From the article:
“According to Barrett’s calculations, there are 8,196 denominations within Protestantism...”
“...there might actually be 223 distinct denominations within Roman Catholicism! Yet that is precisely the number that Barrett cites for Roman Catholicism. Moreover, Barrett indicates in the case of Roman Catholicism that even this number can be broken down further to produce 2,942 separate “denominations”—and that was only in 1970! In that same year there were only 3,294 Protestant denominations; a difference of only 352 denominations.”
So - how many hundreds or thousands of denominations are there among Roman Catholics?
The point is that an honest person tries to compare apples with apples. If Barrett says there are as many as 2,942 denominations among Roman Catholics in 1970, and that in the same year there were as many as 3,294 denominations among Protestants, then Barrett is obviously using a strange definition of ‘denomination’. Why don’t you lament the lack of unity from hundreds or thousands of Roman Catholic denominations?
“In reality, Barrett indicates that what he means by “denomination” is any ecclesial body that retains a “jurisdiction” (i.e., semi-autonomy). As an example, Baptist denominations comprise approximately 321 of the total Protestant figure.”
Frankly, if he understood Baptists, this approach would give him 42,000 denominations among the Southern Baptist Convention alone, since every congregation in the SBC is totally autonomous. So if you define a denomination as falling underneath a specific human (or group of humans in a church office), then the SBC alone has 40,000 denominations. I don’t think the average non-Baptist understands how totally independent each congregation is...
“Barrett identifies seven major ecclesiastical “blocs” under which these 22,190 distinct denominations fall (Barrett, 14-15): (1) Roman Catholicism, which accounts for 223 denominations; (2) Protestant, which accounts for 8,196 denominations; (3) Orthodox, which accounts for 580 denominations; (4) Non-White Indigenous, which accounts for 10,956 denominations; (5) Anglican, which accounts for 240 denominations; (6) Marginal Protestant, which includes Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, New Age groups, and all cults (Barrett, 14), and which accounts for 1,490 denominations; and (7) Catholic (Non-Roman), which accounts for 504 denominations.”
I don’t know what “Non-White Indigenous” would be, but I”m guessing it isn’t Christian if it excludes white folk. Marginal Protestant, with 1490 denominations, seems to be all non-Christian.
The body of Christ is one, and all Christians are a part - but just as there are millions - or a billion+ - individuals making up one body, so the multiple congregations make up one body, united under the Head who is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ never set up a human as ‘Vicar of Christ’. That role was assumed by the early church to be the Holy Spirit’s, per the direction given by Jesus Christ.
But I called you dishonest because you knew, in advance of your post, that there is no validity in the 30 or 40K number derived from Barrett. You don’t believe there are hundreds or thousands of separate Roman Catholic denominations, so why do you use his numbers for Protestants? That is Hadley CRU level dishonesty.
Please try to remember that the word translated ‘church’ in the New Testament means ‘assembly’, or ‘religious assembly’, if used in the typical Septuagint use. It is used for a secular riot in Acts:
“When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. 30But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” - Acts 19
The assembly in verse 32 is the same word translated church elsewhere. It does not imply a structure with a human head controlling those below him.
Among Protestants, you would have the Sola Scriptura types and those who are not. Those who are not are liberal Protestants, most of whom are CINO - Christian in Name Only, since they hold the title but not the belief. You can think of them as Protestant Pelosies.
Among the Sola Scriptura Protestants, the only doctrinal differences are over infant baptism (Baptist vs others), the predestination vs free will debate (often found inside individual congregations), and...I’m coming up empty. Pentecostal vs non-Pentecostal? That goes on inside the Catholic Church as well.
But you have very little doctrinal differences between Sola Scriptura believing churches.
Then Barrett is wrong! There are NO denominations within Roman Catholicism. If anything, "Roman Catholic" is a rite unto itself. It is the rite of the Latin Church. Hence the reason for posting this thread in the first place to clarify the confusion that exists amongst non-Catholics and even Catholics alike.
Such is your own personal interpretation of Scripture.
without posting a link to that thread.