THE CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS DENOMINATIONS WITHIN EACH ONE Catholic
→ Roman (Latin) rite → Uniate (Eastern) rite
United by their acceptance of the pope’s leadership. However, each has its own rites, i.e. each one celebrates the seven sacraments in its own distinctive way.
Orthodox
United by common forms of worship. Each one has its own leader called the patriarch.
Anglican Denominations linked by
common forms of worship. Each has its own separate national leadership. All look to the Archbishop of Canterbury as their symbol of unity.
Protestant
Separate denominations. Each with different systems of leadership and different forms of worship.
→ Lutheran → Non-Conformist, i.e.
¢ Baptist ¢ Methodist
¢ Presbyterian ¢ Salvation Army
→ Church of England → Church of Ireland → Episcopalian Church (USA) → Church of South Africa
→ Greek → Romanian → Russian
¢ Maronite ¢ Armenian ¢ Byzantine ¢ Chaldean ¢ Coptic
¢ Ethiopian
How do these traditions relate to one another? How should we understand them as different strands of the one religion?
One way is to imagine the worldwide Christian community as a great tree. The roots of this tree are firmly anchored in the life, death and resurrection of its founder – Jesus Christ. However, on three occasions in history, the trunk of this tree has branched off to produce the four different traditions we have today.
