Some serious differences occurred within Christianity soon after its formation. Even during the first and second
century C.E., many Christians believed that the authors of the Gospels are unknown, and they refused to
blindly believe what is written in the Gospels, even in the history a time came when Christians waged Crusades
against the Christians who did not agree to their point of view.
Since the formation of Christianity, till to-date, more than 25 different sects of Christianity came into being. I am
giving below the information about 25 of them, in chronological order:
1. Gnosticism:
The term Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word "Gnosis" which means "Revealed Knowledge". This sect
was flourished during the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E. The Christian Gnostics refused to identify the "God" of the New Testament, the "Father of Jesus", with the God of the Old Testament, and they developed an unorthodox interpretation of Jesus' ministry. The Gnostics wrote Apocryphal Gospels (such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary) to substantiate their claim that the risen Jesus told his disciples the true, Gnostic interpretation of his teachings. They also believed that Jesus did not die on the cross but ascended to the divine realm from which he had come, they rejected Jesus' suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus, even they rejected Jesus' resurrection. During the 3rd century C.E., Orthodox Christians started to strongly encounter Gnosticism, which resulted as the suppress of Gnosticism. Today some Gnostics can be found in Iraq and Iran, they are known as "Mandaeans". Mandaean is derived from the Aramaic word "Manda" which means "Knowledge". Quran calls them "Saabi".
2. Monarchianism:
This sec of Christianity was founded during the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E. Monarchianism rejected Polytheism in Christianity, though Polytheism was the basic faith of Christianity (God, Son of God, and Holy Spirit).
Monarchians were divided into two groups, the Adoptionists, or Dynamic Monarchians, and the Patripassians, or Modalistic Monarchians.
The Adoptionists taught that Christ, although of miraculous birth, was a mere man until his baptism when the
Holy Spirit made him the Son of God by adoption. This doctrine was taught by Paul (Bishop of Antioch).
Adoptionism, or adoptianism, was revived in Spain about the end of the 8th century C.E.
The Patripassians believed in the divinity of Christ, but regarded the Trinity as three manifestations or modes of a single divine being.
3. Docetism:
This sect of Christianity was formulated in the 2nd century C.E., and was then fully developed during the 3rd
century C.E. Docetism took various forms; Some proponents flatly denied any true humanity in Christ; some
admitted his incarnation but not his sufferings, suggesting that he persuaded one of his followers, possibly
Judas Iscariot or Simon of Cyrene, to take his place on the cross. Others ascribed to him a Celestial Body that
was incapable of experiencing human miseries.
This denial of the human reality of Christ stemmed from dualism, a philosophical doctrine that viewed matter as
evil. The docetists, acknowledging that doctrine, concluded that God could not be associated with matter.
Docetism occasioned vigorous opposition by early Christian writers, beginning with Ignatius of Antioch and
Irenaeus early in the 2nd century. Docetism was officially condemned at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 C.E..
4. Donatism:
It was a Christian movement of the 4th and 5th centuries C.E., which claimed that the validity of the sacraments depends on the moral character of the minister. It arose as a result of the consecration of a bishop of Carthage
in 311 C.E. 70 Bishops formed an opposition group in Numedia, then they formed itself into a synod at
Carthage and declared the consecration of the bishop invalid. When a theologians "Donatus" the Great
became Bishop of Carthage; the movement later took its name from him. As a result of the desire of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great to settle the dispute, it was submitted to various ecclesiastical bodies and in 316 C.E. to the emperor himself. In each case the consecration of the bishop elected originally, in 311 C.E. was upheld. Constantine at first attempted to suppress the Donatists by force, but in 321 C.E. he adopted a policy of tolerance; the policy was reversed, however, by his youngest son, Constans I, who instituted a regime of persecution. In 411 C.E. a debate between the Donatist and Catholic Bishops was held at Carthage to settle the dispute. The outcome was once again adverse to the Donatists. As a result, they were deprived of all civil rights in 414 C.E, and in the following year, their assemblies were banned under penalty of death. The movement then began to decline.
5. Pelagianism:
This sect of Christianity was founded by the a British monk"Pelagius". In 390 C.E., he went to Rome, where
appalled by the lax morals of Roman Christians, he preached Christian asceticism and recruited many followers. His strict moral teaching had particular success in southern Italy and Sicily and was preached openly there until
the death (455 C.E) of his foremost disciple "Julian". Pelagius denied the existence of original sin and the need for infant baptism. He argued that the corruption of the human race is not inborn, but is due to bad example and habit, and that the natural faculties of humanity were not adversely affected by Adam's fall. Human beings can lead lives of righteousness and thereby merit heaven by their own efforts.Pelagius settled in Palestine about 412 C.E., and enjoyed the support of John, bishop of Jerusalem.
