Why are there 33,839 different Christian denominations?

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Zzyzx
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Why are there 33,839 different Christian denominations?

Post #1

Post by Zzyzx »

If Christianity is based upon the Bible, and if the Bible is “the infallible word of god” (or even the fallible word of god) why are 33,830 different Christian denominations recognized by the World Christian Encyclopedia?

Supposedly these denominations are all worshiping the same god from the same (or similar) ancient text. How can one god be “infallibly correct” in 33,830 different ways?

If there are at least 33,000 different “interpretations” of “god’s word”, it seems as though any interpretation can be just as valid as any other and words can be “redefined” to mean exactly the opposite of their common meaning.

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Post #2

Post by azazel »

I think there are so many sects because it is open to interpretation, has been interpreted so many times, and is such a large book, many versions: Qua'ran, Tanakh, King James, Latter Day Saints(cant recall the name right now), and the facet for interpretation is different in every culture, like comparing Ethiopian to American Catholocism.

(sorry for the run on sentence)

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Post #3

Post by Zzyzx »

azaze,

Thanks for the reply. I tend to agree with you regarding the large number of biblical interpretations. Notice that the 33,000 figure is just Christian denominations. If we add and the different versions of all of the non-christian religons there would probably be well over fifty thousand different denominations or beliefs.

Also, something like 2500 different gods have been feared or worshiped by humans, including the ones that are currently popular.

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Post #4

Post by McCulloch »

There is a risk of over counting. Not every denomination represents a unique doctrine.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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Confused
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Post #5

Post by Confused »

McCulloch wrote:There is a risk of over counting. Not every denomination represents a unique doctrine.
True, many may follow the same doctrine, but interpret it differently. If I had to speculate as to why there are so many Christian denominations, I would say that it all boils down to one congregation reviews scripture and says "wait a minute, this doesn't mean premarital sex is bad" or "wait a minute, this doesn't mean a preacher can't marry" etc... This leads to a new subdenomination (is this even a word?) that has the doctrines but vary in their interpretation of it. Of course, we must also consider the denominations that follow Christian doctrine, but their founder had a "vision" of meeting with God and was taught the "real" meaning of scripture. Therefor you have a denomination that believes in Christ, but takes a whole different approach in worshipping Him.
What we do for ourselves dies with us,
What we do for others and the world remains
and is immortal.

-Albert Pine
Never be bullied into silence.
Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one persons definition of your life; define yourself.

-Harvey Fierstein

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McCulloch
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Post #6

Post by McCulloch »

McCulloch wrote:There is a risk of over counting. Not every denomination represents a unique doctrine.
Confused wrote:True, many may follow the same doctrine, but interpret it differently. If I had to speculate as to why there are so many Christian denominations, I would say that it all boils down to one congregation reviews scripture and says "wait a minute, this doesn't mean premarital sex is bad" or "wait a minute, this doesn't mean a preacher can't marry" etc... This leads to a new subdenomination (is this even a word?) that has the doctrines but vary in their interpretation of it. Of course, we must also consider the denominations that follow Christian doctrine, but their founder had a "vision" of meeting with God and was taught the "real" meaning of scripture. Therefor you have a denomination that believes in Christ, but takes a whole different approach in worshiping Him.
And at times, on certain issues, there is a range of doctrinal opinion within one denomination.

If you take many of the doctrinal issues which divide Christians, the relationship of grace, faith and works; the purpose and application of various rites; the role of women; the deity of Jesus; Trinity; eternal torment; free-will and determinism; miracles for today; biblical literalism; church discipline and order; duties and qualifications of various church offices; doctrines relating to God's various dispensations; the relationship between the believer and government; moral issues such as violence and war; abortion; homosexuality and the environment. Each of these issues could be an axis in a matrix of possible Christian doctrines. Every point in the many dimensional matrix represents a possible Christian denomination. Many of these points remain, for the time being, empty.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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Confused
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Post #7

Post by Confused »

McCulloch wrote:
McCulloch wrote:There is a risk of over counting. Not every denomination represents a unique doctrine.
Confused wrote:True, many may follow the same doctrine, but interpret it differently. If I had to speculate as to why there are so many Christian denominations, I would say that it all boils down to one congregation reviews scripture and says "wait a minute, this doesn't mean premarital sex is bad" or "wait a minute, this doesn't mean a preacher can't marry" etc... This leads to a new subdenomination (is this even a word?) that has the doctrines but vary in their interpretation of it. Of course, we must also consider the denominations that follow Christian doctrine, but their founder had a "vision" of meeting with God and was taught the "real" meaning of scripture. Therefor you have a denomination that believes in Christ, but takes a whole different approach in worshiping Him.
And at times, on certain issues, there is a range of doctrinal opinion within one denomination.

