Different histories, a shared centre
The historic mainstream of each tradition profiled here confesses the Triune God and centres its faith on Jesus Christ. (Oneness Pentecostals, who reject the doctrine of the Trinity, are the main exception.) Christians in these traditions read the Bible, practise baptism and Communion, gather for worship, and seek to live as Christ’s people. They do not always understand those shared practices in the same way.
Tradition names a broad stream of Christian life. A communion is a family of churches joined in faith and sacramental fellowship. A denomination is usually an organised church body, especially within Protestant Christianity. The words overlap but are not interchangeable.
Eleven starting points
Choose a tradition
No list captures every Christian community. These profiles introduce eleven historically influential families. Others are not profiled here, among them the many independent and nondenominational churches and the African Initiated Churches.
Roman Catholic
A worldwide communion of local churches united with the bishop of Rome. It receives Scripture and apostolic Tradition as taught by the church’s teaching office, and its life centres on seven sacraments.
Read the guide Ancient apostolic communionEastern Orthodox
A communion of self-governing churches united by the apostolic faith, bishops, councils, Divine Liturgy, and a sacramental vision of life in Christ.
Read the guide Ancient apostolic communionOriental Orthodox
A family of ancient churches that receives the first three ecumenical councils and confesses Christ as fully divine and fully human in “one incarnate nature of God the Word”.
Read the guide Ancient apostolic communionChurch of the East
The ancient church of Syriac-speaking Christians beyond the Roman frontier, today the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East. It receives the first two ecumenical councils and once had bishops from Mesopotamia to China and India.
Read the guide Reformation church with catholic continuityAnglican
A global family of episcopal churches whose common life draws on Scripture, the historic creeds, the Book of Common Prayer, the sacraments, and a broad Reformation inheritance.
Read the guide Magisterial ReformationLutheran
Churches formed by the Lutheran Reformation, centred on justification by grace through faith, the distinction of law and gospel, and Christ’s promises in Word and sacrament.
Read the guide Magisterial ReformationReformed and Presbyterian
A family formed by the Reformed branch of the Reformation, known for God’s sovereign grace, covenant theology, confessional teaching, and elder-led church government.
Read the guide Evangelical revival and holiness traditionWesleyan and Methodist
A family that grew from the Wesleys’ renewal movement, emphasising prevenient grace, assurance, disciplined discipleship, holy love, and practical service.
Read the guide Believers’ church traditionBaptist
A diverse family of autonomous churches united especially by believers’ baptism, congregational responsibility, biblical authority, and religious liberty.
Read the guide Spirit-renewal movementPentecostal
A worldwide movement emphasising conversion, the present work and gifts of the Holy Spirit, empowered witness, healing prayer, and expectant worship.
Read the guide Radical Reformation and peace-church traditionAnabaptist and Mennonite
A believers’ church tradition centred on following Jesus in community, peacemaking, mutual accountability, simplicity, and a visible life of discipleship.
Read the guideA fair comparison
Ask the same questions
A label such as “traditional” or “Bible-based” is too broad to explain a church. These questions show how its theology and everyday life fit together.
Authority
How do Scripture, Tradition, creeds, councils, bishops, confessions, reason, and experience relate?
Salvation
How are grace, faith, justification, sanctification, freedom, assurance, and participation in God described?
Church
Who provides oversight, how are decisions made, and what makes churches visibly one?
Baptism
Who is baptised, what does God give through baptism, and how does it relate to faith and membership?
Communion
How is Christ present, what does the meal accomplish, and who is invited to receive it?
Worship
How do preaching, liturgy, music, sacraments, prayer, images, and spiritual gifts shape gathered life?
See the broad patterns
This overview is only a summary. Open a profile before drawing conclusions, because the details and internal variations matter.
| Tradition | Typical governance | Usual baptism practice | Communion emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Catholic | Worldwide episcopal communion with the pope | Infants and converts | Real presence; sacrifice and memorial |
| Eastern Orthodox | Self-governing churches led by synods of bishops | Infants and converts | Real change; a mystery not philosophically defined |
| Oriental Orthodox | Self-governing churches led by patriarchs and synods | Infants and converts | Bread and wine truly become Christ’s body and blood |
| Church of the East | Catholicos-patriarch with a synod of bishops | Infants and converts | Christ’s body and blood; the Holy Leaven |
| Anglican | Bishops and provincial synods | Infants and converts | Real gift of Christ; views of presence vary |
| Lutheran | Episcopal, synodical, or congregational | Infants and converts | Christ’s body and blood truly present and given |
| Reformed and Presbyterian | Elders in local and wider assemblies | Infants of believers and converts | Christ received by faith through the Spirit |
| Wesleyan and Methodist | Connectional conferences, often with bishops | Infants and converts | A means of grace; Christ present to faith |
| Baptist | Autonomous local congregations | Professing believers, usually by immersion | Ordinance of remembrance; views of Christ’s presence vary |
| Pentecostal | Congregational, presbyterial, or episcopal | Professing believers, usually by immersion | Ordinance of remembrance; practice varies |
| Anabaptist and Mennonite | Congregational and conference-based | Professing believers; mode varies | Remembrance, covenant, and reconciliation |
Read beliefs in their own words
Every profile links to catechisms, confessions, or official teaching resources. Our summaries are for orientation; the primary texts show how communities define themselves.
Read the creeds and confessions