Western Churches
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
|
|
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
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
North American Baptist Conference
Southern Baptist Convention
- African-American Baptist
National Baptist Convention of America
National Baptist Convention, USA
National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
Progressive National Baptist Convention
|
Catholic and Anglican
|
Anglican Church in North America
Episcopal Church
Old Roman Catholic Church
Polish National Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
|
Holiness and Pietist
|
Christian and Missionary Alliance
Church of God (Anderson)
Evangelical Covenant Church
Evangelical Free Church of America
Church of the Nazarene
Salvation Army
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Wesleyan Church
|
Lutheran
|
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
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, TN)
Church of God in Christ
Church of God of Prophecy
Church on the Rock- International
Full Gospel Fellowship
Intl. Church of the Foursquare Gospel
Intl. 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 (USA)
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
|
Church of Christ, Scientist
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
|
|
|
The Latin portion of the Catholic Church, along with Anglicanism and Protestantism, comprise the three major divisions of Christianity in the Western world. However, Roman Catholics do not describe themselves as a denomination but rather as the original Holy and Universal Church; which all other branches broke off from in schism. The Baptist, Methodist, and Lutheran churches are generally considered to be Protestant denominations, although strictly speaking, of these three, only the Lutherans took part in the official Protest after the decree of the Second Diet of Speyer mandated the burning of Luther's works and the end of the Protestant Reformation. Anglicanism was generally classified as Protestant, but since the "Tractarian" or Oxford Movement of the 19th century, led by John Henry Newman, Anglican writers emphasize a more catholic understanding of the church and characterize it as more properly understood as its own tradition—a via media ("middle way"), both Protestant and Catholic. The American province of the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church USA, describes itself as a modern via media church in this tradition. A case is sometimes also made to regard Lutheranism in a similar way, considering the catholic character of its foundational documents (the Augsburg Confession and other documents contained in the Book of Concord) and its existence prior to the Anglican, Anabaptist, and Reformed churches, from which nearly all other Protestant denominations derive.
One central tenet of Catholicism (whether Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and some other denominations), is its practice of Apostolic Succession. "Apostle" means "one who is sent out." Jesus commissioned the first twelve apostles (see Biblical Figures for the list of the Twelve), and they, in turn laid hands on subsequent church leaders to ordain (commission) them for ministry. In this manner, Roman Catholics, and Anglicans trace their ordained ministers all the way back to the original Twelve. Roman Catholics believe that the Pope has authority which can be traced directly to the apostle Peter whom they hold to be the original head of and first Pope of the Church. There are smaller churches, such as the Old Catholic Church which rejected the definition of Papal Infallibility at the First Vatican Council, and Anglo-Catholics, Anglicans who believe that Anglicanism is a continuation of historical Catholicism and who incorporate many Catholic beliefs and practices. The Catholic Church refers to itself simply by the terms Catholic and Catholicism (which mean universal). The Catholic Church has traditionally rejected any notion that those outside its communion can be regarded as part of any true Catholic Christian faith. Catholicism has a hierarchical structure in which supreme authority for matters of faith and practice are the exclusive domain of the Pope, who sits on the Throne of Peter, and the bishops when acting in union with him. Most Catholics are unaware of the existence of Old Catholicism which represents a relatively recent split from the Catholic Church and is particularly vocal in rejecting their use of the term Catholic.
Each Protestant movement has developed freely, and many have split over theological issues. For instance, a number of movements grew out of spiritual revivals, like Methodism and Pentecostalism. Doctrinal issues and matters of conscience have also divided Protestants. The Anabaptist tradition, made up of the Amish, Hutterites, and Mennonites, rejected the Roman Catholic and Lutheran doctrines of infant baptism; this tradition is also noted for its belief in pacifism. Many churches with roots in Restorationism reject being identified as Protestant or even as a denomination at all, as they use only the Bible not creeds, and model the church after what they feel is the first century church found in scripture; the Churches of Christ are one example; African Initiated Churches, like Kimbanguism, mostly fall within Protestantism, with varying degrees of syncretism. The measure of mutual acceptance between the denominations and movements varies, but is growing largely due to the ecumenical movement in the 20th century and overarching Christian bodies such as the World Council of Churches.