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History of Seventh-day Adventism William Miller (1782-1849) Ellen White and her husband James White. A Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lompoc, California. Photo: Kent Kanouse. Seventh-day Adventist church in Grahamstown, South Africa. Photo: Gregor Rohrig. Seventh-day Adventist church in Peru. Photo: Doug Downen. The Adventist movement has its roots in the 19th-century "Millerite movement," which centered on the belief that Jesus would return on October 22, 1844. William Miller (1782-1849) was a farmer who settled in upstate New York after the war of 1812. He was originally a Deist, but after much private Bible study, Miller converted to Christianity and became a Baptist. He was convinced that the Bible contained coded information about the end of the world and the Second Coming of Jesus. In 1836, he published the book Evidences from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ about the Year 1843. The prediction of the year 1843 was based in large part on Daniel 8:14...

Catholicism as a Denomination For the first thousand years of Christianity there was no "Roman Catholicism" as we know it today, simply because there was no Eastern Orthodoxy or Protestantism to distinguish it. There was only the "one, holy, catholic church" affirmed by the early creeds, which was the body of Christian believers all over the world, united by common traditions, beliefs, church structure and worship (catholic simply means "universal"). Thus, throughout the Middle Ages, if you were a Christian, you belonged to the Catholic Church. Any Christianity other than the Catholic Church was a heresy, not a denomination. Today, however, Roman Catholicism is not the only accepted Christian church. Thus to be a Roman Catholic means to be a certain kind of Christian: one with unique beliefs, practices and traditions that are distinct from those of other Christians. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church continues to maintain that it alone has carried on the tr...

Also known as: "The Religious Society of Friends" or "Friends" Founded by: George Fox Adherents worldwide: Approximately 400,000 Adherents in the United States: approximately 100,000 Famous people with Quaker roots: frontiersman Daniel Boone, actor James Dean, former U.S. presidents Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon, musician Dave Matthews, philanthropist Johns Hopkins, seamstress of the first American flag, Betsy Ross, and American poet, Walt Whitman The Religious Society of Friends was founded by George Fox in England in the 1640's. Fox was a staunch critic of the Church of England's melding of faith and politics, especially as it related to war. By the 1660's, the Friends movement had organized and held meetings regularly. Their worship was characterized by silently and patiently waiting for the Holy Spirit to move and speak to them. As to the origin of their names, "Quakers" and "Friends," accounts differ. Some contend that Fox...

In a 2002 study conducted by the Pew Research Council, 53 percent of Americans identified themselves as Protestant Christians. There are approximately 500 million Protestants in the world. {1} "Protestantism" is less a denomination than a general branch of Christianity encompassing numerous denominations and a wide theological spectrum ranging from conservative to liberal. Protestantism originated in the 16th century Reformation, and most modern Protestant denominations can trace their heritage to one of the major movements that sprung up in the 16th century. Presbyterians are indebted to John Calvin and Reformed theology, as well as to John Knox and the Church of Scotland. Anglicans and Episcopalians trace their heritage to the Church of England that resulted from King Henry VIII's break from the authority of Rome. Evangelicalism (and to a slightly lesser degree, Methodism) is indebted to Pietism, a 17th century Protestant movement emphasizing a holy life, individual stu...

Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in Europe and Australia The Church of Scotland •Website •National church of Scotland •608,000 members (plus 200,000 more regular worshippers) in December 2000 •Society, Religion and Technology Project seeks to bring a Christian perspective to bioethics •Church Without Walls (2001 report) sets out a vision for the church's future •Practices: ◦Women may be ordained ◦Worship is led by the parish minister ◦Lay members including deacons, elders, and readers are also involved ◦Marriage is not regarded as a sacrament; ministers may marry non-members ◦Remarriage permitted in certain circumstances •Organization: ◦Each congregation is governed by the kirk session ◦Several kirk sessions in a region are governed by a presbytery ◦All presbyteries in Scotland are governed by the General Assembly ◦The chair of the General Assembly is the Moderator ◦The current moderator is the first woman to hold that position, Dr. Alison Elliot. The Presbyterian Church in Irela...

The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) •Website •About Presbyterians in Canada •Mother church was the Church of Scotland, but Canadian heritage also includes work of French Huguenots •Became independent in 1875 when several groups of Presbyterians established Presbyterian Church •About 1000 congregations today •"There are congregations that worship in English, French, Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Hungarian, Spanish and Portuguese." •Member of World Council of Churches, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and Canadian Council of Churches •Women may be elders •Sessions, presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly •General Assembly meets annually in the first week in June •A Moderator is elected each year to preside over the Assembly •Historical criticism of Scripture is important •Most congregations organize worship service into four parts: gathering, listening, thanking, and going •About half of the congregations allow children to participate in the Lord's Supper

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or PC(USA) •Website - "Who We Are" •2.5 million members •National offices in Louisville, Kentucky •History: ◦Formed in 1983 as a reunion of the northern (UPCUSA) and southern (PCUS) branches of the Presbyterian church that occurred during the Civil War ◦Much of early Presbyterian immigrants came from England, Scotland, and Ireland ◦First General Assembly held in Philadelphia in 1789, convened by Rev. John Witherspoon, who was the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence ◦Major division within Presbyterianism in 1861 during Civil War ◦Princeton was founded by a Presbyterian, Rev. William Tennent ◦The divided churches reunited in 1983 to form the PC(USA) •Missions are a central focus: "Witnessing to the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world, Presbyterians engage in mission activities, seek to alleviate hunger, foster self-development, respond to disasters, support mission works, preach the gospel, heal the sick, and educat...

