30,000 denominations of protestantism?

[Rightlydivide]

I think that that is the Catholic point. Why are there more than one? Can you just sort out the major ones?

I dont know, there were all of these branches a long time before I arrived on this planet.
Major onces, well any of the Armstrong related ones are essentially adventist in theology more than anything, so i would lump them under that
Church of God anderson and so forth are holiness churches, so Wesleyan I would say

 

[VARC]

Your Total “Christian Denominations” Count for today is 39521. That is your total denominations count as of 1/26/2008. We get this by

// call DaysBetween function to number of days between today and 7/2/2007
var num_days = DaysBetween(today_date, end_date)

// calculate number of denoms
// assumes on 7/2/2007 there were 39000
// assumes by 1/1/2025 there will be 55000

var num_denoms = 39000.0 + (2.502737369 * num_days)

For the facts and stats see here. From a letter by the Gordon Conwell people who professionally catalog and keep all the current stats on denominations.

---

Thank you for your inquiry. I can assure you that the figure of 39,000 is in no way inflated. This number represents our most current, up-to-date data. As we are constantly updating this figure, it is not published in print form. The figure of 33,800 from the year 2000 was printed in our book World Christian Trends, (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2001). Part 12 of World Christian Trends (WCT), Table 12-1 gives figures of denominational totals for all 238 countries of the world. These figures are also represented graphically in WCT on page 917, Global Map 14. The definition for denominations used in WCT, and also in our publication World Christian Encyclopedia (Oxford, 2001) is as follows:

“Any agency consisting of a number of congregations or churches voluntarily aligning themselves with it. As a statistical unit in this survey, a ‘denomination’ always refers to one single country. Thus the Roman Catholic Church, although a single organization, is described here as consisting of 236 denominations in the world’s 238 countries.”

More precise listings of denominations can be found in the World Christian Encyclopedia, under the article for each country. These lists are not exhaustive, as there are too many small denominations to list separately, but they should help give a clearer picture. Furthermore, the Southern Baptist Convention has over 40,000 congregations in the US alone; not to mention the Baptist General Conference, Baptist Bible Fellowship International, etc. So we are definitely not counting each congregation as its own denomination. We are also not lumping all Baptists into a single denomination, but counting each organization separately. I hope this information helps.

Justin J. Evans
Research Assistant
Center for the Study of Global Christianity​

Phil P

I thought that the number was greatly inflated and now I see why. So I guess it’s settled then. Nobody should be throwing the 30000 number in the faces of protestants unless they want to divide the roman catholic church into 236 seperate denominations as well.
Thank you for your post.

 

[inchrist101]

He did actually use the word “branches”, of course there are more than 20 denominations but I would imagine the word was carefully selected.
Anglican
Lutheran
Presbyterian
Congregationalist
anabaptist
methodist
baptist
pentecostals
united church of christ
quakers
evangelicals
adventists
new thought or spiritualist
anyone think of anymore “branches”?

Don’t forget:
Jehovas Witness
Hebrew Pentacostal
AME
Restorationsism

But some groups are large (e.g. Catholics, 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 and uniting churches, for example). Such subtleties and complexities are not clearly depicted here. Additionally, some groups viewed by non-adherents as denominational actively resist being called a “denomination” and do not have any formal denominational structure, authority, or record-keeping beyond the local congregation; several groups within Restorationism fall into this category.

 

[Rightlydivide]

Don’t forget:

Jehovas Witness
Hebrew Pentacostal
AME
Restorationsism

 

[ralphinal]

Two related questions. First, does it bother or trouble any protestant posters that there are so many denominations (30,000 or 3, the actual number doesn’t matter)? Second, I hear many protestants say that we should unify over major points and grant liberty on the minor points. For someone to leave a denomination and start another, doesn’t that prove that there is no such thing as a minor point?

 

[Rightlydivide]

Two related questions. First, does it bother or trouble any protestant posters that there are so many denominations (30,000 or 3, the actual number doesn’t matter)? Second, I hear many protestants say that we should unify over major points and grant liberty on the minor points. For someone to leave a denomination and start another, doesn’t that prove that there is no such thing as a minor point?

You have to understand the majority of my life I have not been a Christian so I am not sure if that skews my perspective or not.

1. Not at all. Never. Not once. I just figure that is the way it is. I also really think that is the way it is going to stay.
2. I have no interest in unifying. I have a lot of interest in winning souls and people following the Bible.
   I do think there are several minor points. Things not mentioned in scripture are minor to me
   Hey…you asked…
   I cannot imagine getting worked up about it…if you guys think you can change that, knock yourselves out, I wager a chicken dinner at age 80, Good Lord willing, it will not happen

 

[ralphinal]

You have to understand the majority of my life I have not been a Christian so I am not sure if that skews my perspective or not.

