If christianity is to be believed why are there so many different denominations?

Question

I know this is a lot to ask but if you don't have an opinion other than because they are stupid,or any other idiotic thing, then don't answer the question.

Answer 1

I think many denominations got there start by addressing excesses or heresies in their day. Often these started as a work of God, but too often within a generation they fall into the same errors and spiritual deadness that they once were protesting.
John Knox, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, George Whitefield, William Booth, D. L. Moody - all of these were men of God. Whether there is much resemblance to them and the movements or denominations that originated from them, I will leave for you to decide.
A wise Bible teacher once said the hardest thing in the world is to terminate a religious organization.

Answer 2

There are so many denominations for several reasons. (1) Each denomination has a slightly different doctrine or emphasis from the others. (2) As people started churches, they simply gave them different names. (3) Denominations are good in that if you attended a Baptist church in one town, and then moved to another town, you could attend a similar Baptist church in the new town. The Lutheran denomination was named after Martin Luther. The Methodists got their name because their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming up with “methods” for spiritual growth. Presbyterians are named for their view on church leadership - the Greek word for elder is "presbyteros." Baptists got their name because they have always emphasized the importance of baptism.



We, as believers, must believe the same on the essentials of the faith, but beyond that there is great latitude in how a Christian should worship, serve, and live his life. This latitude is what causes so many different flavors of Christianity. Diversity is a good thing, but disunity is not. If two churches disagree doctrinally, it is fine that they remain separate. This separation, though, does not lift the responsibility Christians have to love one another (1 John 4:11-12) – and ultimately be united as one in Christ (John 17:21-22).

Answer 3

In true Christianity there are no denominations. The Greek word for church (ekklesia) as used in the New Testament means "assembly" in the English language. There were no denominations or church building structures in the First Century church. Believers usually met in small groups at the home of a fellow believer. Denominations are truly "Abominations." The so-called "Christian Church" of today is an apostate religious business enterprise, a satanic counterfeit of the true Church. One is a Christian based upon the election of God - not based upon membership in, or adherence to the doctrines of a man made denomination. My advise is for believers to stay away from the institutionalized church and to join with a home-church of like minded Biblical believers. The Gospel message is simple - keep it that way!

Answer 4

I have asked the same question but not with the if Christianity is to be believed part. Why are there so many denominations? I asked a very elderly christian this question and he said, when you are a baby you need milk. As you get older, you need more nourishment and later you need even more. He said each denomination and even each church offer new Christians the milk they need to grow and as they mature in their studies, another church or denomination is helpful for him or her to reach a new level of understanding. This made sense to me and I am still growing spiritually. I study all denominations beliefs and differences, pray about it, ask for understanding and grow further still.

Answer 5

Every single denomination of christianity believes it is the correct one. Some believe that others are compatible witht their form of christianity, while others don't.

Strict protestants believe in the word of the lord in the Bible, while catholics believe that the pope can dictate what the lord wants on Earth, through direct contact with God. Both believe that they are correct and the other is wrong. Whoever is right, it does not make a difference to whether or not christianity should be believed.

Answer 6

Well I don't think denominations are really a bad thing, they just emphasize different things. For instance the Catholics pay heavy attention to all the sacraments, particularly communion. Modern Baptists emphasize baptism. The Seventh Day Adventists emphasize the Sabbath. Congregationalists emphasize the equality of the body of Christ. Episcopalians emphasize the leadership figures in the church (indeed the early disciples chose the name apostle because in the Greek, an apostle was an admiral of the Greek navy thus they saw themselves as admirals of the church).... The only real difference is whether they say salvation is through Christ or if salvation is through THEIR OWN DENOMNATION. For myself I consider a Catholic, Presbyterian, Quaker, Unitarian, and Baptist all brethren unless they deny God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit.

