Some of these world religions (Babi and Baha'i faiths; Zoroastrianism) have very few branches and few differences between branches.
As discussed on the Religions by Adherents page, there are many distinct religions or religious movements which have more adherents than some of the classical major world religions, but which are not part of the classical list for various reasons.
Only branches of the classical major world religions will be listed here. This isn't a very significant omission because the major world religions discussed on this page include the majority of the world's population, and because most of the smaller or newer "non-major" world religions have few, if any, divisions or branches. Religions such as Tenrikyo, Scientology, and Cao Dai are both religious bodies (unified, centrally-organized organizations or denominations) as well as distinct religions.
However, some smaller/newer world religions (or religious movements), such as New Age and Neo-Paganism are really not single religions at all, but are classifications of independent religions and religious bodies which share certain similarities but may have no formal or even historical connections.
Other sources regarding alternative Baha'i groups indicate that their total current membership is very small compared to that of the Haifa-based organization. A useful and fairly comprehensive treatment of the subject (although published by the majority Baha'i body, so it is clearly not without bias) can be found here.
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Baha'i World Faith | 6,000,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Mahayana | 185,000,000 |
Theravada | 124,000,000 |
Lamaism (Vajrayana/Tibetan/Tantric) | 20,000,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Catholic | 968,000,000 |
Protestant | 395,867,000 |
Other Christians | 275,583,000 |
Orthodox | 217,948,000 |
Anglicans | 70,530,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Catholic | 1,030,000,000 |
Orthodox/Eastern Christian | 240,000,000 |
African indigenous sects (AICs) | 110,000,000 |
Pentecostal | 105,000,000 |
Reformed/Presbyterian/Congregational/United | 75,000,000 |
Baptist | 70,000,000 |
Methodist | 70,000,000 |
Anglican | 68,000,000 |
Lutheran | 64,000,000 |
Jehovah's Witnesses | 14,800,000 |
Adventist | 12,000,000 |
Latter Day Saints | 11,500,000 |
Apostolic/New Apostolic | 10,000,000 |
Stone-Campbell ("Restoration Movement") | 5,400,000 |
New Thought (Unity, Christian Science, etc.) | 1,500,000 |
Brethren (incl. Plymouth) | 1,500,000 |
Mennonite | 1,250,000 |
Friends (Quakers) | 300,000 |
This is not the only possible usage of the capitalized term "Catholic." Adherents.com uses the term "Catholic" in essentially the same way that most contemporary sociological literature uses it. In studies of the general population, distinctions between Latin Rite Catholics and other Catholics are ignored. Also, Episcopalians are generally grouped with Protestants (or, in studies with more specificity, Liberal Protestants).
One different definition of "Catholic" and "Catholic Church" is described by Fr. Gene Britton, an Episcopal Priest:
I do have one suggestion for honoring denominational sensitivities... Many of us are Catholics without being ROMAN Catholics. I am a priest in the Episcopal Church, and since priesthood vested in an individual is antithetical to Protestantism, there are no Protestant priests. So, if I am a priest, I must be a Catholic priest. There are three (3) major communions bearing the marks of a Capital-"C" Catholic Church: The Roman Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the Anglican Communion (which includes the Episcopal Church). [I prefer that people] refrain from using the word "Catholic" as if Romans are the only ones.As we have discussed with Fr. Britton, the usage he suggests is one considered important by a minority of the population (in the U.S., there are about 60 million Catholics vs. about 2 million Episcopalians, and worldwide the difference in numbers is even larger). Although most Catholics are not bothered by the term "Roman Catholic", they do not wish to be called "Romans", and they do not they consider Anglicans or Eastern Orthodox to be members of the Catholic Church. It is true that Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox Christians may be considered Catholic from some historical and theological perspectives. But ever-increasing ecumenism between Anglicans and other Protestants around the world (and, in 2001, full communion between Episcopalians and ELCA Lutherans in the U.S.), continue to diminish the degree to which most Anglicans wish to be known as Catholics.
