Communities · texts · context
Denominations and sacred texts
A respectful directory of branches, denominations, schools, lineages, and movements. Each profile leads to the specific text or canon connected to that community.
Christianity
Branches, communions, denominations, and movements with distinct approaches to canon and scripture.
Branch · Catholic
Latin / Roman Catholic Church
The largest Catholic church and the form often meant by “Roman Catholic.”
Branch · Catholic
Eastern Catholic Churches
Self-governing Catholic churches that preserve Eastern liturgies and spiritual traditions while being in communion with Rome.
Branch · Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
A communion of autocephalous churches shaped by Byzantine liturgy, councils, icons, and Holy Tradition.
Branch · Oriental Orthodox
Oriental Orthodox Christianity
Ancient churches including Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Malankara traditions.
Branch · Church of the East
Church of the East traditions
Assyrian and related East Syriac Christian traditions with a distinctive Syriac heritage.
Branch · Anglican
Anglican Christianity
A global family with Church of England heritage and varied evangelical, Anglo-Catholic, and broad-church streams.
Denomination · Protestant
Lutheran
Reformation churches shaped by Lutheran confessions and worship traditions.
Denomination · Protestant
Reformed
Churches rooted in Reformed confessions and theology.
Denomination · Protestant
Presbyterian
Reformed churches organized through elder-led governance.
Denomination · Protestant
Baptist
Churches emphasizing believer’s baptism and local congregation governance.
Denomination · Protestant
Methodist / Wesleyan
Churches shaped by Wesleyan traditions of grace, discipleship, and service.
Denomination · Protestant
Congregationalist
Churches with congregational governance and Reformed roots.
Branch · Protestant
Anabaptist / Mennonite / Amish / Hutterite
Historic peace-church traditions emphasizing discipleship, community, and adult baptism.
Denomination · Protestant
Adventist
Churches shaped by Adventist renewal and expectation of Christ’s return.
Movement · Protestant
Holiness movement
Wesleyan-rooted churches and movements emphasizing sanctification and holy living.
Branch · Protestant
Pentecostal
Churches emphasizing the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and expressive worship.
Movement · Protestant
Non-denominational / independent churches
Local churches and networks outside older denominational structures.
Branch · Restorationist
Churches of Christ / Christian Churches / Disciples of Christ
Stone-Campbell traditions seeking unity and restoration of early Christian practice.
Denomination · Restorationist
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A restorationist church with four standard works of scripture.
Denomination · Restorationist
Community of Christ
A restorationist church historically connected to the Latter Day Saint movement.
Denomination · Restorationist
Jehovah’s Witnesses
A Christian-derived restorationist movement with a named Bible translation.
Denomination · Restorationist
Christadelphians
A non-Trinitarian restorationist community centered on Bible study.
Branch · Pentecostal
Oneness Pentecostal groups
Pentecostal churches with a non-Trinitarian theology of God.
Denomination · Christian-derived
Christian Science
A movement founded by Mary Baker Eddy that emphasizes spiritual healing.
Branch · Quaker
Religious Society of Friends / Quakers
A movement with liberal, evangelical, conservative, and programmed Friends traditions.
Branch · Old Catholic
Old Catholic Churches
Churches retaining Catholic sacramental identity and episcopacy outside Roman communion.
Islam
Branches, legal schools, theological traditions, and spiritual paths centered on the Qur'an.
Branch · Islam
Sunni Islam
The largest Muslim branch, encompassing diverse legal and theological traditions.
Branch · Islam
Shia Islam
Muslim communities that emphasize the Prophet’s family and the authority of Imams.
Branch · Islam
Ibadi Islam
A smaller historic Muslim branch associated especially with Oman and North Africa.
School · Sunni legal school
Hanafi school
A Sunni school of Islamic jurisprudence; it does not use a separate Qur’an edition.
School · Sunni legal school
Maliki school
A Sunni school of Islamic jurisprudence; it does not use a separate Qur’an edition.
School · Sunni legal school
Shafi‘i school
A Sunni school of Islamic jurisprudence; it does not use a separate Qur’an edition.
School · Sunni legal school
Hanbali school
A Sunni school of Islamic jurisprudence; it does not use a separate Qur’an edition.