6. Nestorianism:
This sect of Christianity was founded by Nestorius, the arch-Bishop of "Constantinople" (Turkey), from 428 to
431 C.E. According to Nestorisu, Christ has two natures, one divine and one human, which although distinct are joined in one Person and Substance; Nestorius claimed that in Christ a divine and a human Person acted as one, but did not join to compose the unity of a single individual. Also, according to Nestorius, the Virgin Mary
could not be called "Mother of God", as she was termed by more orthodox Christians, because her son Jesus
was born as a man, his divine nature being derived not from her but from the Father who begot him. The
doctrines of Nestorius spread throughout the Byzantine Empire during the early 5th century and caused much
argument.
7. Monophysitism:
This sect of Christianity was formulated during the 5th and 6th centuries C.E. According to this sect, Christ had only one Divine nature, not human nature. At the directive of Pope Leo I, the Council of Chalcedon in 451 C.E.
attempted to steer a middle course between the Orthodox and Monophysite views, but resulting edict did not
satisfy the Monophysites, and the controversy continued.
The Monophysites then split into two factions over controversies regarding the incorruptibility of Christ's body.
After 560 C.E., a third faction, the "Tritheists" arose; they interpreted the three persons of the Deity as three
separate gods and hence were regarded by the other factions as heretics. But the Monophysitism still exists,
the modern Abyssinian church, Armenian church, Jacobite church and Coptic church are Monophysitic bodies.
8. Orthodox:
The word "Orthodox" is from Greek "right-believing". Orthodox is one of the three major sects of Christianity,
which stands in historical continuity with the communities in the region of the eastern Mediterranean, and which
spread by missionary activity throughout Eastern Europe. The Orthodox Church has also established
communities in Western Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and more recently, Africa and Asia.
The ecumenical councils of the first millennium defined the basic Christian doctrines on the "Trinity", on the
unique Person and the two natures of Christ and on his two wills, expressing fully the authenticity and fullness of his divinity and his humanity. These doctrines are forcefully expressed in all Orthodox statements of faith and in liturgical hymns. Also in light of this traditional doctrine on the Person of Christ, the Virgin Mary is venerated as Mother of God.
Orthodox Churches have a Patriarch, which has the same honor and authority like Pope in Catholicism. The
ancient Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church were often the locus of large religious gatherings and the
administrative organization of the Patriarch. Though not the head of the church like the Pope in Roman
Catholicism, Patriarchs perform administrative functions that include organizing councils for their communities.
In its doctrinal statements and liturgical texts, the Orthodox Church strongly affirms that it holds the original
Christian faith, which was common to East and West during the first millennium of Christian history. More
particularly, it recognizes the authority of the ecumenical councils at which East and West were represented
together.
9. Catholicism:
"Catholic" was derived from the Greek word "katholikos" which means "universal". The term Catholic was first
used in the letter of Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans in 110 C.E. It is one of the major sects in Christianity.
Their major beliefs contain, use of images, candles, vestments and music in worship. The making of the Sign of
the Cross in a variety of contexts. Their belief that the Church, not any one book, is the vessel and deposit of
the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the so-called Apostles. Possession of the "threefold ordained
ministry" of Bishops, Priests and Deacons. Bread and wine of the eucharist really are Jesus's body, blood, soul, and divinity - not just "symbols".
Early Catholicism came to be organized under five Patriarchs, the Bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria,
Constantinople and Rome. The Bishop of Rome was at that time recognized as first among them, and doctrinal
or procedural disputes were sometimes referred to Rome for an opinion. When the Imperial capital moved to
Constantinople, Rome's influence was often challenged. While Rome claimed special authority and descent
from Peter and Paul, who, all agreed, were killed and buried in Rome, Constantinople had become the
residence of the Emperor and the Senate, and the churches at Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria were all
older than Rome. Antioch furthermore was considered to have been the see of Peter, before he went to Rome.