Orthodox/Eastern Christian: As a "branch", the Orthodox/Eastern churches include Eastern churches not in communion with Constantinople, Chalcedonian and Non-chalcedonian, Nestorian, Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox, various Jacobite/Syrian Orthodox, Armenian.
Pentecostal: Examples: Assemblies of God, Church of God in Christ, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, various Churches of God, etc. Includes officially Pentecostal denominations--those which do not identify primarily with other denominational families, such as Baptist or Methodist. There are denominations and/or congregations which have generic pentecostal characteristics, or are charismatic or evangelical, but are not classified primarily as a Pentecostal denomination.
African indigenous sects: Many African Initiated/Indigenous/Independent Churches (AICs) such as the Kimbanguist Church (6.5 million).
Latter Day Saints: Mormons. This branch is primarily comprised of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Note the difference in capitalization and hyphenation between "Latter Day Saints" (a generic term for the entire branch/movement) and "Latter-day Saints" (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the predominant religious body). We believe this is the most widely followed hyphenation/capitalization convention, but there are variations. Some writers simply refer to the whole branch as "Mormonism" or "Restoration churches" (although the latter term might be confused with the Stone-Campbell movement). Historically this branch also includes the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) and a small number of even smaller splinter groups. In the year 2000 the RLDS Chuch changed its name to the "Community of Christ." Theologically, the current form of this religious body may be best classified as Liberal Protestant, although scholars continue to classify it under "Latter Day Saints" in historically-based listings.
Adventist: Mostly Seventh-day Adventists, plus some others.
New Thought: The three largest New Thought heirs to Christian Science -- Unity Church, Religious Science and Divine Science -- count among them about 780 churches and between 130,000 and 150,000 members in the U.S., according to a 1996 almanac of American religions.
Mennonite: Includes Amish as well as many other "Plain Churches."
Restoration Movement (Stone-Campbell): Primarily includes the "Christian Churches and Churches of Christ", "Church of Christ" (or "Churches of Christ") and the "Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)"; [Stone-Campbell churches should not be confused with Latter Day Saint denominations, which are part of a separate Restoration (usually referred to by Latter Day Saints simply as "The Restoration" or "Restoration of the Gospel"). From its organization in 1830 until 1838 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was known simply as the "Church of Christ." But despite similarities in names, the Latter Day Saint and Stone/Campbellite movements are not connected.]
NOTE: Division into denominational families offers a more detailed look at the composition of Christianity as a whole, but can be misleading. Among Protestants today, most significant divisions with regard to culture, practice and doctrine are not between denominational families, but between Liberal and Conservative Protestants.
Since the 1940s, one of the most important distinctions Christians have written about is between Evangelical and non-Evangelical Christians. At the denominational level, the Evangelical branch of Christianity is roughly equivalent to the Conservative Protestants, including Pentecostals. But both sociologists and Christian writers usually assign non-historical and non-denominational parameters to "Evangelical", defining the term primarily in theological and behavioral terms. Based on such criteria, sociologists have sometimes even included as "Evangelicals" many people not usually considered Protestant, such as Latter Day Saints and "born-again Catholics".
The variety of terms applied to different divisions and movements among conservative American Protestants can be confusing. Some of the most important and widely used are: born again Christians, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Charismatics and Fundamentalists. These terms frequently overlap or are defined differently by different writers.
It is beyond the scope of this page to fully describe major divisions in conservative Protestantism, but the following definitions from an article by Harvey Cox for The Atlantic Monthly (Nov. 1995) are useful:
"Born-again" is the broadest category. It includes the 39 percent of the American population who claim they have had a personal experience of Christ. Their political ideas span the spectrum, and Jimmy Carter is not the only born-again political liberal.
"Evangelical" describes a theological position, one recognizing not only the need for such a personal experience with God but also the unique religious authority of Scripture and an obligation to share one's faith with others. Billy Graham is the paradigmatic evangelical.
