How many branches of Christianity are there worldwide?

star_gazer

Numerous, there are so many "splinter sects" it would be impossible to count. Oct 21 07, 4:41 AM

geniusonwheels

A lot of denominations are listed here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_denomination Oct 21 07, 6:10 AM

queproblema

If you had asked about DENOMINATIONS, Dalton, numbers as high as 39,000 could be cited. But since you asked about BRANCHES, we could agree to three: 1. Roman Catholic 2. Orthodox 3. Protestant Many Christians don't care to be grouped in any of those branches, so researchers add two more groups: 4. Anglicans 5. Other Read the note above the chart. http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity Gordon-Conwell Seminary, presumably for doctrinal reasons, makes two "Other" groups: "Independents" and "Marginal." http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/globalchristianity/resources.php Oct 21 07, 11:19 AM

Baloo55th

How about Coptic and Nestorian? Oct 21 07, 11:39 AM

queproblema

File them under "Other," Baloo. The important religious splits that affected western civilization were: The beginning of Roman Catholicism: the separation of the fledgling Christian Church from Judaism, c. 33-40 CE (Yes, I know about Constantine. But Roman Catholics consider Peter the first pope; let's not discuss that one!) The Orthodox Church: the East-West Schism, 1054 http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9071657/Schism-of-1054 The Protestant Church: Luther's 95 Theses, 1517 http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/95theses.html We could also include Abraham's departure from Ur of the Chaldees, c. 1800 BCE, and Henry VIII's Act of Supremacy, 1534, but that so clutters the landscape. The multitude of other splits were important locally but did not affect the course of world history to the extent of the big three. Oct 21 07, 6:33 PM