Genealogy of Christian Faith Communities

The following chart shows a timeline of some of the events which lead to the multiplicity of Christian denominations. The chart is constructed to scale, so that each century takes the same amount of vertical space (with the exception of a slight vertical expansion for 1510-1530 to include the various Protestant denominational origins.) Note that there were long periods of time during which the interpretation of the Bible and doctrine were discussed and resolved without division into different communities.

Click here for a graphical version of thie timeline.
YearRoman Catholicism Other Christian Communities
Christ's birth4 BC
Church's birth.30 Pentecost
First Epistles.50 Council of Jerusalem
First Gospels .
.
Apostolic Age100
ends.
.
.
.
200
.
.
.
.
300
.325 Council of Nicea I
.
.
.381 Council of Constantinople I
73 book canon 400397 Local African
of The Bible.Council of Carthage
.431 Council of Ephesus
.451 Council of Chalcedon
.
500
.
.553 Council of Constantinople II
.
.
600
.
.
.
.680 Council of Constantinople III
700
.
.
.
.787 Council of Nicea II
800
.
.
.870 Council of Constantinople IV
.
900
.
.
.
.
1000
.
. 1054 Greek Orthodox
.
.
1100
.1123 Council of Lateran I
.1139 Council of Lateran II
.
.1179 Council of Lateran III
1200
.1215 Council of Lateran IV
.1245 Council of Lyons I
.
.1274 Council of Lyons II
13001312 Council of Vienne
.
.
.
.
14001414 Council of Constance
.
.1438 Council of Florence
.
.
1500
66 book canon Reformers' Bible. 1517 Council of Lateran V 1517 Lutheran,1520 Reformed,1525 Anabaptists
.1545 Council of Trent 1534 Anglican
. 1560 Presbyterian
.
1600 1612 Baptist
.
.
.
.
1700
.
.
.
. 1787 Methodist
1800
.
.
.
.1870 Council of Vatican I
1900
.
.
.1965 Council of Vatican II
.
2000


American Christian Branches Among European Founded Churches

The following American Christian branches to European founded churches take their beginning from the history chart of the preceding page. The date before each denomination indicates the beginning of that American branch church fellowship.

Lutheran Branch

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 Branch

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

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

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

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

Anabaptists

1840 - North American Baptist General Conference
1852 - Baptist General Conference

Methodist

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



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By Paul Flanagan and Robert Schihl.
Catholic Biblical Apologetics, © Copyright 1985-2006, Paul Flanagan and Robert Schihl

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture texts are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Last Updated: March 23, 2006