"Fundamentalists," though they share many of the evangelicals' beliefs, also fiercely insist on the "verbal inerrancy" of the Bible, and this has led them into noisy conflicts over creation and evolution. William Jennings Bryan, who defended a literal reading of Genesis at the famous Scopes "monkey trial" in 1925, was a classic fundamentalist.
Pentecostals, by far the fastest-growing wing of Christianity today, share most evangelical beliefs, but for them all theology is secondary. What is most important is an immediate encounter with the Holy Spirit in a style of worship that is exuberant and even ecstatic. Aimee Semple McPherson was the first Pentecostal preacher to achieve celebrity status in America.
"Charismatics" (the word's root means "gift of grace") are people who practice a Pentecostal form of worship but remain in their own Catholic or Protestant churches.
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Catholic | 1,030,000,000 |
Orthodox/Eastern Christian | 240,000,000 |
Conservative Protestant | 200,000,000 |
Liberal Protestant * | 150,000,000 |
African indigenous sects (AICs) | 110,000,000 |
Pentecostal | 105,000,000 |
Anglican * | 68,000,000 |
Jehovah's Witnesses | 14,800,000 |
Latter Day Saints | 11,200,000 |
New Thought (Unity, Christian Science, etc.) | 1,500,000 |
Friends (Quakers)* | 300,000 |
* Liberal Protestants: A recent development in the United States has been the formal ecumenical movement marking increased cooperation among a number of long-separated liberal-to-moderate Protestant denominations. Currently a significant part of this unification of this branch of Protestantism is the "Churches United in Christ" agreement, which will create a network of denominations which share ministries and recognize one another's churches and share in Communion. Currently the combined membership of this movement is 17 million, representing about 7% of U.S. Christians, or about 12% of affiliated Christians in the U.S. [Article.]
* Anglicans are clearly distinct from Liberal Protestants in history, polity and liturgy. Anglicans, however, exhibit extreme ecumenical tendencies and in some countries have forged formal communions or outright mergers with Liberal Protestants. Anglicans are often grouped with Liberal Protestants in studies of a strictly sociological nature. Positions on political issues, voting patterns, educational/vocational demographics, etc. tend to be similar between the two groups.
* Quakers: Classification of Quakers into functionally meaningful "branches" of Christianity is difficult. Certainly the Quaker faith and witness arose from a Protestant background and Quakerism is correctly classified today as Protestant. But it is not as simple to group Quakers as "Conservative Protestant" or "Liberal Protestant." Like many other historical denominatinal families (Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc.), different Quaker denominations, and even congregations, are clearly either Liberal or Conservative with regards to many issues. But, although embracing certain degrees of ecumenicalism, Quakers nevertheless have maintained denominational identity which exceeds that of most other Protestant denominations. Various innovations by founder George Fox, including distinctive forms of Quaker worship (Meetings, "gathering", etc.), emphasis on Inner Light, as well as the pacifistic stand against violence in all forms, including self defense, all serve to heighten Quaker identity. Quakers still exhibit separate expressions of art and culture. So while "Lutheranism", "Presbyterianism", "Methodism", "Congregationalism", etc. are no longer sociological significant categories for most purposes, "Quakerism" still is and will continue to be so into the forseeable future. Those interested in this topic may find appreciate A Certain Kind of Perfection: An Anthology of Evangelical and Liberal Quaker Writers (edited by Carolyn Wilhelm, Margery P. Abbott).
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Vaishnavites | 580,000,000 |
Shaivites | 220,000,000 |
neo-Hindus and reform Hindus | 22,000,000 |
Veerashaivas (Lingayats) | 10,000,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Sunni | 940,000,000 |
Shiite | 120,000,000 |
Ahmadiyya | 10,000,000 |
Druze | 450,000 |
The Druze, for example, are not considered part of the numerically dominant (i.e. "mainstream") Muslim grouping. But Druze are classified from a secular/historical perspective as a branch of Islam because they are derived from a branch of Shi'ite Islam. Having developed independently for hundreds of years, their cultural and religious self-concept is primarily Druze, without regard to how outside groups perceive or classify them. Nevertheless, they retain some self-concept as Muslims in addition to their clear historical ties.
