For over 2,000 years, since the birth, life, death, and believed resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christianity has been the largest major religion in the world. An approximated 2.1 billion believers identify with Christianity around the globe and more than 78 percent of adults in the United States do the same.
But Christianity is more than just one set of beliefs and principles. In fact, it is made up of many denominations with varying doctrines ranging from Catholics to Quakers.
Here are 11 branches of Christianity's denominations:
1. Roman Catholic: As the largest of Christianity's denomination with over a million followers around the world, it's also one of the oldest to split off from what was originally referred to as Christianity shortly after the time of Christ,
according to Religion Facts.
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2. Orthodox Church: Denominations including Assyrian, Oriental, and Eastern Orthodox split off from Catholicism. They are similar, but worship in their own native languages.
3. Anglican/Episcopalian: Half way between Catholicism and Protestantism, this denomination branched out of the two after the 16th century Reformation.
4. Anabaptist: This umbrella denomination includes several groups that are often known for their efforts to set themselves apart from the world including the Amish and Mennonites.
5. Baptist: The largest denomination in the U.S. includes Southern, American, and National Baptists, among others.
6. Lutheran: One of the largest Protestant denominations, Lutheranism split off from Roman Catholicism during what would later be known as the Protestant Reformation.
7. Pentecostal: At only around 100 years old, Pentecostalism is a relatively young denomination and includes Assemblies of God and Vineyard churches.
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8. Methodist/Wesleyan: Brought on by the teachings of John Wesley, these are two English-born denominations.
9. Presbyterian: Also known as Calvinism or Reformed Churches, this denomination originated during the 16th century Swiss Reformation.
10. Nondenominational/Church of Christ: These churches do not adhere to a distinct set of beliefs or principles laid down by a headquarters or convention. They also do not strive to associate themselves with a particular denomination.
11. United Church of Christ: Also known as Congregational, this denomination didn't come about until the mid 1900s and is a conglomeration of Evangelical, Reformed and Congregational churches.
Much smaller denominations are sometimes included under the branch of Christianity. However, because of their often-opposing beliefs to mainstream Protestantism, many Christians debate whether or not they should be considered denominations. Those include Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, and Christian Scientists.
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