It’s telling, however, that as Protestant denominations across the world continue to split, the Catholics and the Orthodox are gathering in many large groups outside the church and reunifying.
For example, a large group of American Episcopalians, tired of the increasing liberalism of their denomination, split to form a rival Anglican Church this week. This is the largest Protestant denomination in the world, and it’s unity is absolutely imploding.
(By the way, some of these Anglican parishes, rather than staying in their chaotic denomination, voted to join the Catholic Church as a group.)
Earlier this year, a large portion of the Assyrian Church of the East, a group of Christians that broke from the Catholic Church in the 400s AD, REUNITED with the Catholic Church. The rest of the denomination is now in talks for reunification. The Traditional Anglican Communion, a denomination of over 400,000 people, has petitioned the Catholic Church for reunification, and are awaiting the details of the settlement. Catholic discussion with various Orthodox groups has also become more productive in the last few years, and we have signed a joint declaration on justification with the Lutherans, virtually solving one of the biggest theological disputes between our churches.