This is merely a list of major branches of Islam. There are other groups which fall outside of the groups listed here. In the United States the Nation of Islam has varied widely in numerical and ideological prominence among American Muslims. It has variously been considered both heretical and acceptable by other Muslims. Sufism has been variously classified as a separate branch, a pan-Muslim movement, an order, a discipline, and as heretical or acceptable, as viewed by other groups. Movements such as the Moorish Science Temple and the Five Percenters have arisen from time to time, but have remained numerically minor. On balance, of course, Islam has exhibited far less division into different branches than other large religions.
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Svetambara | 4,000,000 |
Sthanakavasis | 750,000 |
Digambaras | 155,000 |
Differences in practice and belief between the branches of Judaism are compared in this chart by Gilbert Rosenthal.
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Conservative | 4,500,000 |
Unaffiliated and Secular | 4,500,000 |
Reform | 3,750,000 |
Orthodox | 2,000,000 |
Reconstructionist | 150,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Shinto all branches | 3,000,000 |
Seicho-No-Ie | 3,200,000 |
Tenrikyo | 2,800,000 |
PL Kyodan | 2,600,000 |
Sekai Kyuseikyo | 800,000 |
Zenrinkai | 600,000 |
Tensho Kotai Jingukyo | 400,000 |
Ennokyo | 300,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Sikhism | 23,000,000 |
Branch | Number of Adherents |
---|---|
Parsis | 110,000 |
Gabars | 20,000 |
Branch | Religion | Number of Adherents |
---|---|---|
Catholic | Christianity | 1,030,000,000 |
Sunni | Islam | 940,000,000 |
Vaishnavites | Hinduism | 580,000,000 |
Orthodox/Eastern Christian | Christianity | 240,000,000 |
Shaivites | Hinduism | 220,000,000 |
Conservative Protestant | Christianity | 200,000,000 |
Mahayana | Buddhism | 185,000,000 |
Liberal Protestant | Christianity | 150,000,000 |
Theravada | Buddhism | 124,000,000 |
Shiite | Islam | 120,000,000 |
African indigenous sects (AICs) | Christianity | 110,000,000 |
Pentecostal | Christianity | 105,000,000 |
Anglican | Christianity | 68,000,000 |
Sikhism | Sikhism | 23,000,000 |
neo-Hindus and reform Hindus |
Hinduism | 22,000,000 |
Lamaism (Vajrayana/Tibetan, etc.) |
Buddhism | 20,000,000 |
Jehovah's Witnesses | Christianity | 14,800,000 |
Latter Day Saints | Christianity | 11,200,000 |
Ahmadiyya | Islam | 10,000,000 |
Veerashaivas (Lingayats) | Hinduism | 10,000,000 |
Baha'i World Faith | Baha'i Faiths | 6,000,000 |
Conservative | Judaism | 4,500,000 |
Unaffiliated and Secular | Judaism | 4,500,000 |
Svetambara | Jainism | 4,000,000 |
Reform | Judaism | 3,750,000 |
Seicho-No-Ie | New Japanese | 3,200,000 |
Shinto all branches | Shinto | 3,000,000 |
Tenrikyo | New Japanese | 2,800,000 |
PL Kyodan | New Japanese | 2,600,000 |
Orthodox | Judaism | 2,000,000 |
New Thought (Unity, Christian Science, etc.) |
Christianity | 1,500,000 |
Sekai Kyuseikyo | New Japanese | 800,000 |
Sthanakavasis | Jainism | 750,000 |
Zenrinkai | New Japanese | 600,000 |
Druze | Islam | 450,000 |
Tensho Kotai Jingukyo | New Japanese | 400,000 |
Friends (Quakers) | Christianity | 300,000 |
Ennokyo | New Japanese | 300,000 |
Digambaras | Jainism | 155,000 |
Reconstructionist | Judaism | 150,000 |
Parsis | Zoroastrianism | 110,000 |
Gabars | Zoroastrianism | 20,000 |