Protestant Denominations

“Any set of congregations identifiable by similar traits, history, or name.”

This is the definition Joshua Lindsey of Ready to Harvest gives denominations.

Today, we begin our journey through denominations by focusing on those in the Protestant branch of the Church. Protestant churches trace their heritage back to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, in which churches across Europe split from Catholicism. 

I encourage you to view these posts as brief (very brief) introductions to only the most prominent denominations. There’s too much for us to cover here, so do your own research (and check out Ready to Harvest; it’s a great channel for this topic!).

Protestant Denominations

Lutherans - Developed from the theology of the reformer Martin Luther. They are “high church” (traditional liturgy, old school robes, that sort of thing) and have a strong presence in Germany, the Nordic countries, and Ethiopia.

Anglicans - Created when the Pope wouldn’t grant the King of England a divorce (no, seriously), Anglicans are still connected to their Catholic heritage making them also high church. This denomination is the state church of England but also has a strong presence in countries like Nigeria (which has more Anglicans than England itself).

(It’s also worth mentioning that an Americanized version of Anglicanism exists in the US as the Episcopal Church.)

Methodists - Developed from the teachings of Anglican priest John Wesley, Methodists emphasize personal experience and a specific moment of salvation in one’s faith. They’re very diverse, ranging from high and low (more casual) church with both progressive and conservative congregations throughout the world.

Baptists - Baptists are a low church denomination that, as the name suggests, emphasizes the baptism of believers (in contrast to the infant baptism of many high church denominations). They are also widely diverse but tend to be on the more conservative side. They are overwhelmingly present in the southern United States but also Africa with a growing population in Asia, too.

(The history of the Baptists is closely related to other low church denominations such as the Anabaptists, Mennonites, and Brethren churches.)

Presbyterians - Another high church denomination, but unlike the largely priest-led Anglicans, Presbyterians give the congregation a special place in church leadership. This denomination originated in Scotland and was inspired by the teachings of reformer John Calvin. It’s prominent in Scotland, the United States, and South Korea.

Pentecostalism - A relatively young denomination from the turn of the 20th century, Pentecostals are largely conservative and place a heavy emphasis on supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit (like those seen in Acts 2v1-13). They’re mostly present in the United States (where they originated), Africa (Nigeria specifically), and Latin America.

Plenty of Protestants

And there are still many more I wasn’t able to address!

So come back tomorrow as we explore denominations outside of Protestantism as well as the non-denominational movement itself.

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

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