Christian Denominations: Comparison Charts

Christianity includes a wide range of denominations, each with distinct beliefs, practices, and traditions. These differences shape how people understand and live out the Christian faith. Exploring them can deepen your understanding of both the unity and diversity within Christianity around the world.

The charts below compare more than 20 Christian branches, denominations, and movements. These include the major branches—such as Roman Catholicism—along with well-known Protestant groups like Baptists and Methodists. It also includes movements that span multiple traditions, such as Evangelicalism.

Each group is summarized in five categories: origins, beliefs, practices, size, and divisions. Use these charts as a helpful starting point for learning more about each denomination’s history and theology. Also see the 100 largest Christian denominations for more information.

When and Where Christian Denominations Began

This chart shows the origins of each denomination, including its founding date, key leader (if known), and the movement or location where it began.

Denomination/Branch	Origin
Amish (denomination)	Founded by Menno Simons in the 16th-century Anabaptist movement.
Anglicanism (denomination)	Emerged from the English Reformation in the 16th century.
Assemblies of God (denomination)	Founded during the Pentecostal revival in 1914.
Baptists (denomination)	Originated in the 17th century, promoting believer’s baptism.
Brethren (denomination)	Originated in early 18th-century Germany, focusing on Biblical literalism.
Church of Christ (denomination)	Developed in the 19th-century American Restoration Movement.
Church of God (denomination)	Started in the late 19th-century American Holiness movement.
Church of the Nazarene (denomination)	Emerged from the early 20th-century Holiness movement.
Eastern Orthodox (branch)	Split from Roman Catholicism during the Great Schism, 1054.
Episcopalian (denomination)	Formed in the USA post-Revolution, linked to Anglicanism.

More Denominations and Their Origins

The chart continues with additional Christian denominations, listed in alphabetical order.

Evangelicalism (movement)	Arose during the 18th-century revival movements, emphasizing conversion.
Foursquare (denomination)	Started by Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles, 1923.
Lutheranism (denomination)	Born from Martin Luther’s Reformation in 16th century Germany.
Mennonite (denomination)	Founded by Menno Simons in the 16th-century Anabaptist movement.
Methodism (denomination)	Began in 18th-century England under John Wesley’s influence.
Pentecostalism (movement)	Emerged in early 20th century American Holiness movement.
Presbyterianism (denomination)	Evolved from Calvinist traditions during the Swiss Reformation.
Protestantism (branch)	Emerged during the 16th-century Reformation led by Martin Luther.
Quakers (denomination)	Began in mid-17th-century England, emphasizing inner “light” and peace.
Reformed (theology)	Stemmed from 16th century Protestant Reformation, particularly Calvin.
Roman Catholicism (branch)	Traces back to the apostle Peter in 1st-century Rome.
Seventh-Day Adventists (denomination)	Founded in the mid-19th century, emphasizing end-times prophecy.

What Christian Denominations Believe: Doctrines Compared

This chart compares the core theological beliefs of each denomination, including doctrines related to salvation, worship, Scripture, and spiritual gifts.

Denomination/Branch	Beliefs
Amish	Emphasize community, simplicity, separation from the world, and pacifism.
Anglicanism	Maintains both Catholic and Reformed traditions in balance.
Assemblies of God	Advocates Pentecostal doctrines like divine healing and glossolalia.
Baptists	Support believer’s baptism, local church autonomy, and congregational governance.
Brethren	Value simple worship, non-creedal faith, and biblical literalism.
Church of Christ	Stresses restoration, local autonomy, believer’s baptism, and communion.
Church of God	Promotes holiness, divine healing, and Pentecostal experiences.
Church of the Nazarene	Advocates entire sanctification within the Holiness tradition.
Eastern Orthodox	Upholds apostolic succession, seven sacraments, and mystical theology.
Episcopalian	Retains liturgical worship and the Anglican via media approach.

More Denominations and Their Core Beliefs

The comparison continues below with additional Christian denominations, listed in alphabetical order, showing their primary theological beliefs.