Presbyterian churches are characterized by a representational form of church government, in which authority is given to elected laypersons known as elders. The word presbyterian comes from the Greek word for "elder." Elders are both elected and ordained (set apart for ministry). An elder remains ordained after his or her term is complete. The Book of Order describes the job of an elder this way: Together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, they exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large, including ecumenical relationships. The governing body of a single Presbyterian congregation, which includes a group of elders and the congregation's minister, is called a session. Sessions are charged with representing the members of the congregation as well as "discovering and representing the will of Christ as they govern." Beyond the local congregation, several sessions co...

History of Presbyterianism John Calvin (1509-1564) Presbyterian and Reformed churches have their historical roots in the thought of John Calvin, a 16th-century French reformer. Calvin trained for the Catholic priesthood at the University of Paris and later as a lawyer, but he eventually converted to the Reformation movement and became a theologian and minister. He wrote a great deal during his career, including lengthy Bible commentaries and the Institutes of the Christian Religion, a work of systematic theology. Calvin also gave a great deal of thought to practical matters such as the ministry, the church, religious education, and the Christian life. Although he had planned to live the quiet life of a scholar, Calvin was instead coerced into leading the Reformation in Geneva, Switzerland. He worked in Geneva from 1536 to 1538, was driven out of town for a short time, then returned again from 1541 and remained until his death in 1564. Calvin was an extremely busy man during his time in...

denominations / presbyterianism / timeline Timeline of Presbyterianism [an error occurred while processing this directive] 1509 Birth of John Calvin 1514 Birth of John Knox August 1523 Jean Vallière, first French Protestant martyr, is burned at the stake October 1534 "Affair of the Placards" – anti-Catholic posters appear throughout Paris 1534 John Calvin flees to Basel, Switzerland 1536 John Calvin begins work in Geneva, Switzerland 1546 First Huguenot community is founded at Meaux, France. March 1546 George Wishart burned at the stake in Scotland by Cardinal David Beaton, archbishop of St. Andrews. June 1546 Protestants murder Cardinal Beaton and fortify themselves in St. Andrews castle. June 1547 St. Andrews castle falls to Catholics; John Knox and others are sentenced to slavery in the French galleys. January 1548 John Knox released from galleys by English intervention. Works as a preacher in England, especially at Berwick-upon-Tweed. 1556-58 John Knox pastors English exi...

Presbyterians are distinctive in two major ways: they adhere to a pattern of religious thought known as Reformed theology and a form of government that stresses the active, representational leadership of both ministers and church members." -- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbyterian and Reformed churches share a common origin in the 16th-century Swiss Reformation and the teachings of John Calvin, and today make up one of the largest branches of Protestant Christianity. There are about 75 million Reformed/Presbyterian Christians worldwide; about 2.5 million belong to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The name "Presbyterian" comes from the representational form of church government called presbyterian. In presbyterian churches, governing authority is given to elected lay leaders known as "elders" (or "presbyters"), who work with the congregation's ordained minister. Presbyterian belief and practice center on the Bible and the sovereignty of God.

Lutheranism is one of the largest Protestant denominations today. According to the Lutheran World Federation, there are nearly 66 million Lutherans worldwide. Of these, 36 million live in Europe, 13 million in Africa, 8.4 million in North America, 7.3 million in Asia, and 1.1 million in Latin America. 1 Lutheranism was founded by Martin Luther, a German monk and professor who has been called the "Father of the Reformation." In 1517, he famously protested against the Catholic Church's sale of indulgences. In his sermons and writings, Luther stressed the doctrine of justification by faith alone and the authority of scripture alone. Lutheranism quickly spread throughout Germany and Scandanavia, and the Protestant movement in various forms could soon be found throughout Europe. History of Lutheranism The Lutheran denomination is the oldest Protestant denomination. It was founded (not deliberately at first) by Martin Luther, the German monk and professor who famously posted 95...

