How has Christianity, a faith based on the teachings of one text (Bible), divided into so many denominations?

Answer 1

through speculation of the meaning of the contents.

Answer 2

Funny, the same thing happened with Judaism and Islam. Nobody wants to agree with the others. I think it's a human condition.Not only do they have different denominations, they kill each other if they have a difference of opinion of what the text says! And people wonder why I am an atheist!

Answer 3

The Bible has been interpreted in different ways,and,also, some of the denominations have included different rituals (not mentioned in the Bible) considered as being vital for the benefit of the believer.

Answer 4

It isn't based on one text.
Believe it or not, the Bible did not take on its modern exalted role in Christianity until just a few centuries ago.
The reason there are so many denominations is that the term "Christianity" is arbitrary and subjective. There is not a single characteristic, doctrine or practice that is common to all Christian denominations.

Answer 5

Christ founded one church bearing his name, hence, the church of Christ. Denominations were started by men who believed they could change the church and the way the church worshipped. We are told not to add or subtract anything from the word of God:

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. " Revelation 22:18-19

A denomination is a "part" of a whole. In other words, denominations are a departure from the true church with something left out or added to it. All denominations, including Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, etc were founded by men and normally the church or "religion" bears the name of the founder. Luther for Lutherans, etc. These denomination names are not found in the Bible and most times, some teachings and pratices in these denominations are not even found in the Bible but are based on rules made by man.

"Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you." Romans 16:16

We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.

Answer 6

Because Christianity calls for the complete surrender of your life, your will to God's control. Lay down your life and allow yourself to be shaped into His image, allow Him to work through you. Jesus said to "Pick up your cross and follow me"

That concept really goes against the human nature that is at its base, selfish. People see that Jesus' teachings are a good way to live, but they don't always want to surrender all to Him, so they pick and choose which parts of the Bible to take on. Each denomination picked a little bit different set of things to accept and live by. We are capable of convincing ourselves of whatever we want to believe, so the parts that don't jive with our own desires, we find ways to justify that they mean something else.

Answer 7

satan can get into the church, if the church is not on solid ground- meaning that it is focuses soley on God and His word and not letting "money, power, passions, world" get into it.
But these things creep into many churches....and some have even drifted away from the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ because something else sounds "better" to them, so they either add it to God's word, or make a relegion out of it themselves. But they still call themselves a christian church.
BUT some are christian churches and focus too much on "one" thing....
yes it is crazy isn't it? I just want GOD in my church teaching and leading---that is why I like studying the bible book by book, verse by verse....worshiping in spirit and truth as God tells us to. I pray that our church will stay on solid ground. Seems like today it is hard to find a real good solid Bible teaching church. But there are some out there!

Paul is speaking here about the "light of the gospel"
2 Corinthians 4:2
But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

Answer 8

I think it has to do with emphasis - baptists believe that baptism is very important, Nazarenes stress holiness... just as two people can read the same book and find they are struck by different aspects of it, or want to explore somthing different from the other person

Answer 9

There are several things to look at. But you can see that in any religion, Buddhism, Islam, Zoroastrianism,etc.

We have political things that worked into some of the Christian 'faiths', ie Roman Catholicsm, Orthodox, Anglican, etc. Traditions that are rampant throughout all of them, errant teachers, just to name the things from the top of my head.

So in essence, people, principalities and powers make it so.

Answer 10

Interpretation, different worship styles and some are evolving, the bible says God changes not, but some churches are getting more liberal.

Answer 11

Sin! Pride, arrogance and unwillingness to obey God's word have led to the confusing array of denominations. In heaven we will worhip perfectly, as God intended us to.