The first great rupture in the Catholic Church followed the Council of Ephesus (431 C.E.), which affirmed the
Virgin Mary as Theotokos. The majority of those who refused to accept this Council were Persian Christians, a
Church now known as the Assyrian Church of the East. The next major break was after the Council of
Chalcedon (451 C.E.). This Council repudiated Eutychian Monophysitism. The next major rift within Catholicism
was in the 11th century C.E. Doctrinal disputes, including that about the Filioque clause, conflicts between
methods of Church government, and perhaps the evolution of separate rites and practices, precipitated a split
in 1054 C.E., that divided the Catholic Church once again, this time between a "West"; and an "East". England,
France, the Roman Empire, Scandinavia, and much of the rest of Western Europe were in the Western camp,
and Greece, Russia and many of other Slavic lands, Anatolia, and the Christians in Syria and Egypt who
accepted the Council of Chalcedon made up the eastern camp. This division is called the East-West Schism.
10. Waldenses:
This sect of Christianity was founded in 1173 C.E. This sect was formulated in oppose of the ecclesiastical
establishment. The sect originated with a wealthy French merchant "Peter Waldo"of Lyon. Waldo's followers
were known as the "poor men of Lyon." Itinerant preachers under a vow of poverty, they taught a type of
religion that has been erroneously associated with the teachings of the Cathari. The Waldenses spread through Europe, but a conspicuous group settled in secluded areas in the Cottian Alps, a range that now marks the border between France and Italy. The areas are still known today as the Waldensian Valleys.
11. Lollards:
This sect was founded in 1379 in England by the English theologian and religious reformer John Wycliffe.
Lollards held the Bible to be the only authentic rule of faith; exhorted the clergy to return to the simple life of the early church; and opposed war, the doctrine of transubstantiation, confession, and the use of images in
worship. Later, the Lollards began to merge with the rising and strong sect "Protestanism".
12. Hussites:
The founder this sect was John Huss (Jan Hus) of Bohemia (Czech Republic). Who was burnt to death by the
Catholics in 1415 C.E. Later his supporters in Bohemia and Moravia organized resistance against the Catholics, which was led by Jakoubek of Stribo, successor to Huss in Prague's Bethlehem Chapel. He drew up the Four Articles of Prague in 1420 C.E., which demanded"
(1) The freedom of priests to preach from the Scriptures.
(2) Holy Communion for the laity in both kinds, the cup (or chalice) as well as the bread (or host).
(3) Mandatory poverty of the clergy and the return of most church lands to secular owners; and
(4) The prohibition of prostitution and the punishment of serious sinners.
But instead of accepting the demands of the Hussites, Catholic Pope Martin V declared a CRUSADE against
them. First Hussites fought under the leadership of "Zizka" and after his death "Procopius" led the Hussites. The Catholic Crusaders were severely defeated by the Hussites in all battle-fields.
In 1431 C.E., the Council of Basel was called to settle the dispute, and the Catholics, after facing the shameful
defeat in their so-called Crusades, kneeled down before Hussites, and gave them concessions.
Under John Rokycana, the leader of the majority of Hussites after Procopius's death, the Hussites achieved
virtual autonomy within the Catholic church, becoming the national church of Bohemia. Rokycana was made
Archbishop of the Bohemian church in 1435 C.E., and in 1436 C.E., he signed the Compactata of Prague, the agreement that ratified its status.
13. Protestant (Lutheranism):
Protestant is one of the largest sects of Christianity, founded by Martin Luther in 1517 C.E. Martin Luther was a German Augustinian monk and professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg in Saxony. The term
Lutheran was deplored by Luther, and the church originally called itself the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession or simply the Evangelical Church. Lutherans are mostly conservative in religious and social ethics; infants are baptized, the church is organized in synods.
Earlier, money was largely needed at Rome,to feed the extravagances of the papal court; and its numerous
missionaries sought everywhere to raise funds by the sale of "indulgences" as they were called, for the sins of
frail humanity; the principal of these was John Tetzel, a Dominican friar, who had established himself at
Juterboch, on the borders of Saxony. Some of Luther's church members purchased these worthless letters of
indulgence. They boldly refused to repent of their sins. Their impenitence roused Luther to action. He refused
to give such members absolution and Communion unless they showed themselves repentant. Deeply disturbed
by the attitude of the people, Luther preached many sermons on repentance. Finally he wrote 95 Theses, or
points for discussion, in which he condemned the sale of indulgences. On October 31, 1517 C.E., he posted
these 95 Theses on the University bulletin board, the door of the Castle Church. In one of his theses he stated,
"Every Christian who truly repents has full forgiveness, even without letters of pardon." Thousands, both in high places and low, were glad that Luther had spoken out.
When Pope Leo X in Rome heard of the affair in Germany, he was furious and threatened Luther with
excommunication if he did not recant within sixty days. But Luther stood firm. Later, Luther was now declared an outlaw; anyone might have killed him without fear of punishment. While at Wartburg, Luther translated the New Testament into the German language so that the common people might easily read and understand the Word of God the German Bible was soon being distributed and for the first time the German people were able to read it. Soon the Protestant (Lutheran) sect started to spread all around Europe, and became one of the largest sects of Christianity.
