Denominationalism

Denominationalism is the division of one religion into separate groups, sects, schools of thought or denominations. Denominationalism as an ideology which views some or all Christian groups as being, in some sense, versions of the same thing regardless of their distinguishing labels, is not accepted by all Christian churches. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches do not use this term as its implication of interchangeability does not agree with their theological teachings. Denominationalism is a largely Protestant concept among Christians.

Bahá'í

Main article: Bahá'í divisions

Buddhism

Main article: Schools of Buddhism

Christianity

Main article: Christian denomination

Christian Denominations in English-speaking countries
Australia Australian Christian bodies Australian Interchurch Australian Evangelical Alliance  • site National Council of Churches Catholic & Anglican Anglican Church of Australia Roman Catholic Church Holiness & Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance Christian Outreach Centre Church of the Nazarene Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Historical Protestantism Australian Friends Baptist Union of Australia Open Brethren Christian Reformed Churches of Australia Churches of Christ Fellowship of Congregational Churches Lutheran Church of Australia Presbyterian Church of Australia Uniting Church in Australia Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia Orthodox Antiochian Orthodox of Australia & New Z. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Serbian Orthodox of Australia & New Z. Non-Chalcedonic Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia Pentecostal & Related Australian Christian Churches (AOG) Christian City Church Intl. CRC Churches International Revival Centres International Vineyard Churches Australia Worldwide Church of God Other LDS Church
Canada Canadian Christian bodies Canadian Interchurch Canadian Council of Churches S. Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America North Am. Presbyterian & Reformed Council Anabaptist & Friends Canadian Mennonite Brethren Churches Canadian Yearly Meeting (Quakers) Mennonite Church Canada Baptist & Stone-Campbell Baptist Association of Regular Baptist Churches Baptist General Conference of Canada Canadian Baptist Ministries Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists Fellowship of Evgcl. Baptist Churches, Canada North American Baptist Conference Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Evangelical Christian Church in Canada Catholic & Anglican Anglican Church of Canada Anglican Church in North America Polish National Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church Holiness & Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance, Canada Church of the Nazarene Evangelical Free Church of Canada Salvation Army Wesleyan Church Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Lutheran Church–Canada Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Methodist British Methodist Episcopal Church Free Methodist Church in Canada United Church of Canada Orthodox Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, N.Am. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Orthodox Church in America American-Canadian Macedonian Orthodox Diocese Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Non-Chalcedonic Armenian Apostolic Diocese of Am. Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada Pentecostal Apostolic Church of Pentecost Canadian Assemblies of God Church of God of Prophecy Intl. Foursquare Gospel, Canada Intl. Pentecostal Holiness Church Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Pentecostal Church of God Oneness Pentecostal United Pentecostal Church Intl. Presbyterian & Reformed Canadian and American Reformed Churches Christian Reformed Church in North America L'Église réformée du Québec Presbyterian Church in Canada Presbyterian Church in America Reformed Church in America United Church of Canada Other Messianic Jewish Alliance of America Plymouth Brethren Seventh-day Adventists, North America LDS Church Vineyard Canada
United Kingdom Christian denominations in the UK UK Interchurch Affinity (formerly British Evangelical Council) Churches Together in Britain & Ireland Evangelical Alliance, UK Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches Churches Together in England Action of Churches Together, Scotland (ACTS) Associating Evangelical Churches of Wales  • site Churches Together in Wales Evangelical Movement of Wales Anglican Church of England Free Church of England Church of Ireland Scottish Episcopal Church Church in Wales Baptist Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland Baptist Union of Great Britain Baptist Union of Scotland Baptist Union of Wales Grace Baptist Assembly Old Baptist Union Catholic Roman Catholicism England & Wales Ireland Scotland Old Catholicism British Old Catholic Church  • site Old Catholic Church in Europe Old Catholic Mariavite Church Old Catholic Church of Great Britain Holiness & Pietist Christian Outreach Centre Church of the Nazarene British Moravian Church Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Wesleyan Holiness Church Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church of England Lutheran Church in Great Britain Methodist & Wesleyan Free Methodist of the UK Methodist Church of Great Britain Methodist Church in Ireland Wesleyan Reform Union New Church Movement Vineyard Churches UK Ichthus Christian Fellowship Newfrontiers Pioneer Church  • site Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of G.B. Russian Orthodox Diocese, G.B. & Ire. Russian Tradition Vicariate, G.B. & Ire. Oriental Orthodox Church British Orthodox Church Celtic Orthodox Church Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church of God in Christ Elim Pentecostal Church Foursquare Gospel Church Worldwide Church of God Presbyterian & Reformed Asso. Presbyterian Churches, Scotland Church of Scotland Congregational Federation Evangelical Presbyterian Church Free Church of Scotland Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster Non-subscribing Presbyterian, Ireland Presbyterian Church in Ireland Presbyterian Church of Wales Reformed Presbyterian Church United Free Church of Scotland United Reformed Church Other Brethren in Christ Churches of Christ Fellowship of Ind. Evangelical Churches LDS Church Quakers/ Britain Yearly Meeting Quakers/ Ireland Yearly Meeting
United States United States Christian bodies U.S. Interchurch National Association of Evangelicals National Council of Churches Churches Uniting in Christ Anabaptist and Friends Church of the Brethren Mennonite Church USA Amish Baptist Baptist Alliance of Baptists American Baptist Association American Baptist Churches Baptist Bible Fellowship International Baptist General Conference Baptist Missionary Association of America Conservative Baptist Association of America General Association of Regular Baptist Churches National Association of Free Will Baptists National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A. North American Baptist Conference Southern Baptist Convention African-American Baptist National Baptist Convention of America National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America Progressive National Baptist Convention Catholic and Anglican Anglican Church in North America Episcopal Church Old Roman Catholic Church in North America Polish National Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church Holiness and Pietist Christian and Missionary Alliance Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) Evangelical Covenant Church Evangelical Free Church of America Church of the Nazarene The Salvation Army Seventh-day Adventist Church Wesleyan Church Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod North American Lutheran Church Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Methodist African Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Free Methodist Church United Methodist Church Orthodox Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Orthodox Church in America Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Serbian Orthodox Church Non-Chalcedonic Armenian Apostolic of Am. Armenian Apostolic Diocese of Am. Coptic Orthodox Church Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) Church of God in Christ Church of God of Prophecy Church on the Rock International Full Gospel Fellowship International Church of the Foursquare Gospel International Pentecostal Holiness Church Pentecostal Church of God Oneness Pentecostal Pentecostal Assemblies of the World United Pentecostal Church Intl. Presbyterian & Reformed Christian Reformed Church in North America Conservative Congregational Christian Conference Cumberland Presbyterian Church Evangelical Presbyterian Church Korean Presbyterian Church in America International Council of Community Churches National Asso. of Congregational Christian Churches Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbyterian Church in America Reformed Church in America United Church of Christ Stone-Campbell Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian churches and churches of Christ Churches of Christ International Churches of Christ Other Christian Science LDS Church Community of Christ Grace Gospel Fellowship Independent Fundamental Churches of America Jehovah's Witnesses Messianic Jewish Alliance of America Plymouth Brethren Vineyard USA
International Associations Interdenominational Associations World Council of Churches World Evangelical Alliance Denominational Associations Friends World Committee for Consultation Mennonite World Conference Anglican Communion Baptist World Alliance World Convention of Churches of Christ Eastern Orthodox Church Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference International Lutheran Council Lutheran World Federation World Methodist Council Pentecostal World Conference International Conference of Reformed Churches Reformed Ecumenical Council World Communion of Reformed Churches World Reformed Fellowship Regional Associations Africa All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Association of Evangelicals of Africa (AEA) All Africa Baptist Fellowship Africa Lutheran Communion Asia Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) Evangelical Fellowship of Asia Asia Pacific Baptist Federation Asia Lutheran Communion Caribbean Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC) Evangelical Association of the Caribbean Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Europe Conference of European Churches (CEC) European Evangelical Alliance European Baptist Federation Pentecostal European Fellowship Middle East Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Latin America Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) Latin American Evangelical Fellowship (FIDE) Union of Baptists in Latin America North America North American Baptist Fellowship Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council Pacific Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) Evangelical Fellowship of the South Pacific (EFSP) Asia Pacific Baptist Federation

