Is There Unity in The Major Protestant Sects ?
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is ONE BODY, AND ONE SPIRIT even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, etc.---Eph. 4-3 to 5-3:
The Church of Christ Is and must be only ONE (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:13
Jesus established only one Church, not a collection of differing churches (Lutheran, Baptist, Anglican, and so on). The Bible says the Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32). Jesus can have but one spouse, and his spouse is the Catholic Church.
His Church also teaches just one set of doctrines, which must be the same as those taught by the apostles (Jude 3). This is the unity of belief to which Scripture calls us (Phil. 1:27, 2:2).
Although some Catholics dissent from officially-taught doctrines, the Church’s official teachers—the pope and the bishops united with him—have never changed any doctrine. Over the centuries, as doctrines are examined more fully, the Church comes to understand them more deeply (John 16:12–13), but it never understands them to mean the opposite of what they once meant.
According to “The Christian Sourcebook” (1986 pg.326), there were “21,000 denominations in 1986, with 270 new ones being formed each year.” All of these are Protestant. As of January, 1997, there were more than 28,000 Protestant denominations. Each of these denominations are certain that they are the only group that understands God’s revelation, and that no one else in the last 2,000 years has found the true teaching of Jesus.
The Protestant Churches Have Not Unity. In the sects taken all together or individually there is no unity because there is no common teaching and ruling authority to which members must submit. Hence, there is no bond of unity. All the sects together do not form one society. They differ widely and marvelously in faith, and are independent of each other.
Each sect taken by itself has no unity. The members do not know what to believe, and in following the principle of private judgment they have lost the very principle of unity.
In ruling they have no unity. The rule of the leaders in each sect is little respected, easily rejected, and advisory rather than a legislative, judicial and coactive power.
Such must be the type of the only possible leadership or rule which is left them, for the members of each sect guide themselves, not by what the rulers say or direct, but only by their own private judgment. This is the foundation of Protestantism and renders obedience to authority, and even the very existence of authority, impossible. If each individual can judge what he is to believe, an how he is to guide himself according to those individual beliefs, how can any central authority direct individual beliefs, how can any central authority direct individual? If private judgment is the norm for each individual, no other authority can exist. “Baptism, the Eucharist, Penance, Marriage, the sacrifice of the Mass, the historicity and inspiration of the Scriptures, the Resurrection of the Christ Our Lord, His very Divinity—and we might add almost indefinitely to the list—are all doctrines on which an approved and acknowledged member of the Church of England may believe almost anything he chooses. And he is free to do so because he has no authoritative teacher to whom all must listen. No doubt, there are the Holy Scriptures, the early Councils and tradition, which many Anglicans hold in unquestioning reverence. But where is the living authoritative interpreter? Who is to apply the dead rule to present issues? As matters stand, it must be each man’s private judgment. Synods and Convocations, whether or York or Canterbury, of Ireland, or the United States, or even or all the Anglican Churches, make no claim to an infallible authority. Formularies are dead things; and there is no living judge of controversies. No wonder that the very foundation of the Faith are so uncertain, that there is such diversity of belief, and such vital and never-ending differences. And no wonder we fail to find in such a Church that Kingdom of Christ on earth, which He promised should be ever on in faith, in worship and in government.”
BELLOW WE LIST THE SUBDIVISIONS AND SPLINTER GROUPS OF SEVERAL MAJOR PROTESTANT SECTS
** Lutherans**
** Reformed Church**
** Anglicans**
** Presbyterians**
** Baptist**
** Methodist**
Lutheran**:** The name of an heretical sect founded by Martin Luther, who was born at Eisleben, Germany, Nov. 10, 1483; attended a Catholic Latin school at Mansfeld, and in 1497, when fourteen years old, entered another Catholic University of Erfurt in Thuringia, in 1501, where he became a Master of Philosophy at the age of twenty. On July 17, 1505 he entered the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt, and in 1507 was ordained a Catholic priest. In 1508 he was made professor of philosophy at the new Catholic University of Wittenberg, visited Rome in 1510 or 1511 on business of his Order, and sometime after his return began to lecture on the Scriptures. On Oct. 31, 1517 he nailed his 95 theses against indulgences to the door of the church in Wittenberg. On Sept. 21, 1520 he was excommunicated by Pope Leo X. Later he married an ex-nun, Catherine von Bora, and finally died in 1546.