Answer 7

Can there be more than one interpretation of the Bible? No. The word "truth" is used several times in the New Testament. However, the plural version of the word "truth" never appears in Scripture. Therefore, there can only be one Truth. So how can there be over 20,000 non-Catholic Christian denominations all claiming to have the "Truth" (i.e., the correct interpretation of the Bible)? For that matter, aren't ALL non-Catholic Christians as individuals claiming "infallibility" when it comes to interpreting the Bible? Catholics only believe in the infallibility of the Papacy as an office. Which is more believable - one office holding infallibility or 400 million non-Catholic Christians who can't agree on the interpretation of Scripture all claiming "infallibility?" When it comes to interpreting Scripture, individual non-Catholic Christians claim the same infallibility as the Papacy. If one were to put two persons of the "same" non-Catholic Christian denomination (i.e., two Presybterians, two Lutherans, two Baptists, etc.) in separate rooms with a Bible and a notepad and ask them to write down their "interpretation" of the Bible, passage for passage, shouldn't they then produce the exact same interpretation? If guided by the Holy Spirit as Scripture states, the answer should be "Yes." But would that really happen? History has shown that the answer is "No." Now, in the case of Catholics, the Church which Christ founded and is with forever (Matthew 28:20) interprets the Bible, as guided by the Holy Spirit, (Mark 13:11) for the "sheep" (the faithful). The Church (not individuals) interpret Scripture. In Catholicism, Scripture is there for meditation, prayer and inspiration, not for individual interpretation to formulate doctrine or dogma.


The Bible Itself never states that It is the sole and only authority of Christianity. The word "Bible" is not even mentioned in Scripture. However, I totally agree that It is one of the authorities in Christianity, but where does It state that It alone is the only authority?

Did the early Christians have the Bible as we know it? No. The Bible as a whole was not compiled until the late 4th century and then it was compiled by a Catholic saint (St. Jerome) at the request of a Catholic pope (St. Damasus I). So how were the early Christians saved if they did not possess the entire written "Word of God" to follow His teachings? Well, naturally, they were the Body of Christ and were taught through "oral" teachings by the Church, not by writings.

Answer 8

christians have drifted away from each other as well as the bible. We tend to let our disagreements over scriptures seperate us even when the bible says there is nothing wrong with disagreement because through it the truth is found. Sadly not to many christians find this out which is why there are so many different denominations including some that don't line up with God and the bible at all.

Answer 9

The many denominations should not exist.

Notice what 1 Corinthians 1:10 says;"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Jesus prayed for such unity in John 17:20-21.

Why do we have so many divisions? Men are not satisfied to all speak the same thing. Men are not satisfied to teach only the word of God. Men are not satisfied to only speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent. Men are not content to do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names. Too many wish to add their own desires and teach their own doctrine.

Notice 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

We should return to the Bible as our authority and only guide book. We should have a "thus saith the Lord" for everything we teach and do as a church.

The Bible teaches that the church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23) and that there is only "one body" (Eph 4:4).When the church first began, there were no denominations.

In Acts 2, we see that about 3000 all heard the same message, all understood it the same way, all believed it the same way and all obeyed it the same way. The result was they became Christians - nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. At this point, God added them to His church (Acts 2:47).

There is no authorization for Christians to "join the church of your choice", but they were added to the church Christ built and purchased! (Matt. 16:18, Acts 20:27)

After they became Christians they continued in one accord in fellowship and together in the apostles doctrine. (Acts 2:42-47) They had the type of unity Christians should have.

Today, if we read and understand what they understood, believe what they believed, and do only what they did, without adding any man-made doctrine, we will become only what they became - Christians!

This is the goal and plea of those who meet together under the name "church of Christ" today. We only want to be the church you can read about in the Bible.

Christ is the head of the church, therefore we have no "headquarters" on Earth that oversees the local congregation, but each congregation goes directly to the Bible to see what should be taught and practiced.

A denomination is larger than the local congregation, but smaller than the universal church. Since the church of Christ congregations are autonomous, only governed by local congregations, with no regional, national, or world-wide "headquatrers" they are not a denomination. There is no man-made organization in between the local congregation (which is not a denomination) and the church as a whole (which is not a denomination).

We only want to follow God's word in our name (Rom. 16:16), method of worship, organization, and teaching (doctrine). The word of God is sufficient for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction. Using it in this way, we can be completely furnished with everything we need, and there is no need to add any man-made doctrine. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

Those who teach as doctrine the commandments of men have form of worship that is vain. (Matt 15:9)

I invite you to examine the Church of Christ by a comparison with the scriptures! If the things we teach are scriptural, found in the Scriptures, then accept them. If the things we teach contradict the Bible, then reject them!

Any church that claims to follow the Bible should not object to such a comparison to scriptures. In fact, they should encourage it!

Answer 10

In the history of all religions until the middle of the 1800's the process was as follow:

God send a Prophet or Divine Teacher
The prophet is not accepted by their own people
Persecution begins against the Prophet and His followers
The powers to be are not interested in change
The Prophet dies after severe punishment and humiliation.
A religious institution is founded to follow His teachings
Personal opinions about interpretation arise.
Power struggle and divisions begin.