30,000 Protestant Denominations?

http://www.pressiechurch.org/Shepherding_the_Sheep/How%20many%20Protestant%20denominations%20are%20there.htm ^ | 9/24/02 | Eric Svendsen 

[xzins]

I would use the US Military's handbook on denominations. They have listed within all those that are organized/recognized varieties of faith. (They also have non-Christian varieties of religion that are present in the US.) The handbook is used by chaplains in gaining background info on some of the religious beliefs of those who might join up as soldiers.)

A denomination doesn't include every tom/dick/harry who hangs out a shingle....which isn't a fair way to consider a denomination in the first place. A denomination is a successfully enduring BODY of adherents to a broadly distinctive brand of belief.

You'll be relieved to know that the military doesn't include umpteen thousand catholic churches. There's ONE Roman Catholic Church. There is, however, a Byzantine Catholic Church.

[ppaul]

When this figure first surfaced among Roman Catholic apologists, it started at 20,000 Protestant denominations, grew to 23,000 Protestant denominations, then to 25,000 Protestant denominations. More recently, that figure has been inflated to 28,000, to over 32,000.

So?
Who gives a rip?
(besides this guy?)

[SoothingDave]

It's almost as if they think all Catholic churches are the same. I know a Catholic lady whose 'priest' said it is ok to think of God as female if she wants to.

#1, are you aware that individual priests can err?

#2, do you think that God is male? (Not Jesus, the Second Person, but the entire Godhead)

SD

[biblewonk]

#1, are you aware that individual priests can err?

That's a funny question in the light of todays priest activities isn't it. :-)

#2, do you think that God is male? (Not Jesus, the Second Person, but the entire Godhead)

"Are you so dull that you don't realize that if you have seen me you have seen the Father".

[Catholicguy]

<> Do you have a suggestion for the number we ought to use in referencing different protestant denominations? If 30,000 is objectionable, then what is an unobjectionable number?<>

[xzins]

Yep. I don't have the book sitting in front of me, but I remember it as having "hundreds" of entries rather than "thousands."

Remember that it included other religions in addition to distinctive Christian groups.

Memory says that you'd find in the neighborhood of 200 or so distinctive non-Roman Catholic, Christian religious denominations. You can order the book from Air Force publications. I can get you an address if you're interested.

[Onelifetogive]

Right. I would like to see the collective Protestant churches try to write a Universal Catechism like the one the RCC has. They could NOT do it because one denomination does not believe in water baptism, another goes to church on Saturday a third won't sing in church, some are Armenians, some Calvinists, some are pre-trib some post trib. The RCC has ONE Catechism, it is the NORM for of all Catholic beliefs about the Bible and Tradition.

If men tried to write a collective Protestant Catechisn like the RCC, it would be as disjointed and self-contradictory as the RCC catechism. For every difference in Protestant belief you can find, I can find contradictions in the RCC catechism.

I can also find for you hundreds of statements right out of the Catechism where everyday ordinary Catholics would say, "That's stupid, Catholics don't believe that!"

[RnMomof7]

3. The only unity among Protestants denominations is that they reject Catholicism as the way to follow Christ. Beyond that, the doctrinal differences among the thousands of Protestant congregations are endless to the point of absurdity.

This is not a true observation...actually most protestants have greater agreement amoung themselves than there is between 6 Catholics standing in the same pew on Sunday...

Now I have bumped "non Catholics Christians " of several different traditions...and beleieve it or not..the FR wars aside...we have between 95-99% agreement ...the differences are eithor traditional or mildly doctrinal. (such as the order of salvation or infant baptism).

The word of God is so important to us we will go to the mat over one small thing.

I have RC family that are all over the map, most do not even think about the Bible or doctrine..they are traditional Catholics ..they inherited it with their eye color.

Now there are some protestants that are the same..but for the most part practicing Protestants are thoughful in matters of doctrine ..their church choice reflects that thought

[RnMomof7]

My state representative is a pro-choice Catholic.