Luther denied tradition; the divine authority of the Papacy; that councils were infallible; that original justice was a supernatural gift; that human nature remained essentially the same in its powers after the fall of Adam; that man, after the fall, can produce any good works; held that man sins in whatever he does; that the sins of the just are covered by faith and not done away with; maintained that all works of sinners are sins; denied free-will; all the Sacraments except Baptism and the Eucharist; transubstantiation; the Sacrifice of the Mass; purgatory and the utility of praying to the Saints; he maintained that vows are made to the devil; that concupiscence is invincible; that the sensual instincts are irrepressible, and held that the gratification of sexual propensities is as natural and inexorable as the performance of any of the physiological necessities of our being. Lutheranism in general and all the Protestant sects that developed from it were condemned by the Council of Treat (1545-1563).
1818 - Ohio Lutheran Synod
1930 - American Lutheran Church
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1820 - General Lutheran Synod
1863 - United Synod South 1867 - General Lutheran Council
1918 - United Lutheran Church in America
1962 - Lutheran Church in America
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1847 - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
1976 - Association of Evangelical Lutherans
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1854 Iowa Lutheran Synod
1930 - American Lutheran Church
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1860 - Swedish Augustana Synod
1962 - Lutheran Church in America
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1872 - American Evangelical Lutheran Church
1962 - Lutheran Church in America
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1890 - Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church
1962 - Lutheran Church in America
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1896 - United Evangelical Lutheran Church
1960 - American Lutheran Church
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1900 - Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America
1988 - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1918 - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
1929 - Apostolic Lutheran Church of America
Reformed Church: Guido de Bres, a Dutch reformer of Brabant, together with others, wrote in 1561 the statement of faith, called the Belgic Confession, which formed the doctrinal foundation of the Reformed Dutch Church.
These heretics believed in predestination; denied the supremacy of the Pope; free-will; the Sacraments; good works; purgatory; the forgiveness of sin, and considered the Scriptures the only rule of faith.
1628 - Dutch Reformed Church
1857 - Christian Reformed Church
1926 - Protestant Reformed Churches of America 1867 - Reformed Church in America 1628 - Puritans/Congregationalists
Evangelical Protestant Church of North America
1931 - Congregational Christian Churches
1957 - United Church of Christ 1790 - Universalists
1961 - Unitarian Universalist Association 1793 - German Reformed Church
1826 - Churches of God in North America 1869 - Reformed Church in the United States
1934 - Evangelical and Reformed Church
1957 - United Church of Christ 1801 - Christians/Churches of Christ
1832 - Christian Church/Disciples of Christ 1807 - Disciples of Christ
1832 - Christian Church/Disciples of Christ 1849 - Evangelical Synod of North America
1934 - Evangelical and Reformed Church
1957 - United Church of Christ
Anglican Branch**: **Members of the Church of England, which was founded by Henry VIII and established as the national church of that country in 1534 by an act of Parliament. Henry decided to establish his own church because the Catholic Church would not allow him to divorce his wife and remarry. In his Bull “Apostolicae Curae” published Sept. 18 1896, Pope Leo XIII declared Anglican Order to be invalid.
The Anglicans, as they are commonly called, believe in justification by faith alone ; hold that the Bible is sufficient for salvation and that it is to be interpreted privately; deny the supremacy of the Pope and hold the King supreme in spiritual matters; deny the doctrine of Transubstantiation, purgatory, and condemn the Veneration of the Saints.
1787 - Protestant Episcopal Church
1861 - North Protestant Episcopal Church
1865 Protestant Episcopal Church
1873 - Reformed Episcopal Church 1861 - South Protestant Episcopal Church
1865 Protestant Episcopal Church
1873 - Reformed Episcopal Church
Presbyterian Branch**:** A religious denomination that owes its formation to John Knox, who was born at Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland, in 1505. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1530. In 1542 he sided with Protestant movement, and thereafter, until his death at Edinburgh in 1572, was most active in attacking the Catholic Church.
1706 - Presbyterian Church
1741 - New Side Presbyterian Church
1758 - Presbyterian Church 1741 - Old Side Presbyterian Church
1758 - Presbyterian Church 1810 - Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1837 - New School
1870 - Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
1937 - Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Bible Presbyterian Church
1956 - Bible Presbyterian Church 1965 - Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod
1982 - Presbyterian Church of America 1837 - Old School
1861 - Presbyterian Church, Confederate States
Presbyterian Church in the United States
1973 - Presbyterian Church of America 1983 - Presbyterian Church, USA 1870 - Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
1937 - Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Bible Presbyterian Church
1956 - Bible Presbyterian Church 1965 - Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod
1982 - Presbyterian Church of America 1752 - Reformed Presbytery
1833 - Reformed Presbyterian Church of No. America (Covenanters)
Associate Presbyterian Church
1858 - United Presbyterian Church of No. America
1958 - United Presbyterian Church, USA
1983 - Presbyterian Church, USA Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
1822 - Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (Covenanters)
1958 - United Presbyterian Church, USA
1983 - Presbyterian Church, USA 1774 - Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America
1965 - Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod
1982 - Presbyterian Church of America
Baptist Branch**:** Founded by John Smith, at one time pastor of a church at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England, that had separated from the Church of England. About 1606, to escape persecution, he and his flock emigrated to Amsterdam. Smith died in 1612.
