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Posted on 11/13/2014 6:49:41 PM PST by Heart-Rest
How Many Protestant Denominations Are There?
Partial List of 5000+ Protestant Denominations by Name
How Many Protestant Denominations Are There? The 20,000 / 30,000 numbers and David Barrett's statistics
"The Facts and Stats on "33,000 Denominations" The 20,000 / 30,000 numbers and David Barrett's statistics
Part II
(Above links derived from here) ===> ("How Many Protestant Denominations Are There?")
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There are many, many more Protestant denominations out there, not just those reflected in the links above. How many? Well, nobody really knows for sure exactly how many Protestant denominations exist at any given point in time, because after you get done counting the first forty or fifty thousand, several thousand more new ones pop up here and there all over the place, like popping pop corn! :-)
We Catholics love all our Protestant brothers and sisters (no matter how many denominations or "non-denominations" they belong to), and we simply want to share the fullness of the truth with them, so that they can find the precious jewel (the "pearl of great price") that we have already found (by the Grace of God). With that in mind, the following song is dedicated to all our beloved Protestant brothers and sisters, and their ever-increasing number of distinct and ever-changing denominations with contradictory, mutually-exclusive, incompatible teachings. (And, no, that is not a bunch of cardinals singing that song!)
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(Song -- "Bless 'em All!")
(This song is a tribute to all our beloved Protestant brothers and sisters, no matter what denomination -- or "non-denomination" -- they are currently in.)
"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." (1 Corinthians 1:10)
I'll take that answer as a yes, that you, in fact, consider yourself an apostle, and blame the Catholics for it. That captures the essence of Protestantism/Protesters which cannot help but produce more variants. Rebels breed rebellion.
“I’ll take that answer as a yes, that you, in fact, consider yourself an apostle, and blame the Catholics for it.”
I never said that, I just asked you questions. Please don’t put words in my mouth, then argue against them. That’s a strawman argument.
Indeed it was, as binding as the requirement of RC rulers to exterminate those Rome deems as "heretics" or face excommunication. Autocrats can do so.
That there are massive rooms filled from floor to ceiling with canons, codes, bulls, decretals, pronouncements, etc., and the Catechism being frequently changed, modified and updated,
As "Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law," (Providentissimus Deus) and "it follows that the Church is essentially an unequal society, that is, a society comprising two categories of per sons, the Pastors and the flock...the one duty of the multitude is to allow themselves to be led, and, like a docile flock, to follow the Pastors," (VEHEMENTER NOS, an Encyclical of Pope Pius X promulgated on February 11, 1906), and so RCs are not to engage in interpretation of what was taught in the past, but look to what Rome presently teaches, and which actions reveal.
Thus liberal RCs are the majority.
This is such a common error. Someone opens their Bible, reads what the LORD said and assumes it is to them directly. Before you know it, he has appointed himself an apostle and she a prophetess. What could go wrong ?
This is why there are myriads of Protestant/Protester denominations, sects, groups, and cults in the word, completely contrary to John 17, especially that portion where the LORD Jesus Christ really did pray or each one of us that would believe on him through the word of his apostles.
Protestantism is a false religion, teaching errors of the gospel for more than 500 years. Everyone and their brother is an “authority”. And their all right. Just ask them.
You chose your previous answer poorly. Perhaps if you do more research you can choose better.
This is from Matthew 18, with which you should be intimately familiar. Compare it with the original posts and get back to me with what you believe about it, hopefully correcting others so they are not misled by your contention with me. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
When two or more people come together in HIS name, that is church.
The LORD was speaking to the Jewish Apostles in the first passage, when he gave those apostles the power to bind and loose. The Apostle to the Gentiles was writing to the church in Corinth in the second when he was correcting the members there of misbehavior. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
“You chose your previous answer poorly. Perhaps if you do more research you can choose better.”
They were questions, not answers. If you don’t want to answer them, that’s fine.
“This is from Matthew 18, with which you should be intimately familiar. Compare it with the original posts and get back to me with what you believe about it, hopefully correcting others so they are not misled by your contention with me. “
Questions are contentions now?
Do I need to “claim ownership” of the previous poster’s arguments in order to ask you questions about one of your posts? Why would you care about my interpretation of Matthew 18 anyway, if it’s just going to be my private interpretation, which you would probably dismiss on that basis alone?
No, that is the teaching of Catholicism.
They call non Catholic Christians "incomplete brethren."
They are always saying "come back to the mother church" and are taught that no one can be a true "completed" Christian unless they join the Catholic church. (Contrary to what is taught by Jesus and the scriptures.)
At least some Catholics (very few from my observations) now understand that there are Christians out side of the Catholic belief system.
There was no other text but The Bible "GOD's Word" and their GOD inspired books and letters the churches were required to abide by that is my point. The NT Books were all available to believers early on. It was enough and they knew to keep it simple. They didn't say here you need to study this Dogma and The Bible and that was not what was intended. This brought corruption upon the churches and opened the door for abuses. The Bible is The Word of GOD not mans additional writs done past the early Apostles and Disciples writings. Thus the necessary correction to this came in the Reformation.
The Apostles didn't set up a earthly figurehead over all the churches {no not even Peter except as the leader of the twelve} NOR were they bound to be under such rule. Example Paul was not answerable to Peter, did not need his permissions, anointment, appointment, nor answer to him and Paul clearly states this. Peter was not Paul's Pope nor anyone elses. He was simply a man who lead the twelve in Jerusalem. Actually soon the Twelve were scattered because they were not fulfilling The Great Commission rather they were living in Jerusalem in a common community and The Gospel was not going out to the world. Thus came the persecution which did indeed scatter them and form many more churches and take The Word to many places long before the church in Rome gained power.
