Sects of Christianity

See Also Christianity by Numbers

Catholicism

These are the churches which claim continuity (based upon Apostolic Succession) with the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western. (Lutheran churches have also identified themselves as catholic on the basis of continuity in doctrine with the Early Church.)

Roman Catholic Church

The Latin Rite or Church[2] is the largest and most widely known of the 22 Rites of the Catholic Church. In the past, Catholics in France and Germany have claimed a measure of ecclesial independence from Rome (see Febronianism, Gallicanism), but not to the extent of forming Churches distinct from the Roman Catholic Church as a whole (as happened with the Church of England) or even from the Latin Church.

 Eastern Catholic Churches

All of the following are particular churches of the Catholic Church. They are all in communion with the Bishop of Rome and acknowledge his claim of universal jurisdiction and authority. They have some minor distinct theological emphases and expressions concerning, for instance, in the case of those that are of Greek (Byzantine) tradition some aspects of the Latin depiction of purgatory.[3]

The Roman Catholic Church considers itself part of the One Holy catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.[4]

 Anglican Communion

Anglicanism has referred to itself as the via media between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

The Anglican Communion also includes the following united churches:

The Anglican Communion considers itself to be part of the One Holy catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded, which also includes the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the Old Catholic Church (Union of Utrecht).

Eastern Orthodox Church

Main article: Eastern Orthodox Church
See also: Eastern Orthodox Church organization and Eastern Orthodox Christian theology

List provided in order of precedence. Indentation indicates autonomy rather than autocephaly.

The Eastern Orthodox Church considers itself part of the One Holy catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.

Oriental Orthodox Church

Main article: Oriental Orthodox Church

Oriental Orthodoxy comprises those Christians who did not accept the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451). Other denominations often erroneously label these churches "Monophysite", however, as the Oriental Orthodox do not adhere to the teachings of Eutyches, they themselves reject this label, preferring the term Miaphysite.

The Oriental Orthodox Church considers itself part of the One Holy Catholic Orthodox and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.

Assyrian Church of the East

Main article: Assyrian Church of the East

The Assyrian Church of the East is said to have been formed by St Thomas. The Church did not attend the Council of Ephesus (AD 431). It is incorrectly referred to as Nestorianism; Assyrian Christians do not consider themselves Nestorians, and recent Christological agreements with the Catholic and some of the Orthodox churches have resolved this debate permanently, clearing the way for union.

Other Churches that call themselves Catholic

Roman

 (Continuing and Independent) Anglican

Orthodox

Byzantine
Oriental
Western-Rite

Protestantism

Main articles: Protestantism and Protestant Reformation
See also: Protestantism by country

These are the churches which arose from the Protestant Reformation in 16th century Europe.

 
Diagram showing major branches and movements within Protestantism


Pre-Lutheran Protestants

Lutheranism

Reformed Churches

Presbyterianism

Congregationalist Churches

Anabaptists

Methodists

Pietists and Holiness Churches

Baptists

Note: All Baptist associations are congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent.

Spiritual Baptists

Note: The Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of New York, Inc has congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent.

Brethren

Main article: Brethren

Apostolic Churches - Irvingites

Pentecostalism

Main article: Pentecostalism
See also: List_of_Christian_denominations#Oneness_Pentecostalism

Charismatics

Main article: Charismatic movement
See also: Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Neo-Charismatic Churches

African Initiated Churches

Main article: African Initiated Church

United and uniting churches

Churches which are the result of a merger between distinct denominational churches. Churches are listed here when their disparate heritage marks them as inappropriately listed in the particular categories above.

Main article: United and uniting churches

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Main article: Religious Society of Friends

Note: The Religious Society of Friends is historically considered a Protestant denomination. While Evangelical Friends and most members of the Friends United Meeting would consider themselves Protestant Christians, many Quakers today consider their faith to be a distinct, non-Protestant form of Christianity, with no compulsory beliefs or creeds. Some Friends General Conference Quakers are "post-Christian" and some non-theists.

Restorationism: Stone-Campbell Movement

Main article: Restorationism
See also: Restoration Movement and Second Great Awakening

Southcottites

Millerites and Comparable groups

Sabbath Keeping Churches, Adventist

Sabbath-Keeping Churches, Non-Adventist

Sunday Adventists

Sacred Name Groups

Bible Student Groups

Anglo-Israelism

Miscellaneous/Other

Latter Day Saints

Main articles: Latter Day Saint movement and Mormonism

Most Latter Day Saint denominations are derived from the Church of Christ established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. The majority of "Prairie Saint" denominations were established after the death of Smith by the remnants of the saints who did not go west with Brigham Young. The Rocky Mountain denominations are various sects who broke from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after its abandonment of polygamy in 1890. Other denominations are defined by either a belief in Joseph Smith as a prophet, or acceptance of the Book of Mormon as scripture. Mormonism is generally considered part of restorationism, believing that Smith restored the original Church of Christ to the Earth.

"Prairie Saint" denominations

[edit] Rocky Mountains denominations

Other

Nontrinitarian Groups

Main article: Nontrinitarianism

Groups with distinct theological doctrines, but received major impulse from the Restoration Movement.

Oneness Pentecostalism

Main article: Oneness Pentecostalism

Unitarianism and Universalism

Main articles: Unitarianism and Christian Universalism
See also: Unitarian Universalism

Swedenborgianism

Main article: Swedenborgianism
See also: The New Church

Messianic Judaism

Main article: Messianic Judaism
See also: Messianic Movement and Messianic Jewish theology

New Thought

Main article: New Thought

New religious movements

Main article: New religious movements
See also: List of new religious movements

Ethnic or syncretic religions incorporating elements of Christianity.

New Age movements

Main articles: Neo-Theosophy and New Age

Religions associated with the Yoruba

Main articles: Yoruba people and Yoruba religion

Esoteric Christianity

Main articles: Esoteric Christianity and Western Mystery Tradition
See also: Johannine literature and Lazarus