[markomalley]

Read the link.

I don’t dispute the figure of 30,000 Protestant denominations.

All I’m saying is that using that *same* methodology, then there are 200+ Catholic “denominations.”

Using that methodology, each religious institute is a denomination (the Jesuits, the Benedictines, the Dominicans, etc.)

I suggest you look up the links yourself before you start accusing me.

[bronx2]

Your reasoning is deficient in that while different religious orders might well have a discrete EI number they are unified by a central authority much like each individual state in this country.

However, even if you combine each mainline protestant denomination and count say all Methodists as one, one still sees nearly 30,000 discrete entities who proclaim to be christian but who have no connection to any other christian entity.

Individual interpretation of scripture is what allows for the use of the 30,000 number and distinguishes these protestants from your example of religious orders. Furthermore, these orders have no theoretical authority to make dogma and must answer to a higher earthly authority. Thus, 30,000 has legitimacy