IOW The RCC wasn't then and never has been the church of churches nor the only sanctioned church. The Word Of GOD went north, east, south, and west, not just straight to Rome and kept by a few persons as some would want all to believe.
Then please teach where Jesus or the apostles taught the assumption and exaltation of Mary.
As a point of information, the word "bible" does not appear in Sacred Scripture. That said: Who, in your opinion, wrote "the Bible"? (how many authors and what are their names) What became of the original source texts? Who and how was it decided which of the hundreds of texts were authentic and which were not?
The "Bible" did not suddenly appear. You need to do some research.
Bad situations in our churches today as so many move toward this false unity of the faiths to agree to their common causes....forgetting that Jesus made it very clear not to do that.
What is so striking is how many are going along with it....which really does attest to the fact “ Broad is the way to destruction and MANY will find it”....
I have to laugh at that. If anyone is wrong, it is Catholics. Everyone is not in authority so do some research. I can not believe some statements on here by Catholics.
True...but that is not what the catholic church teaches their followers...so it falls on deaf ears unfortunately....they really don't know the truth of the history of the church....they eliminate anything which doesn't align with their false historical teachings...and as much what they fully eliminate from those teachings.
I’m tickled that you have your heart rested on Christ, if indeed that is where it is, and not rested “on a church.”
That’s what is going to count in the end, long after this world is gone. Everything you do will be rooted in God. It won’t be rooted in a bunch of human souls, even perfected souls.
You’re looking at Protestants as though they carried on their worship of Christ in a Roman Catholic manner... But what if they didn’t? What if they had the audacity to say they do not need a pope, they might look to Luther (or Calvin etc.) for helpful information but he will never be a pope.
Comity between Protestant denominations is often very extensive. They recognize the Christ in what the others do, and only disagree on details.
We used The Holy Bible for references and prayed for guidance along with it. When the preacher approached the Pulpit to deliver his sermon the first words were please open your Bibles too... That was to make sure the church read it themselves rather than take his word for it because he was the preacher. I knew of one preacher who could not read a word. He could quote The Bible Chapter and verse. I knew of another who was blind and could do likewise. Who gave them that ability?
If the preacher was preaching against GOD's Word meaning if for example had preached pro-abortion he would have been removed from his position after the service was over by a special called meeting of deacons and elders. Now that is true accountability within the church. The membership by vote if they were out of line could override them. The individual church had that authority as given in The Bible. We didn't have to wait for a decision from far removed from any realities of this world Vatican or other denominational office had it happened. Some Protestant churches are under a hierarchy where Pastors are sent to them by the lets call it head office. Most however are not and the process of obtaining a pastor can take time if one steps down due to illness etc. A number of preachers are invited to delivers the service and after prayers a vote is taken by the deacons and elders and confirmed by membership vote.
And besides most the issues you mention were not issues until this past century which doesn't justify the volumes and volumes of Dogma written before. Answers for every problem known to man including war and abortion are already in The Bible. No one needed to add to it. All aperson has to do is look and pray for guidance and the answer will come.
As for Nuclear War? IMO if not for Divine Intervention meaning GOD's Will and authority an all out nuclear exchange would have already taken place or a radical Islamic cleric launched such. Mans doing isn't what has prevented it. It's well out of mans hands. There are too many very evil persons out there if GOD were not in control it would have done happened. GOD Presides over the affairs of man.
My preacher the elders, deacons, etc did not place demands on the church members beyond what was stated in The Bible. They didn't need to say here read the catechism or here is a book of rules you need to learn also. It's not necessary.
The preacher we had three actually in a small rural church was a self employed farmer, had a wife & family, and was still more than able to handle all the demands placed upon him. If he was ill or away two ordained preachers were there to step in. It was a Missionary Baptist church membership maybe 200.
I did in my youth attend a much larger church which had a full time on salary preacher who still was married and had a family and he too was more than able to meet the needs of the church. He was called {appointed} by The Elders and Deacons who had the authority to relieve him of his duties had his conduct warranted such. Again there was an associate Pastor as well or a Deacon or Elder could do the church service.
Second, your premise rests on an erroneous understanding of what the assembly of the body of Christ is. The concept the Catholic Church promotes as "church" does not exist in scripture. It is therefore impossible for a Catholic to understand what an assembly of believers consists of.
Maybe the point of biggest difference is the Roman Catholic official idea of communion (Mass). That the Lord does not just manifest His presence there but somehow manages to swap out a physical thing for a supernatural thing, but in a way that no eye can detect.
As a mature Protestant who has taken the communion with a marked sense of the Lord’s presence, I believe the Catholic transubstantiation doctrine to be wrong and confused, but that it does not negate the primary use of the communion. It is a place to meet with the Lord in spiritual remembrance. And an acute sense of that in Catholic Masses doesn’t require the transubstantiation theory to account for it. He might appear more strongly there, in fact, in order to offset any sense of idolatry. To demonstrate tangibly that He is not confined to that wafer or to that wine, but radiates outward into a Christian’s life from the place where He is met. He does omnipresence well.
Yes, I intended to ping you and G; pity FR does not have a "respond to all" to make it pro forma. As to your other point, I don't consider you a teacher of doctrine. Is there a particular denomination, sect, group that recognizes you, or whose doctrine you contend for ? Or are you a self appointed apostle/prophet/prophetess ?
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