1. Not at all. Never. Not once. I just figure that is the way it is. I also really think that is the way it is going to stay.
2. I have no interest in unifying. I have a lot of interest in winning souls and people following the Bible.
   I do think there are several minor points. Things not mentioned in scripture are minor to me
   Hey…you asked…
   I cannot imagine getting worked up about it…if you guys think you can change that, knock yourselves out, I wager a chicken dinner at age 80, Good Lord willing, it will not happen

I wanted answers, no matter what they were. To an extent, I agree with the first point. I see no chance it will change anytime soon, for a lot of reasons.

If you are certain that you are doing it correctly, don’t you want others to join you? That is unity, right?

I accept your answer about minor points as valid. Again, i ask, if they are minor, why leave over them? Again, I do not mean leave the Catholic Church, but why, for example, are there variations on a theme?

Are you really 80?

 

[inchrist101]

Two related questions. First, does it bother or trouble any protestant posters that there are so many denominations (30,000 or 3, the actual number doesn’t matter)? Second, I hear many protestants say that we should unify over major points and grant liberty on the minor points. For someone to leave a denomination and start another, doesn’t that prove that there is no such thing as a minor point?

It doesn’t bother me but I understand why there are so many denominations. I certainly wish there weren’t.

As far as major/minor(s) point you are right, there probably is no such thing as a minor point. What’s minor to me may be major to you.

Our neighbors told us they were Hebrew Pentacostal which I had never heard of. So I researched it and found that it is a form of the Pentacostal denomination but they believe in celebrating the Old Testament feasts. Now this I certainly don’t understand since we are no longer under Mosaic law. So I don’t see how you can make that a requirement to be part of any Christian church. But I guess if you hold this belief then this denomination is there for you. I think what really happens is someone reads the Bible, thinks they have the right interpretation, and then starts their own brand of Christianity. In one sense that could be a good thing if it gets you to Christ.

Here’s a question to chew on. If abolishing denominations meant losing followers of Christ would that be worth it??

 

[Rightlydivide]

I wanted answers, no matter what they were. To an extent, I agree with the first point. I see no chance it will change anytime soon, for a lot of reasons.

If you are certain that you are doing it correctly, don’t you want others to join you? That is unity, right?

I accept your answer about minor points as valid. Again, i ask, if they are minor, why leave over them? Again, I do not mean leave the Catholic Church, but why, for example, are there variations on a theme?

Are you really 80?

No no, I am not 80, I am saying if there is any more unity when I turn 80 in ___ years, I will buy you a chicken dinner…and myself too of course.
Sure I want people to join me. Yes, absolutely. So, if unity means more people agreeing with me…im all for it…I mean really, who would not be?
As far as leaving a church, I know several people who have left to start their own, not because they are mad, because we have a church planting mentality.
Some have left to return to churches they went to before, some have dropped out alltogether…those are the ones that upset me

 

[Rightlydivide]

It doesn’t bother me but I understand why there are so many denominations. I certainly wish there weren’t.

As far as major/minor(s) point you are right, there probably is no such thing as a minor point. What’s minor to me may be major to you.

Our neighbors told us they were Hebrew Pentacostal which I had never heard of. So I researched it and found that it is a form of the Pentacostal denomination but they believe in celebrating the Old Testament feasts. Now this I certainly don’t understand since we are no longer under Mosaic law. So I don’t see how you can make that a requirement to be part of any Christian church. But I guess if you hold this belief then this denomination is there for you. I think what really happens is someone reads the Bible, thinks they have the right interpretation, and then starts their own brand of Christianity. In one sense that could be a good thing if it gets you to Christ.

Here’s a question to chew on. If abolishing denominations meant losing followers of Christ would that be worth it??

Christians who still follow the mosiac law are usually Armstrong type churches, that some would also be Pentecostal, well I gues I should not find that odd, I just had never heard of any that do…nothing really contradictory about the two being together…outside of the fact they are not biblical…OF COURSE…had to throw that in for free

 

[ralphinal]

It doesn’t bother me but I understand why there are so many denominations. I certainly wish there weren’t.

As far as major/minor(s) point you are right, there probably is no such thing as a minor point. What’s minor to me may be major to you.

Our neighbors told us they were Hebrew Pentacostal which I had never heard of. So I researched it and found that it is a form of the Pentacostal denomination but they believe in celebrating the Old Testament feasts. Now this I certainly don’t understand since we are no longer under Mosaic law. So I don’t see how you can make that a requirement to be part of any Christian church. But I guess if you hold this belief then this denomination is there for you. I think what really happens is someone reads the Bible, thinks they have the right interpretation, and then starts their own brand of Christianity. In one sense that could be a good thing if it gets you to Christ.

