Historic communion or branch
A broad location in Christian history, such as Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant.
A clearer map of Christian groups
Learn how branches, denominations, theological traditions, movements, networks, and local structures fit together—without collapsing distinct groups into one label.
01 · Kinds of groups
One church can carry several kinds of labels
Labels answer different questions. Seeing the layer prevents a movement, denomination, theology, and church structure from being mistaken for the same kind of thing.
Family or denomination
A shared lineage or an organized church body, such as Lutheranism, the PCA, or Assemblies of God.
Theological tradition
A system of doctrine that can cross institutions, such as Reformed theology.
Movement or network
A renewal current or voluntary association, such as evangelicalism, New Calvinism, or Calvary Chapel.
Local-church structure
How a congregation is connected and governed; “non-denominational” describes structure, not a complete theology.
02 · Start here
Learn the basics
Build the vocabulary first, then use the directory and comparison tools with better questions.
01
Why several labels can describe one church
Learn to separate historical branch, denomination, theology, movement, network, and local structure instead of forcing one label to answer every question.
02The ancient communions
Meet four historic Christian communions while respecting their distinct histories, councils, liturgies, and accounts of continuity.
03The Protestant Reformation families
See Protestantism as a broad branch containing several families that disagree on sacraments, election, polity, worship, and the church.
04Evangelical, Reformed, Baptist, Pentecostal, charismatic, and non-denominational
Untangle six modern labels that often overlap while answering different theological and organizational questions.
03 · Featured groups
Featured groups
Denominational family
Baptist tradition
Reformed Baptists
Baptist churches that combine believer’s baptism and local-church ecclesiology with Reformed soteriology and often a confessional framework such as the 1689 London Baptist Confession.
Inside historic Nicene ChristianityReference family
Key distinctives
- Reformed soteriology.
- Believer’s baptism.
Compared with the Reformed Baptist Base Beliefs
This family supplies the guide’s broad Reformed Baptist reference benchmark. It aligns on Reformed soteriology, believer’s baptism, autonomous congregational church order, and spiritual reception of Christ by faith in Communion. Churches still vary on several secondary topics, so the guide does not score those variations by default.
Denomination
Presbyterianism
Presbyterian Church in America
A conservative Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in North America whose doctrinal standards are the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, subordinate to Scripture.
Inside historic Nicene ChristianityClose with important differences
Key distinctives
- Westminster Standards.
- Reformed covenant theology.
Compared with the Reformed Baptist Base Beliefs
The PCA is among the closest paedobaptist bodies to the guide’s base beliefs. Major differences are infant baptism and connectional polity; some local PCA churches may otherwise feel very close in preaching and culture.
Denomination
Pentecostalism
Assemblies of God
A major Trinitarian Pentecostal fellowship teaching biblical authority, salvation through Christ, believer’s baptism, divine healing, and a distinct baptism in the Holy Spirit initially evidenced by speaking in tongues.
Inside historic Nicene ChristianityClose with important differencesHigh variation within the group
Key distinctives
- Trinitarian Pentecostal doctrine.
- Tongues as initial physical evidence of Spirit baptism.
Compared with the Reformed Baptist Base Beliefs
Assemblies of God shares the Trinity, Scripture, Christ’s saving work, evangelical conversion, justification, and believer’s baptism. Arminian soteriology and its distinct Spirit-baptism and tongues teaching are important differences; continuationism itself is not penalized because Reformed Baptist churches vary on gifts.
Historic communion
Christianity
Roman Catholic Church
The largest historic Christian communion, centered on communion with the bishop of Rome, the pope, and characterized by Scripture and Tradition, a teaching Magisterium, seven sacraments, and a worldwide episcopal structure.
Inside historic Nicene ChristianityShared Nicene beliefs, with major differences
Key distinctives
- Seven sacraments and apostolic episcopal succession.
- The Eucharist is understood through transubstantiation.
Compared with the Reformed Baptist Base Beliefs
The guide’s base beliefs share the Trinity, Christ’s deity and humanity, bodily resurrection, and many moral teachings. It has major, church-dividing disagreements over final authority, justification, the sacramental system, the papacy, Marian dogmas, invocation of saints, and purgatory. The guide must explain Catholic grace accurately before presenting the Reformed critique.
04 · Reformed Baptist Base Beliefs
Reformed Baptist Base Beliefs
The guide uses a broad Reformed Baptist reference point: conservative evangelical Protestant, Reformed in salvation, committed to believer’s baptism, and organized around autonomous congregational churches. Scripture is final, with historic Baptist confessions—especially the 1689 Second London Confession—serving beneath it. Communion is understood as spiritual reception of Christ by faith, not a sacrifice.
Reformed Baptist churches vary on spiritual gifts, detailed covenant and polity formulations, confessional subscription, ministry boundaries, and millennial or rapture views. The guide does not score those variations by default.
Faith Neighbors05 · How the guide works