14. Anabaptism:
This sect of Christianity was founded in 1521 C.E., and arose in Europe, particularly in Germany, the
Netherlands, and Switzerland. The name means "one who baptizes again" it refers to the Anabaptists practice
of adult baptism, even of persons who had been baptized in infancy. Like Lutherans and Calvinists, the
Anabaptists believed in the paramount importance of personal faith in God, as opposed to ritualism, and to the
right of independent personal judgment. The Anabaptists differed from Lutherans and Calvinists, however, in
that they advocated, among other practices, nonviolence and opposition to state churches. Anabaptist groups
continued to arise in Europe under different names. One of the most important was the group known as the
"Mennonites".
15. Zwinglianism:
This sect was founded by Ulrich Zwingli (who was a preacher in Zurich) in Switzerland, in 1523 C.E. Zwingli
denounced indulgences and other abuses in the Church and made a great impression in Zurich. In 1521 C.E.,
he denounced the hiring of mercenaries and in 1522 C.E., condemned fasts and celibacy (he himself married in 1524 C.E.). The town, following his teaching, abolished confession and closed the monasteries. Zwingli acted independently of Luther, from whom he was separated chiefly by difference of opinion on transubstantiation.
16. Anglicanism:
The churches of the Anglican Communion have their historical roots in the English Reformation, when King
Henry VIII (1509-1547 C.E.) wished to obtain a divorce that the pope would not grant. Through the Act of
Supremacy of 1534 C.E., the king made himself the "supreme head" of the Church of England in place of the
Pope.
After this dramatic move, King Henry dissolved England's monasteries, destroyed Catholic shrines, and ordered the Great Bible (in English) to be placed in all churches. However, Henry allowed few doctrinal changes and very little changed in the religious life of the common English worshipper. Under Henry VIII, and the Church of England remained almost fully Catholic with the exception of loyalty to Rome.
A power struggle between English Protestants and Catholics ensued during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I. Under King Edward, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer contributed a great deal to the Protestant
movement, including the first two versions of the Book of Common Prayer (1549 and 1552 C.E.) and the 42
Articles (1553 C.E.). After the ascension of the Catholic "Bloody Mary" to the throne in 1553, England was restored to Catholicism, much of the reforming work under Kings Henry and Edward was undone, and Thomas
Cranmer was burned at the stake.
Protestantism finally emerged victorious under Queen Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603). It was under Elizabeth that
"Anglicanism" took shape, established on the notion of a via media between Catholicism and Protestantism
(specifically Reformed Protestantism). Elizabeth appointed Protestant bishops, but reintroduced a crucifix in her chapel, tried to insist on traditional clerical vestments, and made other attempts to satisfy conservative opinion.
The 42 Articles were reduced to 39 and the Book of Common Prayer was reissued. The 39 Articles and the
Book of Common Prayer, which together expressed the faith and practice of the Church of England, were
sufficiently vague to allow for a variety of interpretations along the Catholic-Protestant spectrum. Anglicanism
expanded along with the British Empire, creating a network of autonomous churches that were loyal to the faith
and forms of the Church of England.
17. Calvinism:
This sect was founded by a French theologian, John Calvin, in1536 C.E. Calvinist doctrine lies within the
Pauline and Augustinian theological tradition. Its central tenets include belief in the absolute sovereignty of God and the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Calvin denied that human beings were capable of free will after the Fall of Adam. Calvin also believed that certain persons are elected by God to salvation, while others are rejected by him and consigned to eternal damnation.
By the early 17th century, Calvinism had been adopted by Protestant groups in many lands. Calvinism remains an important strain within Protestant thought. In the 20th century, the influential Swiss theologian Karl Barth
placed great emphasis on the Calvinist doctrine of God's supremacy, beside which all human activity is seen as worthless.
18. Amish:
This is a sect of North American Protestant group, which was founded in 1690 C.E. The name Amish is derived
from J"akob Amman", a Swiss Mennonite bishop. He insisted that discipline within the church be maintained by
excommunication. This entailed the avoidance, or shunning, by the faithful of those excommunicated.
Conventional social relationships with the excommunicated, such as eating at the same table, buying and
selling, and in the case of a married person, marital relations, were forbidden.
