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.
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
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