis the members rejected the ordination of women and the changes made to the latest version of the Book of Common Prayer. Many continuing bodies prefer the 1928 version (or sometimes older) over the newer version that the Anglican Communion utilizes. Each branch generally operates in the same way as the Anglican Communion both with polity and primacy. Like the Anglican Communion itself, some expressions of Continuing Anglicanism are more evangelical while others are more catholic, and many fall in the middle.
It should be noted that the population numbers given do not accurately reflect the breadth of the Continuing Anglican movement, as these figures are both estimations and include primarily members in North America. However, the Continuing movement exists in significant numbers worldwide but as of this latest edit (6 February 2015) concrete numbers haven't been acquired.
Primary contributions credited to: Albion
5. Eastern Orthodoxy
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Largely all autocephalous churches (primarily Greek, Russian, OCA and Antiochian).
Polity: Episcopal
Primate: Each autocephalous church has its own patriarch, recognized as equal with his counterparts from the other churches; the Ecumenical Patriarch is considered a first among equals.
Approximate national/global membership: approximately 225-300 million (global)
Acknowledged creeds: Nicene, Chalcedonian
General date of establishment: First century CE
Synopsis: The Eastern Orthodox Church is one of the oldest expressions of Christianity tracing its origins back to Christ and the Apostles. With a rich tradition that has largely remained unchanged in 2,000 years Orthodoxy generally practices the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, less frequently the Liturgy of St. Basil and on rare occasions, the Liturgy of St. James. The church was one until 1054CE when the East and West separated over doctrinal and ecclesiastical differences.
6. Lutheranism
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Lutheran Church in Canada, Lutheran Church-Canada
Polity: Generally either Congregational or Presbyterian
Primate: None
Approximate national/global membership: 72.3 million (global)
Acknowledged creeds: Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian, Chalcedonian
General date of establishment: Early 16th century CE
Synopsis: Stemming from the controversy over Martin Luthers Ninety-Five Theses, and credited as the foundation of the Protestant Reformation, Lutheranism came to be circa 1517-1530 when a segment severed ties with Rome over doctrinal and ecclesiastical disputes. While apostolic succession is not generally emphasized, Lutheranism maintains a catholicity in theology and praxis consistent with the ancient traditions and fathers.
7. Oriental Orthodoxy
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, Armenian Apostolic Church, Eritrean Orthodox Church.
Polity: Episcopal
Primate: One Patriarch per church; Coptic Pope of Alexandria "first among equals" (Incumbent: Theodore II).
Approximate national/global membership: 86 million (global)
Affirmed Creeds: Apostle's Creed, Nicene Creed
General date of establishment: Fifth Century CE
Synopsis: Stemming from theological disputes at the Council of Chalcedon, the Oriental Orthodox Church resembles Eastern Orthodoxy in many ways in practice and doctrine.
8. Reformed Tradition
Affiliations most commonly represented on CF: Presbyterian Church (PCUSA and PCA), Reformed, UCC, Reformed Baptist
Polity: connectional, with councils of elders at congregational, regional and national levels, except UCC and Reformed Baptist which are congregational
[calling it Presbyterian is sort of biased]
Primate: None
Approximate national/global membership: Presbyterian: ca. 367,000 (PCA), 1.7 million (PCUSA); Reformed: ca. 148,000 (RCA), 145,000 (CRCNA); Congregational, merged church with Reformed as one group: 1.1 million (UCC) [Reformed Baptist dont seem to be a specific denomination]
Acknowledged creeds: Apostles Creed, Chalcedonian Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed (RCA), Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed (PCA), Nicene Creed (PCUSA)
Presbyterian: Westminster, PCUSA adds Confession of 1967 and Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith and other 16th Cent confessions; Continental Reformed: Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of Dordt; RCA adds Belhar; Reformed Baptist: Savoy Declaration, 1689 Confession, plus general Reformed and Presbyterian confessions
General date of establishment: Differed - 16th Century (Reformed tradition), 1983 (PCUSA), 1973 (PCA), 1628/1754 (RCA)
Synopsis: Originating from the theological thought of John Calvin, and to a lesser extent Huldrych Zwingli, the Reformed tradition largely took hold in northern Europe, Scotland, and England, where Reformed Churches and Presbyterianism flourished. While often having central government in the form of councils, Reformed traditions generally do not have any sort of primate or head figure. Congregational churches tend to have an emphasis on the local church and leaving them largely autonomous while Presbyterian and Continental Reformed churches are based on accountability of the local church to regional and national councils.
Primary contributions credited to: hedrick