So is my Govenor....nuf said

[RnMomof7]

Uh uh! Nope. I don't think so. These are rites. Rites means ritual not belief. They wear different vestments and have different practices but it's really not a denomination. Its not like they ever split off from Rome, they just developed organically as rites in their own cultures, with the Church of Rome as their head. But no these are not denominations IMHO. I am a Catholic of the Roman rite. Another may be a Catholic of the Coptic rite. We are both of the same Catholic Church that is based in Rome. Somebody correct me if I am wrong here.

What you call a rite we would call a denomation :>) Theresa there is actually little difference in what Protestants believe

At the far extreme you have the biggest difference in the belief over the cession of spiritual gifts...but you have that within the RC church too..

[al_c]

#2, do you think that God is male? (Not Jesus, the Second Person, but the entire Godhead)

Uh ... Dave ... how many times did Jesus refer to God as "Father?"

You can do better than this.

[al_c]

My state representative is a pro-choice Catholic.

So is my Govenor....nuf said

That said ... how many reps, govs, senators, etc. are non-Catholic and pro-choice?

[Catholicguy]

No, thank you. I was just interested in the number that protestants would find acceptable.

[Catholicguy]

If men tried to write a collective Protestant Catechisn like the RCC, it would be as disjointed and self-contradictory as the RCC catechism. For every difference in Protestant belief you can find, I can find contradictions in the RCC catechism.

<> OK, prove it :) <> I can also find for you hundreds of statements right out of the Catechism where everyday ordinary Catholics would say, "That's stupid, Catholics don't believe that!"

<> OK, prove it :): <> 27 posted on 9/25/02 10:12 AM Eastern by Onelifetogive

[RnMomof7]

Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Seventh Day Adventist, Bible Christian, Church of Christ, Baptist, Nazerine, Episcopal and any number of denominations starting with the word REFORMED.

Methodists,Nazarene, Wesleyan...all have the same doctrine...the difference is mostly in the membership requirments, The AOG and the Calminian Baptists are also tied to them in doctrine except by a point of doctrine or so. Some of the churches like a formal worship and some not..

There are actually very few distinctives in the different Protestant churches ...but we are a stubborn people we want to have complete agreement with the doctrine and teaching of our churches on Sundays

[Revelation 911]

I have RC family that are all over the map, most do not even think about the Bible or doctrine..they are traditional Catholics ..they inherited it with their eye color.

an excellent point Mom - I can attest it is accurate from my limited experience having been raised in an Italian Catholic household. It was inherited with the family sauce recipe.

[RnMomof7]

Do you really believe that most RCs believe the doctrine??

[RnMomof7]

I visited a Serb Orthodox Church and enjoyed the service and the warmth of the people alot..

But doctrinally I can not throw out original sin as the Eastern rite does.....

It is that kind of a difference that Protestants look at when deciding on a church..

[xzins]

3. The only unity among Protestants denominations is that they reject Catholicism as the way to follow Christ. Beyond that, the doctrinal differences among the thousands of Protestant congregations are endless to the point of absurdity. This is not a true observation...actually most protestants have greater agreement amoung themselves than there is between 6 Catholics standing in the same pew on Sunday...

I guess they needed some word to express non-Roman Catholic Christian so they came up with "protestant." Whatever. I prefer non-Roman Cathoic Christian. Actually, only a low percentage of non-Roman Catholic Christian groups were involved in the reformation protests against Roman Catholicism.

The Assemblies of God, eg, didn't even exist in the reformation. NOR did the Methodists, Church of Christ, and Evangelical Free....and etc.

[Notwithstanding]

"In His image He created them. Male and female He created them."

Now, if women are created in God's image, it seems apparent that God has the attributes of both males and females, without nullifying the fact that God chose to reveal Himself as Father and Son and use masculine pronouns in Scripture when referring to the Holy Spirit.

God is greater than either male of female.