Muslims, Let's Talk

Why are there so many denominations?

 

Muslims often ask Christians why there are so many different Christian denominations.  A common follow-up question is, “Which one is right?” These are very good questions, and have just as much right to be answered as the question, “Why are there divisions in Islam?” (see Groups within Islam).  One could ask, “Which group (Sunnis, Shias, Sufis, Ahmadiyyas, etc.) is right?”

 

Christian denominations have arisen largely because of geographical, historical, political, organizational, and theological reasons.  One parallel in Islam might be the question of who should be the first Khalifa, which resulted in Islam's two main groups, Sunni and Shia. 

 

The Church was originally one main Church (at least officially) from the time of the death of Christ (33 A.D.) until 1054 A.D. Of course, during that time there were fringe groups and cultic offshoots of the Christian faith which departed from the foundational truths of Christianity, much like the Mu’tazilites in Islam in the 8th Century.

           

The Eastern and Western Churches

 

The first major division of the Church resulted in two geographical entities: East and West. This finally occurred in 1054 A.D., after many political, geographical, organizational and some minor theological differences had begun to alienate East from West.  These two groups comprised the vast majority of Christians in the world at the time.  There were also national or cultural Churches, such as the Coptics (Egyptian) and the Chaldeans (Iraqi), which were distinct culturally, nevertheless not entirely separate from the two main groups of East and West.  The various branches of the Orthodox Church represent the rich tradition that has been passed down through the Eastern Church from the earliest days of Christianity.  

 

The Reformation 

 

The next major division of the Church was purely a Western Church phenomenon, known today as the Protestant Reformation. This movement, which came to fruition in Europe in the 1500’s, had its roots in dissent against the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church from as early as the 12th century A.D.  Key individuals who contributed to this movement in its early stages were Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, and Jan Hus. These men called for a return to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible, a direct challenge to many traditions held by the Church which were not according to Scripture.
 

When it became clear to the Reformers that their doctrines were being condemned by the existing Western Church, they realized that the only remaining solution was to the leave the Roman Catholic Church and form a Church that would be faithful to the Scriptures.  It is from this Reformation that all protestant churches today trace their roots. Some examples are: Lutherans, Presbyterians, Mennonites, Baptists, Anglicans and Episcopalians, and Methodists.

 

The remaining question is, "Why are there so many different Protestant groups?"  The primary reason lies in the fact that Protestant Christianity was founded on the principle of  Sola Scriptura (The Scriptures alone).  This foundational doctrine, championed early on by the likes of Jan Hus, offers freedom to the believers to interpret the Scriptures as they believe is right. In Protestant Christianity, unlike Catholicism (or even the Orthodox Church), there is no one decisive and comprehensive teaching on the doctrines of the Christian faith. From the very beginning of the Reformation, different Reformers had slightly different views of how the Catholic Church should be reformed. They all agreed on the foundational principles, such as Sola Scriptura and Sola Fida (we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone and not by our works.) Still, there were minor differences on finer points of theology form one Reformer to the next. Theological differences, and their corresponding denominational groups, have resulted from this commitment to understanding and practicing the Bible. A good example is the mode of baptism. All reform groups held that a Christian must be baptized. However, many of them differed as to how and when the baptism should take place. This issue is one that Baptists and Presbyterians differ over, for example.

 

Finally, there are various groups within the Church that have come about more recently, as many of the larger denominations have drifted away from the orthodox biblical faith of the Reformers. The United Methodist Church, The Episcopal Church, and the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) have all drifted away from the historical doctrines of Christianity.  New denominations have formed as conservative groups within these larger denominations have found no option but to leave if they are to remain committed to the scriptural doctrines historically held by the Church. One such denomination is the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which left the PCUSA for those very reasons.

 

One important fact to note is that some groups that Muslims may believe to be Christian are not in fact Christian at all. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints) and The Christian Science Church are all examples of cultic groups that emerged in the American context which deny key foundational Christian doctrines and replace them with their own spurious scriptures and teachings. 

 

In all that has been said, let us not lose sight of a very important truth in Scripture: Christians are commanded to love one another and to demonstrate unity.  Jesus Himself taught those who followed Him, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  (John 13:35)  Paul, an apostle of the early Church, concludes His teaching on Christian character by commanding the believers, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."  (Colossians 3:14)

 
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