How many christian denominations are in the world today and what are they?

As of 2025, there are an estimated over 45,000 Christian denominations worldwide. This figure comes from sources like the World Christian Encyclopedia and the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. These denominations vary in beliefs, practices, leadership structures, and theological emphases.

🔍 Why So Many?

The large number is due to:

• Doctrinal disagreements (e.g. baptism, salvation, sacraments)

• Cultural and linguistic differences

• Historical splits (like the Great Schism and the Protestant Reformation)

• Independent churches forming due to local contexts

⚖️ Major Categories of Christian Denominations

1. Catholicism – over 1.3 billion members

• Roman Catholic Church (largest single Christian body)

• Eastern Catholic Churches (e.g. Maronite, Melkite) — in full communion with the Pope

2. Eastern Orthodoxy – around 220 million

• Includes:

  • Greek Orthodox

  • Russian Orthodox

  • Serbian, Antiochian, Romanian, etc.

• These churches are autocephalous (self-governing) but united in doctrine and sacraments

3. Oriental Orthodoxy – around 60 million

• Split from Eastern Orthodoxy in the 5th century (Council of Chalcedon)

• Includes:

  • Coptic Orthodox Church

  • Armenian Apostolic Church

  • Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syrian, Malankara Orthodox

4. The Church of the East – around 0.6 million

• Also called the Assyrian Church of the East and Ancient Church of the East

• Distinct from both Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy

5. Protestantism – over 900 million

This is a broad group and includes tens of thousands of denominations. Main branches include:

a. Mainline Protestant Churches

• Lutheran (e.g. ELCA, LCMS)

• Reformed (e.g. Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed)

• Anglican / Episcopalian

• Methodist

b. Evangelical Churches

• Baptists (e.g. Southern Baptist Convention)

• Pentecostal (e.g. Assemblies of God, Church of God)

• Non-denominational evangelical churches

c. Restorationist Movements

• Churches of Christ

• Disciples of Christ

• Seventh-day Adventist Church

• Jehovah’s Witnesses (considered by many as non-Trinitarian and outside mainstream Christianity)

• Latter-day Saints (Mormons) – also often considered distinct

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6. Independent Churches – especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

• African Independent Churches (e.g. Zion Christian Church, Aladura)

• Asian Indigenous Churches

• These are often culturally rooted and growing rapidly

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🗺️ By Region

• Africa and Asia are experiencing rapid growth in new, independent churches

• Europe is mostly traditional Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant

• North and South America have diverse expressions of all major groups

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If you want, I can provide:

• A visual chart or map of these denominations

• A timeline of how the major splits occurred

• Or focus on a particular group (like comparing Orthodox vs Catholic vs Protestant in doctrine and history)