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Question Title Posted By Question Date
40,000 Protestant Denominations Anthony Friday, July 22, 2016

Question:

I'm always hearing that there are more than 40,000 Protestant denominations with different interpretations of what the Bible teaches. Brother, do you know of a reliable source where these thousands of denominations are listed? Some of my Protestant friends say that the 40,000 number seems far fetched and inaccurate. Thank you and God bless.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Anthony:

There is some dispute over the number, but there are indeed thousands of Christian sects out there.

The 40,000 figure comes from several sources. One source is the World Christian Encyclopedia by Barrett, Kurian, Johnson (Oxford Univ Press, 2nd edition, 2001) that listed 33,000 back in 2001. To be fair, the methodology used in this text is seriously flawed. For example, it list over 242 Catholic denominations. The reason for this is that it counts the Catholic Church in each country as one denomination. Given more 230+ countries that adds up. This is an erroneous method to count denominations.

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimated 34,000 denominations in 2000, rising to an estimated 43,000 in 2012. These numbers have exploded from 1,600 in the year 1900.

This figure is much more accurate as it is not counting denominations alone, but independent church sects as well. There are not 43,000 different sets of belief.

The Hartford Institute for Religion Research says that the 2006 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches lists 217 denominations, adding that it’s a “very tough question, because it depends on how a denomination is defined.” This does count the many individual fellowship not associated with recognized denominations.

The Catholic Church is not a denomination as she did not denominate from anyone being we are the original Church. All other, and that means all other churches and ecclesial fellowships are denominated from the Catholic Church, or from groups that did denominate from the Catholic Church.

St. Paul condemned denominationalism is 1 Cor 1:10-15

10 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chlo′e’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apol′los,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Ga′ius; 15 lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name.

The bottomline, when adding up denominations and independent fellowships we can estimate more than 40,000.

 

The original Church, the Catholic Church under the Pope has more than (1,200,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

 

The list below is not exhaustive by any means, but gives an example of different belief groupings and a few samplings of sub-groupings:

Protestantism – (792,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Eastern Orthodoxy – (230,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Oriental Orthodox Church – (82,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Anglicanism – (85,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Nontrinitarianism – (36,000,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

Nestorianism – (600,000 adherents) Click for beliefs.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary
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