Christianity has grown into a major force in the world of today. Despite the fact, however, that they lay claim to the largest number of adherents in the world, Christianity is in itself a mass of various denominations, each differing from the other in some manner.
While Islam does have the two divisions of Sunni and Shia, this divisions is political– not religious. In Christianity, however, the divisions come along religious lines. While all share belief if God, and let’s not forget Jesus–things differ from there.
Although the exact number is not known, I am aware of close to fifty different denominations within Christianity, ranging from the Amish, who have chosen to withdraw from the world, setting aside modern conveniences such as electricity and automobiles, to the Unitarians who most Christians don’t even consider Christians because they do not believe in either the concept of Jesus being the son of God or the trinity.
The Roman Catholics, the biggest denomination of Christianity in the world today, venerate saints and the mother of Jesus; the “host” during their communion service is said to become the actual body of Christ, the wine his actual blood, when blessed by the priest.
Unwilling to content with a vow of celibacy, the Orthodox Church split from Rome during the Middle Ages, and now reigns supreme in the East. They maintain the ornateness of Catholicism, but have taken different Holy days for themselves, and swear allegiance to a different “Holy Father” than do the Roman Catholics.
In 1517, the Protestant Christians came into being, which was, in effect, a revolt certain practices within the Catholic Church. For instance:
- The Catholics go for ornate and elaborate churches and church services; the Protestants kept it nice and simple.
- The Cathloic scriptures contain a number of books from the Apocrypha; the Protestants steer clear of every one of these “hidden books”.