Evangelicalism	Focuses on being born again, having an active faith, the Bible’s authority, and Jesus’s sacrifice.
Foursquare	Preaches the ‘foursquare’ Gospel: Jesus as Savior, Healer, Baptizer, King.
Lutheranism	Teaches justification by faith, sacramental theology, and liturgical worship.
Mennonite	Advocates adult baptism, pacifism, and community-focused simple living.
Methodism	Emphasizes practical divinity, sanctification, and social holiness.
Pentecostalism	Emphasizes baptism of Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.
Presbyterianism	Stresses predestination, covenant theology, and presbyterian church government.
Protestantism	Emphasizes sola scriptura, sola fide, and priesthood of all believers.
Quakers	Highlight inner light, simplicity, integrity, and peace.
Reformed	Predestination, Covenant theology, and Sola Scriptura emphasized.
Roman Catholicism	Upholds Papal authority, seven sacraments, and Marian doctrines.
Seventh-Day Adventists	Observes Saturday Sabbath, believes in prophetic guidance and annihilationism.

Note: The three historical branches of Christianity are Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox. For a more in-depth study of these three branches see Compare Roman Catholicism vs Protestantism vs Eastern Orthodox for more information.

Worship and Church Practices by Denomination

This chart outlines how each denomination practices its faith, including baptism, communion, worship style, and church governance.

Denomination/Branch	Practices
Amish	Practice community living, use of horses, dress plainly, shun technology.
Anglicanism	Follows liturgical worship, performs seven sacraments, uses Book of Common Prayer.
Assemblies of God	Encourages lively worship, speaking in tongues, divine healing.
Baptists	Conduct believer’s baptism, weekly communion, and congregational governance.
Brethren	Assembles for Lord’s Supper, foot-washing, and simple worship.
Church of Christ	Prefers a cappella worship, weekly communion, and believer’s baptism.
Church of God	Practices Pentecostal worship, divine healing, and prophetic ministry.
Church of the Nazarene	Engages in worship, evangelism, and compassionate ministries.
Eastern Orthodox	Celebrates Divine Liturgy, icons, fasting, and monastic traditions.
Episcopalian	Observes liturgical worship, lectionary readings, and sacramental rites.

More Denominations and Their Worship Practices

The list continues below with more Christian denominations and how they carry out worship, community life, and spiritual practices.

Evangelicalism	Prioritizes personal conversion, evangelism, Bible study, and discipleship.
Foursquare	Practices vibrant worship, charismatic gifts, healing services.
Lutheranism	Holds liturgical worship, two sacraments, catechesis, and choral singing.
Mennonite	Commits to pacifism, adult baptism, simple living, and community aid.
Methodism	Participates in holiness meetings, open communion, hymn-singing, and social action.
Pentecostalism	Engages in lively, expressive worship, faith healing.
Presbyterianism	Adheres to Reformed worship, presbyterial polity, and catechetical instruction.
Protestantism	Focuses on biblical preaching, sacraments, personal devotion, and fellowship.
Quakers	Engages in silent worship, testimonies, peace activism, and simplicity.
Reformed	Solemn, simple worship; preaching central.
Roman Catholicism	Celebrates Mass, sacraments, Marian devotions, and Papal teachings.
Seventh-Day Adventists	Observes Saturday Sabbath, prophetic guidance, healthful living, evangelism.

The Presbyterian tradition is one of the most important branches in Protestant Christianity. Yet it’s easy to confuse two of their most important denominations. To learn more, Compare the Presbyterian Church USA and the Presbyterian Church of America.

How Many People Belong to Each Denomination

This chart lists the estimated global membership of each denomination or movement, offering a sense of its worldwide reach and influence.

Denomination/Branch	Sizes
Amish	Small but growing, nearly 350,000 in North America.
Anglicanism	Anglicanism: Global membership around 85 million, includes Church of England.
Assemblies of God	Over 69 million adherents worldwide, largest Pentecostal group.
Baptists	Roughly 40 million globally, notably prevalent in USA.
Brethren	Over 1 million worldwide, spread across various branches.
Church of Christ	Estimates suggest around 2 million members globally.
Church of God	Around 7 million members globally, mostly in US.
Church of the Nazarene	Over 2 million members across 160 world areas.
Eastern Orthodox	Approximately 220 million adherents globally, mainly in Eastern Europe.
Episcopalian	Around 1.7 million members in the US.

Membership Totals for More Denominations

The chart continues with additional Christian denominations, showing how many members are part of each group around the world.

