{"id":8075,"date":"2024-01-02T14:15:16","date_gmt":"2024-01-02T13:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.believerspray.com\/?p=8075"},"modified":"2024-01-02T14:15:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T13:15:16","slug":"how-was-christianity-divided-internally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.believerspray.com\/how-was-christianity-divided-internally\/","title":{"rendered":"How Was Christianity Divided Internally"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Background Information<\/h2>\n

Christianity is a major world religion with a history spanning two millennia. As with any large and complex religious system, Christianity has splintered and divided into multiple branches throughout its long history. The two main branches within Christianity are Catholicism and Protestantism. Following the Reformation, a major division that occurred in the 16th century, the Catholic Church and the Protestant churches underwent a period of heated conflict and competition, often referred to as the Great Schism.<\/p>\n

Relevant Data<\/h2>\n

The Great Schism between Catholicism and Protestantism occurred in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German professor of theology and monk, wrote a series of documents called the 95 Theses attacking the practices of the Catholic Church. His writings sparked a wave of criticism against the Church and led to other reformers such as John Calvin and John Knox developing their own versions of Protestantism. The various Protestant denominations have grown and divided further into many other branches including Anabaptism, Lutheranism, Reformed, Congregationalism, Methodism, Presbyterianism, Anglicanism and Pentecostalism.<\/p>\n

Perspectives From Experts<\/h2>\n

Experts in the field of religion have studied the divisions within Christianity to understand better why they occurred and how they have developed over the centuries. According to theologian and professor, Dr. Christopher Hall, the Protestant movement of the Reformation was an attempt to restore the Church to its Biblical roots. He states that the Protestant Reformers sought to strip away all of the ceremonies, rituals and practices that had been added over the centuries, while the Catholic Church wished to hold on to those extra elements. Dr. Hall suggests that this created a deep divide between the two branches of Christianity where each held different interpretations and beliefs concerning the nature of the Christian faith. <\/p>\n

Analysis and Insights<\/h2>\n

From my analysis of the topic, it is clear that the divisions between Christianity’s various branches are deep and far-reaching. Despite the different interpretations and beliefs held by different churches, the core values and teachings found in the Bible remain largely similar across all denominations. These common beliefs serve to unite Christians in their faith, while the divisions between denominations provide an outlet for Christians to express their diverse opinions and practice their faith in whatever way they choose. <\/p>\n

Organizational Structures<\/h2>\n