Church of Christ
Background Information for the Church of Christ Ultimately, this movement was birthed as part of the “Restoration Movement” in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Founded by a Methodist preacher named James O’Kelly in 1793. O’Kelly sought to escape the control of the Methodist church and broke away to form a new group called […]
Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church background Episcopal Church leaders claim that their earliest known celebrations of the Eucharist on North America were near San Francisco, CA in 1579 by Sir Francis Drake’s chaplain and in 1607 at Jamestown, VA. However these gatherings were simply extensions of the Church of England and nothing to do with the Episcopal Church […]
Church of the Brethren
Founded by Alexander Mack in 1709 who believed and professed to express outwardly, a new faith inwardly. He led a group of followers from the Anabaptists and Pietists in Schwarzenau, Germany. Mack, along with 7 others asked to be baptized as an adult (despite Anabaptist influence, they had only been baptized as infants). This new […]
Quakers (Friends)
Quakers Background and History The Quakers were founded by a man named George Fox in 1647. This movement, first called the Society of Friends, broke from the “Puritan” movement within the Church of England and coincided with the “Dissenters” movement of England. George Fox abandoned the idea of the sufficiency of Scripture-alone in favour of […]
Baptists
General Baptists Founded by John Smyth in 1609 as a Puritan “Seperatist” movement coming out of the Church of England in Lincolnshire. This group then moved to Holland where Smyth along with his colleague Thomas Helwys, chose to be “Baptised” as adults into Christ. Up until this time, the only groups carrying out “credo baptism” […]
Church of Scotland
(Founded 1560 in Scotland by a pupil of John Calvin named John Knox) John Knox was a Catholic Priest that embraced the teachings.of his friend and teacher, the Reformist John Calvin. Constantly engaging the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots, in debate, Knox was finally brought to trial whereby the Scottish nobles acquitted him andultimately deposed […]
Swiss Reformed Church
Protestants: Swiss Reformation Protestant (Four Family ‘sub’ groups) – A term used to describe those Christians who sought to “reform” the Roman Catholic church. Contrary to popular misnomer, the word did not arise as a result of “protesting” the Pope or the Roman Catholic church. Rather, the etymology of “Protestant” is tied to a group […]
Moravian Church / Unity of the Brethren
Background Information for the Unity of the Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) The Unity of the Brethren was comprised of followers of the reformer (pre-reformation) named John Hus (c. 1370-1415). Hus was a Czech Catholic priest who was martyred by the Roman Catholic Church for espousing and teaching the same reformation principles of John Wycliffe, in fact, […]
Oriental Orthodox Churches
Background Information for the Oriental Orthodox Churches Eastern Orthodox denominations – the Oriental Orthodox churches broke off in the earliest of schisms in Church history. Some were Nestorians, others were “monophysites” (a complex understanding of Christology unfairly declared heretical). This family still has a representation of denominations dating back to the third century – Coptic […]
Is Pentecostalism a Denomination?
Todd asks if Pentecostalism is the oldest “religion” (denomination) within Christianity. I explain in detail what the difference is between a religion, sect, and denomination, tell him what the oldest denomination actually is and then where Pentecostalism fits in the Christian family tree of denominations.
Seventh Day Adventists
Millers remaining followers after the Great Disappointment called themselves “Adventists” and believed that Jesus entered into the “Most Holy Place” for a secret judgement of those in the world who are holy enough to receive His atonement. After he has determined this, he will return very soon though nobody knows the exact date” in 1844. […]
Anglican Church of England
Began as a state issue and not a doctrinal issue, King Henry VIII “seceded” from Roman Papal authority, declaring himself as “Head of Church and State”. The Church of England would endure hardship at the hands of the Roman Catholic Mary Stuart or “Bloody Mary” as she was known, but eventually reformers like Thomas Cranmer, […]
Eastern Orthodox Churches
Background Information for the Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church wasn’t founded in the traditional sense of a Protestant denominationk rather, like the Roman Catholic church, it emerged as a distinct “sect” via the Great Schism of 1054 A.D. The Eastern Orthodox Church is not considered a Protestant Church at all because it existed […]
What is the Catholic Church?
What is the Catholic church (Roman Catholics) This page might appear to be a bit “heavy” on Roman Catholics but it is simply sharing the truth of history and doctrine. I’m not an “anti-Catholic” rather to the contrary, as a former Catholic of 24 years I still have many friends and family who consider themselves […]
Christianity – What is a Christian?
What is a Christian? Overview of the Christian faith “What is a Christian?” is the key question that this page will answer. Christianity isn’t a given denomination nor is it a collection of denominations. All of the denominations, listed on our denominations page and chart, emerged from a root form of Christianity whereby they held […]