The most conservative are known as Old Order Amish. They dress in a severely plain style, using hooks and
eyes instead of buttons to fasten their clothes. They ride in horse-drawn buggies instead of automobiles, and
the adult males wear beards. Religious services are held in homes; foot washing is practiced in connection with the communion service; discipline is enforced by shunning; and marriage with outsiders is condemned.
19. Methodism:
Methodism originally was a Protestant Movement dating from 1729 C.E., when a group of students at the
University of Oxford began to assemble for worship, study, and Christian service. Their fellow students named
them the Holy Club and "Methodists". Among the Oxford group were John Wesley, considered the founder of
Methodism, and his brother Charles, the sons of an Anglican rector. Together they brought about a spiritual
revolution, which some historians believe diverted England from political revolution in the late 18th century.
Preaching the doctrines of Christian perfection and personal salvation through faith, John Wesley quickly won
an enthusiastic following among the English working classes. Methodist meetings were often conducted in open
fields. Such meetings led to a revival of religious fervor throughout England, especially among the poor.
Soon after John Wesley's death in 1791 C.E., his followers began to divide into separate church bodies. During the 19th century many such separate Methodist denominations were formed in Britain and the United States,
each maintaining its own version of the Wesleyan tradition. But in the 20th century, the separated Methodist
bodies began to coalesce.
20. Shakers:
This sect was founded in 1750 C.E., in England by James Wardley and his wife Jane. Jane claimed to have
special spiritual illumination and to have "received a call" to go forth and testify for the truth. From the peculiar
trembling of the secessionists at their meetings came the name Shaking Quakers or Shakers. In 1774 C.E., Ann Lee, of Manchester, England, introduced the sect in the United States. The movement diminished after 1860 C.E., and in the 1980s only a few members remained
21. Swedenborgians:
This sect was founded by a Swedish Scientist and Philosopher "Emanuel Swedberg" in 1789 C.E. In 1745 C.E., he claimed to have supernatural vision, later he propounded a religious system based on an allegorical
interpretation of the Scriptures according to instructions professedly received from God.
According to Swedenborg, the natural world derives its reality from the existence of God, whose divinity became human in Jesus Christ. The highest purpose is to achieve conjunction with God through love and wisdom.
22. Unitarianism:
During the Protestant movement in the 16th century theologians all over Europe began questioning many
doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, including the doctrine of the "Trinity". According to this doctrine, God
exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are united in one being. But the Unitarians affirms the undivided unity of God, as opposed to the Trinity, and the humanity of Jesus, rather than his divinity.
Unitarians were welcomed in Poland and Italy, while elsewhere in Europe they were regarded as heretics for
claiming there was no basis for the worship of Jesus Christ and preaching that people should follow his
teachings rather than worship him as a divinity. Unitarianism was first introduced in England in 1774 C.E. And in 1813 C.E. the Unitarians were legally classed in England with other dissenters, groups that dissented from the national church, the Church of England, hereby gaining certain rights.
23. Hicksites (Quakers):
This sect was founded in by an Englishman George Fox in 1647 C.E. Their fundamental belief is that divine
revelation is immediate and individual; all persons may perceive the word of God in their soul, and Friends
endeavor to heed it. Terming such revelation the "inward light" the "Christ within" or the "inner light," the first
Friends identified this spirit with the Christ of history. They rejected a formal creed, worshiped on the basis of
silence, and regarded every participant as a potential vessel for the word of God, instead of relying upon a
special, paid clergy set apart from the rest.
24. Disciples of Christ:
It is a sect of Protestantism, and was founded in 1831 C.E., by Thomas Campbell and his son Alexander
Campbell. Their followers became known popularly as Campbellites, although they preferred to be known as
Disciples of Christ. Its founders hoped to serve as a unifying force among Protestants. The Bible, particularly
the New Testament, is the sole ecclesiastical authority for the Disciples of Christ. Church polity is
congregational.
25. Seventh-Day Adventists:
It is also a Protestant sect, founded in 1863 C.E. They stress the doctrine of the imminent second coming of
Jesus. Adventism received its clearest definition and most earnest support under the leadership of an American Baptist preacher William Miller. Miller and his followers, known initially as Millerites, proclaimed that the second coming would occur between March 21, 1843C.E., and March 21, 1844 C.E. The failure of this prediction was called the First Disappointment, and many left the movement. Following this, a second date, October 22, 1844 C.E. was set, and many Adventists disposed of their property in anticipation of the event. The movement was widely ridiculed after the day passed uneventfully. Thereafter many Adventists lost faith and returned to their former churches. Those remaining split into four main bodies, which still continue to flourish