The denomination now known as Orthodox Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, or the Orthodox Church began as the eastern half of Christendom, the site of the former Byzantine Empire. Today, the highest concentration of Orthodox Christians remains in the former Byzantine Empire (Greece, Turkey, and nearby countries) and in Russia. But Orthodoxy is found throughout the world, and approximately 225 million people are Orthodox Christians. Orthodox cathedral in Khabarovsk, Russia. Photo: Boris Bartels. Greek Orthodox priest and companion in Athens. Photo: Rob Wallace. Greek Orthdox icon merchant, Zakynthos, Greece. Photo: Rob Wallace. Orthodox cathedral in Sameba, Georgia. Photo: Vladimer Shioshvili.History of Orthodoxy Eastern Orthodoxy arose as a distinct branch of Christianity after the 11th-century "Great Schism" between Eastern and Western Christendom. The separation was not sudden. For centuries there had been significant religious, cultural, and political differences between the...

The Baptists are one of the largest Protestant Free Church denominations. At the turn of the 21st century, there were about 43 million Baptists worldwide with about 33 million of those in the United States and 216,000 in Britain. There are over 850,000 Baptists in South America and 230,000 in Central America and the Caribbean. As indicated by their name, the primary Baptist distinctive is their practice of believer's baptism and corresponding rejection of infant baptism. Most Baptists are evangelical in doctrine, but Baptist beliefs can vary due to the congregational governance system that gives autonomy to individual local Baptist churches. Historically, Baptists have played a key role in encouraging religious freedom and separation of church and state. In the United States, the two largest Baptist organizations are the Southern Baptist Churches (SBC) and American Baptist Churches (ABC), with the former being the more conservative branch. Notable Baptists have included Martin Luth...

Church bodies that have some connection with Anglicanism are placed into one of the following categories. Churches of the Anglican Communion. Anglican churches (by province) in communion with the See of Canterbury. There are currently 38 provinces in this category, including the Church of England, the Anglican Church of Australia, and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. See below for the complete list. Churches in Full Communion. This category was defined by the 1958 Lambeth Conference. It consists of those churches in full communion with the See of Canterbury, but which are not culturally or denominationally Anglican. Examples include the Old Catholic Church of Germany and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of India. Churches Not in Communion. These are the denominations liturgically and culturally most similar to the member churches of the Anglican Communion, but who have usually broken away from the Anglican church because of disagreement over some doctrinal issue, and th...

Anglican/Episcopalian Beliefs and Practices The Book of Common Prayer Anglicanism in general allows for significant freedom and diversity within the bounds of scripture, reason and tradition. This has led to considerable variation in doctrine and practice between Anglican churches in different provinces. For example, some Anglican churches ordain women to the priesthood while others do not, and some emphasize Protestant doctrines while others hold more to Catholic teachings. This diversity has sometimes caused strain with regard to issues of authority and comprehensiveness of the Anglican Communion, which is especially apparent after the recent ordination of a practicing homosexual bishop in North America, which most other Anglican churches do not agree with. Anglican rituals are expressed primarily in the Book of Common Prayer, a collection of liturgy developed by Thomas Cranmer in the 16 th century and periodically modified since then. However, the Book of Common Prayer is not held ...

The churches of the Anglican Communion have their historical roots in the English Reformation, when King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547) wished to obtain a divorce that the pope would not grant. Through the Act of Supremacy of 1534, the king made himself the "supreme head" of the Church of England in place of the Pope. After this dramatic move, King Henry dissolved England's monasteries, destroyed Catholic shrines, and ordered the Great Bible (in English) to be placed in all churches. However, Henry allowed few doctrinal changes and very little changed in the religious life of the common English worshipper. Under Henry VIII, and the Church of England remained almost fully Catholic with the exception of loyalty to Rome. Thomas Cranmer A power struggle between English Protestants and Catholics ensued during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I. Under King Edward, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer contributed a great deal to the Protestant movement, including the first two ver...

The Anglican Communion is an organization of autonomous national churches connected with the Church of England, which has its roots in the 16th century Reformation. Anglicanism or Episcopalianism is the general form of doctrine, worship and structure based on the tradition of the Church of England, which extends beyond membership in the Anglican Communion. Anglicanism is characterized by a via media (middle way) between Catholicism and Protestantism. Anglicans are not subject to the Pope and are Protestant in most areas of doctrine, but Anglicans also retain many Catholic forms of worship, including a hierarchy based on bishops (which is the meaning of the world "episcopalian").

The Amish (sometimes called Amish Mennonites) are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination who are especially known for their separation from society and rejection of most modern technology. The denomination originated in Switzerland, with the strict teachings of Jacob Amman that led to a split from other Mennonites in 1693. History of the Amish The Amish are one of several denominations that developed out of the Radical Reformation in 16th-century Europe. The Anabaptists, as the radical reformers came to be called, differed from mainstream Protestants in their rejection of all church authority, belief that a church consists only of baptized believers and rejection of infant baptism. Anabaptist denominations include the Mennonites, Hutterites and the Amish. The Amish arose from a schism among Swiss Mennonites in 1693. Mennonite leader Jakob Amman (1656-1730) and his followers applied the Mennonite practice of shunning very strictly and condemned other Mennonites for not doing so...