Taught only baptism of immersion t be valid; predestination; denied free-will; good works ;purgatory; the Sacraments, and the forgiveness of sin.
1639 - British Separatists
1672 - Seventh-Day Baptists 1727 - Free Will Baptists 1770 - Old Lights
1787 - General Association of Separatists Baptists 1814 - Baptist Missionary Convention
1827 - Primitive Baptists 1845 - Northern Baptist Convention
1932 - General Assoc. of Regular Baptist Churches 1947 - Conservative Baptist Assoc. of America 1950 - America Baptist Convention 1770 - New Lights
1780 - Free Will Baptists (North)
1827 - Primitive Baptists 1910 - Northern Baptist Convention 1814 - Baptist Missionary Convention
1845 - Southern Baptist Convention
1895 - National Baptist Convention of America
1915 - National Baptist Convention of the U.S.A., Inc.
1961 - Progressive Baptist Convention 1905 - American Baptist Association 1895 - Northern Baptist Convention of America
1932 - General Assoc. of Regular Baptist Churches 1947 - Conservative Baptist Association of America 1950 - American Baptist Convention
Methodist**:** Founded by John Wesley, who was born at Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, June 17, 1703. He was ordained a clergyman of the Anglican Church in 1728, and in 1736, when he visited Savannah in Georgia, came into contact with Moravian doctrines. He organized the first Methodist Society in 1739. Shortly after he left the Anglican Communion and organized his own church.
The Methodist doctrine is borrowed from the Anglicans and Calvanists. They hold Scripture to be the sole and sufficient rule of belief and practice; teach justification by faith alone, although the practice of good works is commended; condemn works of supererogation; admit only two sacraments; condemn the invocation of the Saints and the veneration of sacred images and relics; and deny purgatory.
1784 - Methodist Episcopal Church
1816 - African Methodist Episcopal Church 1821 - African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 1830 - Methodist Protestant Church/Bible Protestant Church
1939 - Methodist Church
1946 - Evangelical Methodist Church 1968 - United Methodist Church 1843 - Wesleyan Methodist Church of America
1968 Wesleyan Church 1844 - Methodist Episcopal
1860 - Free Methodist Church 1908 - Church of the Nazarene 1939 - Methodist Church
1946 - Evangelical Methodist Church 1968 - United Methodist Church 1844 - Methodist Episcopal Church (South)
1870 - Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
1897 - Pilgrim Holiness Church
1968 - Wesleyan Church 1800 - Church of the United Brethren in Christ
1946 - Evangelical United Brethren Church 1807 - Evangelical Church
1946 - Evangelical United Brethren Church 1829 - Primitive Methodist Church 1886 - Church of God (Cleveland, TN)
1923 - Tomlinson Church of God
1943 - Church of God (Queens Village, NY)
1953 - Church of God of Prophecy
1957 - Church of God of All Nations 1886 - Church of God
1922 - Original Church of God, Inc. 1886 - United Holy Church of America, Inc.
1898 - Fire-Baptized Holiness Church
1953 - Emanuel Holiness Church 1911 - Pentecostal Holiness Church
1918 - Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church 1899 - Pentecostal Holiness Church
1911 - Pentecostal Holiness Church 1901 - Pentecostal Union
1917 - Pillar of Fire 1914 - Assemblies of God, General Council 1914 - Church of God by Faith, Inc. 1914 - Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.
1924 - Pentecostal Church, Inc.
1945 - United Pentecostal Church, Inc.
Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ, Inc. 1917 - Pentecostal Church of Christ 1918 - International Church of the Foursquare Gospel 1919 - Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc. 1919 - International Pentecostal Assemblies 1919 - Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc.
1957 - Bible Way Church, World-Wide 1919 - Bible Standard, Inc.
1935 - Open Bible Standard Churches, Inc. 1932 - Open Bible Evangelistic Association
1935 - Open Bible Standard Churches, Inc. 1932 - Calvary Pentecostal Church, Inc. 1947 - Elim Missionary Assemblies