Why were so many Christian denominations formed?
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It's complicated, but personally I believe it was because of the influence of Greek philosophy.
Plato and Socrates taught that the more knowledge one had, the more virtue they had. When this started creeping into Christianity, theology was born, as was the the egghead revolution. They started thinking they were smarter than the Holy Spirit. Christianity started getting sliced up into competing camps based on their theological bent. This has been the prevailing order pretty much ever since.
Plato and Socrates taught that the more knowledge one had, the more virtue they had. When this started creeping into Christianity, theology was born, as was the the egghead revolution. They started thinking they were smarter than the Holy Spirit. Christianity started getting sliced up into competing camps based on their theological bent. This has been the prevailing order pretty much ever since.
This question is a very good question, a very diverse question.
To simply answer the question, it is due to the ignorance or sometimes the sins of mankind.
Ignorance from poor hermeneutics and interpretation skills.
Sin due to the cherry-picking of God's Word to fit the personal beliefs of mankind. Some will align with a prophets interpretation or a pastor of the past. It is typically due to lazy theology as it is easier to accept the theology of others versus doing all the study ourselves.
The human side of us enjoys structure. We feel safe in areas where we know what to expect.
Sometimes we divide over translation due to the fact the original language is not our modern language. So some passages like over male only pastors has caused churches to divide.
Divide is actually good or at least the freedom to divide. We are told to divide from what's evil and run towards truth. If a church is in error to such a degree that the truth of God's Word is only sprinkled on top of a mountain of error, then it is best to divide.
Is unity possible? Absolutely. We can unite on the important foundational beliefs of the Christian faith. For example, that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We can debate over small issues like how are we to worship in the sense of instruments, how loud, etc.
But everything has its limits like worship. A song could teach false doctrines that can reach into the foundational beliefs.
I believe the freedom to divide is how God preserves His truth. When a group goes too far into error, people divide in order to preserve truth.
To simply answer the question, it is due to the ignorance or sometimes the sins of mankind.
Ignorance from poor hermeneutics and interpretation skills.
Sin due to the cherry-picking of God's Word to fit the personal beliefs of mankind. Some will align with a prophets interpretation or a pastor of the past. It is typically due to lazy theology as it is easier to accept the theology of others versus doing all the study ourselves.
The human side of us enjoys structure. We feel safe in areas where we know what to expect.
Sometimes we divide over translation due to the fact the original language is not our modern language. So some passages like over male only pastors has caused churches to divide.
Divide is actually good or at least the freedom to divide. We are told to divide from what's evil and run towards truth. If a church is in error to such a degree that the truth of God's Word is only sprinkled on top of a mountain of error, then it is best to divide.
Is unity possible? Absolutely. We can unite on the important foundational beliefs of the Christian faith. For example, that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We can debate over small issues like how are we to worship in the sense of instruments, how loud, etc.
But everything has its limits like worship. A song could teach false doctrines that can reach into the foundational beliefs.
I believe the freedom to divide is how God preserves His truth. When a group goes too far into error, people divide in order to preserve truth.
Love for Jesus and for fellow Christians should impel us to become One in Christ again. Christ prayed in John 17 in His High Priestly prayer that all who believed in Him/all Christians would be one in Him, so that through our Unity the World may believe God had sent Him. Unity is important. We should not have so many denominations in Christendom.
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Paul answered your question here:
1Co 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
1Co 3:5
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Denominations exist because people are carnal or because they are looking to men, and not to God.
1Co 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Denominations exist because people are carnal or because they are looking to men, and not to God.
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