Why Are There So Many Different Churches and Denominations?
Christianity has been around for almost 2000 years and through the centuries has had its share of disputes that have splintered the faith into many different groups. The reasons for these disputes range from doctrinal differences to political power plays. The groups that make up what is called Christendom include Catholics, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Coptic, and Protestant denominations. However, the fact that a group associates itself with Christianity does not mean that it holds to all of the beliefs that are part of historic biblical Christianity.
The most famous division in church history is known as the Reformation. It got started in early 16th Century Europe with the protests of a Catholic monk named Martin Luther, who decried the doctrinal errors that had accumulated in Catholicism over the centuries; errors which did not square with the Biblical writings. The ensuing church controversy centered over the issue of authority: Did God reveal Himself through the Bible alone or through the traditions and teachings of the Church as well?
Luther and all Reformers after him emphasized the concept of Sola Scriptura – the Bible alone. This doctrine asserts that Scriptures are the final authority for Christian belief and practice. It contends that that Bible contains all of the information that the world needs to know about the way of salvation; it is the only source of knowledge about God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the written record of God’s revelation in history, it is sufficient and understandable.
Since the Reformation, Catholics and Protestants have been divided over this issue of authority. Protestants, trusting only in the Bible, have rejected a considerable number of Catholic doctrines, which had developed over time and became part of church tradition, even though they had no biblical basis. These discarded teachings include the veneration of the saints, especially the Virgin Mary; the efficacy of the sacraments, the distinction between mortal and venial sins, the belief in purgatory, and the infallibility of the pope.
Evangelical Protestants, while strongly disagreeing with the official Catholic tradition, recognize that God is not limited by denominational differences. The Holy Spirit can cut through the erroneous doctrinal embellishments of tradition to illuminate the minds of some Catholics with the truth of the gospel of grace. As the Bible becomes more important in the lives of Catholics, one can hope that many will embrace the true Gospel for the first time and come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Other denominations or church groups have formed because of an emphasis upon particular doctrines. Baptists emphasize some doctrines that Methodists do not. Presbyterians focus upon certain aspects of Christian doctrine that Lutherans do not. All of these differences stem from interpreting particular passages of the Bible differently than other church groups do.
A key to discerning the differences between church groups is to look at how they view the Bible, the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, the Bible’s teaching concerning the nature of the church, the role of faith and works in salvation and the return of Christ. Some groups attempt to overlook many of these differences and focus on unity instead. Other groups practice separation from what they believe is doctrinal error and will only fellowship with churches of similar beliefs.
In one sense, the diversity within the Christian community is something to be respected. God does not make cookie cutter Christians. Styles of worship vary from church to church, which simply illustrates the diversity that exists. What is most important is that God does not prescribe the form of our worship. Jesus taught that we should worship God “in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
Since truth is essential for authentic worship, we need to fellowship with churches who believe the essential doctrines of historic biblical Christianity. These doctrines include the inspiration and final authority of Scripture, the triune Godhead, the virgin birth and deity of Christ, the substitutionary death of Christ, his bodily resurrection, the necessity of the new birth by faith, the universal Body of Christ and the imminent return of Christ.