Evangelicalism	Diverse movement, perhaps 300 million globally across denominations.
Foursquare	Over 8 million members in 90,000+ churches worldwide.
Lutheranism	Over 75 million members globally, largely in Europe/USA.
Mennonite	Over 2 million members globally, spread across continents.
Methodism	Estimated 80 million Methodists worldwide, including Wesleyan offshoots.
Pentecostalism	Worldwide, over 280 million adherents as of 2021.
Presbyterianism	Approximately 40 million members worldwide, notably in Korea.
Protestantism	Broad category, encompasses hundreds of millions globally.
Quakers	Small, around 377,000 globally, centered in the Americas.
Reformed	Millions globally, spread across various denominations.
Roman Catholicism	Largest Christian body, over 1.3 billion members worldwide.
Seventh-Day Adventists	Over 20 million members globally, with global distribution.

The story of Catholicism and Protestantism in England is fascinating. One interesting aspect of it is Methodism’s relationship with Roman Catholicism. For more, see Compare Methodism and Roman Catholicism to learn more.

Denominational Divisions and Offshoots

This chart highlights major splits and offshoots within each denomination, including internal divisions, independent movements, and regional variations.

Denomination/Branch	Divisions
Amish	Divided into various orders, each with distinct practices.
Anglicanism	Includes High Church, Low Church, and Broad Church.
Assemblies of God	Slight variations in practice and theology worldwide.
Baptists	Numerous offshoots including Southern, Independent, and Free Will Baptists.
Brethren	Divided into Exclusive, Open, and Plymouth Brethren.
Church of Christ	Multiple branches differing in practices and theology.
Church of God	Multiple independent bodies under the same name.
Church of the Nazarene	Mostly unified, minor regional differences.
Eastern Orthodox	Various autocephalous churches organized by nationality.
Episcopalian	Mainly divided between Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical parties.

More Denominations and Their Divisions

Below are additional Christian denominations, along with the major ways they have divided over time or formed new branches.

Evangelicalism	Encompasses wide range of denominations and movements.
Foursquare	Mostly unified, but global churches reflect local cultures.
Lutheranism	Main branches are the ELCA, LCMS, and WELS.
Mennonite	Divisions include Old Order, Conservative, and progressive groups.
Methodism	Includes Wesleyan, Free Methodist, and African Methodist Episcopal.
Pentecostalism	Assemblies of God, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Presbyterianism	Mainly divided into PCUSA, PCA, and other offshoots.
Protestantism	Encompasses a wide range of denominations and movements.
Quakers	Splits into Evangelical, Conservative, and Liberal branches.
Reformed	Presbyterianism, Reformed Baptists, Dutch Reformed Church.
Roman Catholicism	Mostly unified, with traditionalist and liberal factions.
Seventh-Day Adventists	Mainly unified, some offshoots over prophetic interpretation.

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are three of the most important religions in human history. To learn more about the three of them, see Compare Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ What are the main branches of Christianity?
The three main branches are Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Each has unique traditions and theological emphases, but all trace their roots to the early Christian church.

❓ What’s the difference between a denomination and a movement?
A denomination is an organized church group with shared leadership and doctrine (like Baptists or Lutherans). A movement, such as Evangelicalism or Pentecostalism, spreads across many denominations and focuses on a particular emphasis or style of belief.

❓ Which Christian denomination is the largest in the world?
Roman Catholicism is the largest, with over 1.3 billion members globally. It makes up more than half of all Christians and has the pope as its spiritual leader.

❓ What denomination is closest to the early church?
Some believe Eastern Orthodoxy preserves the original structure and worship of the early church. Others point to Roman Catholicism or even small, Bible-based churches that emphasize New Testament teaching.

❓ Can Christians switch denominations?
Yes. Christians often change denominations based on beliefs, worship style, or church leadership. Some churches may require a new membership process or doctrinal agreement.

❓ How do Protestant and Catholic beliefs differ?
Protestants emphasize salvation by faith alone and Scripture as the highest authority. Catholics hold to sacraments, Church tradition, and the teaching authority of the pope. They also differ on Mary, the saints, and the role of works.

❓ Is Evangelicalism a denomination?
No. Evangelicalism is a movement found in many denominations. Evangelicals emphasize being “born again,” trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, and sharing the gospel with others.

Why isn’t Mormonism listed on these charts? Mormonism is one of the youngest world religions and one of the few founded in America. To learn more, see Compare Christianity vs Mormonism: Beliefs, Practices, Origins, and more.

Sources:
[1] BBC – Christianity
[2] Wikipedia – Christianity
[3] Britannica – Christianity