Christianity can be divided into denominational and ecclesiastical families and individual denominations (or communions).

Denominational families include:

• Adventism
• Anglicanism
• Anabaptists
• Baptists
• Bible Study Movement
• Catholicism, although the Roman Catholic Church considers itself the original Church (and as such, "pre-denominational"), not a denomination;
• Congregationalism
• Lutheranism
• Mormonism or Latter Day Saints, a very special type within the restoration movement, although most of other Christian denominations and churches do not consider Mormons to be Christians at all;
• Methodism
• Eastern Orthodoxy, although the Orthodox and Apostolic churches consider themselves the original churches and not denominations;
• Pentecostalism
• Presbyterianism
• Reformed churches
• Restorationism

These families of churches can be further sub-divided.

Individual denominations or communions include:

• The Anglican Communion (Anglican family)
• The Continuing Anglican churches (Anglican family)
• The Southern Baptist Convention (Baptist family)
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Lutheran family)
• The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (Lutheran family)
• The United Methodist Church (Methodist family)
• The Free Methodist Church (Methodist family)
• The Christian Reformed Church (Reformed family)
• The Reformed Church in America (Reformed family)
• The Roman Catholic Church (Catholic family)
• The Old Catholic churches (Catholic family)
• The Disciples of Christ (Restorationist family)
• The Churches of Christ (Restorationist family)
• The Jehova's Witnesses (Bible Students Movement family)

Some Christians view denominationalism as a regrettable fact. As of 2011 divisions are becoming less sharp, and there is increasing cooperation between denominations (See denomination for a distinction between denomination and association in religious governance), although relations between Liberal Christians and Conservative Christians remain tense.

Theological denominationalism ultimately denies reality to any apparent doctrinal differences among the "denominations", reducing all differences to mere matters de nomina ("of names").

A denomination in this sense is created when part of a church no longer feel they can accept the leadership of that church as a spiritual leadership due to a different view of doctrine or what they see as immoral behaviour, but the schism does not in any way reflect either group leaving the Church as a theoretical whole.

This particular doctrine is, of course, unacceptable to those Christian groups that see themselves as being the "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" as a whole. This includes Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism and the Oriental Orthodoxy, each of which claims to be the subsistence of the exclusive "Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church". In these churches, it is not possible to have a separation over doctrinal or leadership issues, and any such attempts automatically are a type of schism.

Hinduism

Main article: Hindu denominations

Islam

Main article: Islamic schools and branches

Judaism

Main article: Jewish religious movements