Here’s a question to chew on. If abolishing denominations meant losing followers of Christ would that be worth it??

I have heard of groups that followed the old calander, but I did not know that they had a name.

As far as the question, I would say if that was the outcome, no it is not worth it. The Catholic position is that people should grow into the Church, not be either a {insert denomination here} or nothing at all. If the only way you can follow Christ is to be {insert denomination here}, so be it.

 

[Rightlydivide]

I have heard of groups that followed the old calander, but I did not know that they had a name.

As far as the question, I would say if that was the outcome, no it is not worth it. The Catholic position is that people should grow into the Church, not be either a {insert denomination here} or nothing at all. If the only way you can follow Christ is to be {insert denomination here}, so be it.

I second that, if the only way you can be a Christian is to be a Catholic, I will drive you to Mass myself!!
I might strike up a conversation on the way…cant blame me for that though!

 

[ralphinal]

No no, I am not 80, I am saying if there is any more unity when I turn 80 in ___ years, I will buy you a chicken dinner…and myself too of course.
Sure I want people to join me. Yes, absolutely. So, if unity means more people agreeing with me…im all for it…I mean really, who would not be?
As far as leaving a church, I know several people who have left to start their own, not because they are mad, because we have a church planting mentality.
Some have left to return to churches they went to before, some have dropped out alltogether…those are the ones that upset me

I was worried that if you were 80, we should back off on antagonizing you . Church planting is a different thinng altogether than spliting, even if it looks the same on the outside. The ones that drop out bother me, too. See my post to inChrist.

 

[ralphinal]

I second that, if the only way you can be a Christian is to be a Catholic, I will drive you to Mass myself!!
I might strike up a conversation on the way…cant blame me for that though!

 

[Uncle_Norbert]

It’s not the ONLY way, just the most correct

 

[angelusm]

I’m not a defender of the Reformation or protestantism but I often hear it thrown in protestants faces that there are 30000 different forms of their religion. I think this is unfair.

1. I’d be hard pressed to name 20 different branches of Protestantism
2. Even the ones I could list have the same theological beliefs even if their views on morals differ

So what do you say? Isn’t it time catholics abandon this attack on protestants?

If you know only 20 branches of protestantism, it doesn’t mean there aren’t any more. There are but you just don’t know them. For example a denomination of 20 people that has just one building. I’m not surprised by the number of 30000. There were, are and will be more and more divisions between protestants, that’s how it has to be. That’s the nature of protestantism, they just have to cause divisions, they can’t stop it anyhow.

 

[Rolltide]

We should keep in mind that we’re throwing around a couple of different ideas here… some of us are talking 30,000 forms of Christianity, and some are talking 30,000 forms of Protestantism. The terms are NOT the same. Obviously, there are MANY more forms of Christianity than just those versions that are truly Protestant. For example, you could argue that JWs and Mormons may be Christian (although many would argue against it), but it’d be hard to say that they were Protestants.

 

[VARC]

If you know only 20 branches of protestantism, it doesn’t mean there aren’t any more. There are but you just don’t know them. For example a denomination of 20 people that has just one building. I’m not surprised by the number of 30000. There were, are and will be more and more divisions between protestants, that’s how it has to be. That’s the nature of protestantism, they just have to cause divisions, they can’t stop it anyhow.

Well I think it is a ridiculous tactic out of the apologetic playbook and I am not in the least impressed when I hear it(and I’m by no means a protestant). I think that if someone throws the 30000 number at a protestant then he/she should be able to name 50 denominations or else they look foolish.

The 30000 number is grossly misleading and by that method the roman catholic church alone is 230+ denominations

 

[Syele]

For example a denomination of 20 people that has just one building.

There is no such thing as a “denomination of 20 people that has just one building.” That is like calling 1 tree in someones front yard a “forest.”

 

[Huguenot]

I’m not a defender of the Reformation or protestantism but I often hear it thrown in protestants faces that there are 30000 different forms of their religion. I think this is unfair.

1. I’d be hard pressed to name 20 different branches of Protestantism
2. Even the ones I could list have the same theological beliefs even if their views on morals differ

So what do you say? Isn’t it time catholics abandon this attack on protestants?

Especially among Evangelicals, there are a lot of different names but usually some of these churches are very close to each other on a lot of theological problems and here in France they collaborate with each other …
sometimes their different names were nicknames at first, and come from the fact that they were founded at different periods of history …
to simplify in France we say there are three main tendencies : Lutherans, Reformed ( they’re called Presbyterians in some countries ) and Evangelicals ( Baptists, Mennonites, Methodists, Pentecostals … )
in France there is a kind of “national council of Evangelicals in France” ( sounds awkward when translated but it French it sounds OK ) that represents all these Evangelical groups …