If you take many of the doctrinal issues which divide Christians, the relationship of grace, faith and works; the purpose and application of various rites; the role of women; the deity of Jesus; Trinity; eternal torment; free-will and determinism; miracles for today; biblical literalism; church discipline and order; duties and qualifications of various church offices; doctrines relating to God's various dispensations; the relationship between the believer and government; moral issues such as violence and war; abortion; homosexuality and the environment. Each of these issues could be an axis in a matrix of possible Christian doctrines. Every point in the many dimensional matrix represents a possible Christian denomination. Many of these points remain, for the time being, empty.

As the world spins around and around and around and around and around. It would appear that the diverting of denomination has been stuck in the matrix for quite some time now and if it continues, every additional axis could very well be addressed. I generally can't stand the word matrix, but I think for once, it has been used quite appropriately.
What we do for ourselves dies with us,
What we do for others and the world remains
and is immortal.

-Albert Pine
Never be bullied into silence.
Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one persons definition of your life; define yourself.

-Harvey Fierstein

katiej49

Re: Why are there 33,839 different Christian denominations?

Post #8

Post by katiej49 »

Zzyzx wrote:If Christianity is based upon the Bible, and if the Bible is “the infallible word of god” (or even the fallible word of god) why are 33,830 different Christian denominations recognized by the World Christian Encyclopedia?

Supposedly these denominations are all worshiping the same god from the same (or similar) ancient text. How can one god be “infallibly correct” in 33,830 different ways?

If there are at least 33,000 different “interpretations” of “god’s word”, it seems as though any interpretation can be just as valid as any other and words can be “redefined” to mean exactly the opposite of their common meaning.
i just wonder who in the heck counted em all!!...in the town i live in , there are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Church of God, Church of Christ, Vineyard church (i'm one of the vineyardites :) ....those are just a few i can think of off the top of my head...there are more. and they all agree on the main issue, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They are all Bible believing churches. So the differences are more on what type of worship you prefer (like the Vineyard church i attend is comtemporary...some prefer more traditional...)....we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Post #9

Post by McCulloch »

Image

A simplified view of the divisions within Christianity.
  1. Restorationism
    • Seventh-day Adventists
    • Latter-day Saints
    • Restoration Movement
      • Church of Christ
      • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
      • Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ
  2. Protestantism
    • Baptist churches
    • Calvinist churches
      • Reformed churches
      • Presbyterianism
      • Congregationalism
    • Methodism
    • Lutheranism
    • Anabaptism/Radical Reformation
      • Mennonites
      • Amish
      • Hutterites
      • Church of the Brethren
      • Brethren in Christ
    • Open Brethren
    • Quakers
    • Pentecostalism
  3. Anglicanism
  4. Roman Catholicism including
    • Eastern Catholic Churches
    • Old Catholic Church
  5. Eastern Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
    • Church of Alexandria
    • Church of Antioch
    • Church of Jerusalem
    • Church of Russia
    • Church of Georgia
    • Church of Serbia
    • Church of Romania
    • Church of Bulgaria
    • Church of Cyprus
    • Church of Greece
    • Church of Albania
    • Church of Poland
    • Church of the Czechlands and Slovakia
    • Orthodox Church in America
    • Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
    • Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians (GOC), USA
    • Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece
    • GOC Synod in Resistance
    • Macedonian Orthodox Church
  6. Oriental Orthodox (Miaphysites)The Oriental Orthodox Communion
    • The Armenian Apostolic Church of All Armenians
    • The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
    • The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
    • The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
    • The Indian Orthodox Church, also known as the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
    • The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch (also known as the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch)
    Armenian Apostolic Church
  7. Nestorians
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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Confused
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Post #10

Post by Confused »

Mc:

Where in the world do you find all this stuff?
Your graph and breakdown does a great job in differentiating. But is there any way to tell why each denomination split from the mainstream one or the sub mainstream of another?
What we do for ourselves dies with us,
What we do for others and the world remains
and is immortal.

-Albert Pine
Never be bullied into silence.
Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one persons definition of your life; define yourself.

-Harvey Fierstein

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