Branch · Shia
Twelver Shia
A Muslim tradition using the Qur’an; interpretive and devotional authorities differ by community.
Branch · Shia
Ismaili Shia
A Muslim tradition using the Qur’an; interpretive and devotional authorities differ by community.
Branch · Shia
Zaidi Shia
A Muslim tradition using the Qur’an; interpretive and devotional authorities differ by community.
Movement · Spirituality
Sufism / Tasawwuf
A Muslim tradition using the Qur’an; interpretive and devotional authorities differ by community.
Judaism
Religious movements, communities, and related traditions grounded in Jewish texts and practice.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Orthodox Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Conservative Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Reform Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Reconstructionist Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Humanistic Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Renewal Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Denomination · Jewish movement
Karaite Judaism
A Jewish movement with its own approach to interpretation, law, and communal life.
Community · Related tradition
Samaritan tradition
A historically related community generally treated as distinct from mainstream Judaism.
Movement · Related movement
Messianic Judaism
A movement that identifies Jesus/Yeshua as Messiah and is generally not recognized as Judaism by mainstream Jewish movements.
Hinduism
Devotional traditions, schools, and lineages with different relationships to a broad textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Vaishnavism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Shaivism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Shaktism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Smartism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Sri Vaishnavism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
ISKCON / Hare Krishna
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Madhva tradition
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Rama traditions
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Lingayat / Veerashaiva
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Kashmir Shaivism
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Shaiva Siddhanta
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Tantric Shakta traditions
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Swaminarayan tradition
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Arya Samaj
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
School · Hindu tradition
Ramakrishna Mission / Vedanta Societies
A Hindu tradition within a broad and non-centralized textual inheritance.
Buddhism
Branches and schools using distinct collections of discourses, sutras, tantras, and commentaries.
School · Buddhist tradition
Theravada Buddhism
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Mahayana Buddhism
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Vajrayana Buddhism
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Zen / Chan / Seon / Thiền
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Pure Land Buddhism
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Nichiren Buddhism
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Tiantai / Tendai
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Huayan / Kegon
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Shingon Buddhism
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Nyingma
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Kagyu
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Sakya
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Gelug
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
School · Buddhist tradition
Jonang
A Buddhist tradition with a distinct regional, philosophical, or lineage context.
Sikhism
Sikh traditions and movements centered on the Guru Granth Sahib, with context where usage varies.
Community · Sikh tradition
Khalsa Sikhism
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Nihang Sikhs
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Namdhari Sikhs
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Nirankari movements
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Udasi tradition
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Nirmala tradition
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Akhand Kirtani Jatha
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Community · Sikh tradition
Damdami Taksal
A Sikh community or movement with a distinct historical and practice context.
Movement · Related movement
Radha Soami-related movements
A family of related movements that the supplied guide says is usually treated as separate.
Daoism
Philosophical, ritual, and organized Daoist traditions with distinct textual collections.
School · Daoist tradition
Philosophical Daoism / Daojia
A Daoist school or category with a distinct relationship to classical and ritual texts.
School · Daoist tradition
Religious Daoism / Daojiao
A Daoist school or category with a distinct relationship to classical and ritual texts.
School · Daoist tradition
Zhengyi / Orthodox Unity
A Daoist school or category with a distinct relationship to classical and ritual texts.
School · Daoist tradition
Quanzhen / Complete Perfection
A Daoist school or category with a distinct relationship to classical and ritual texts.
Confucianism
Classical, Neo-Confucian, and regional traditions shaped by a shared textual heritage.
School · Confucian tradition
Classical Confucianism
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
School · Confucian tradition
Neo-Confucianism
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
School · Confucian tradition
Cheng-Zhu school
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
School · Confucian tradition
Lu-Wang / School of Mind
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
School · Confucian tradition
New Confucianism
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
School · Confucian tradition
Korean Confucianism
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
School · Confucian tradition
Japanese Confucianism
A Confucian school or regional tradition shaped by classical texts and commentarial lineages.
Shinto
Shrine, sect, folk, and historical forms of a non-centralized Japanese tradition.
Community · Shinto tradition
Shrine Shinto / Jinja Shinto
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Community · Shinto tradition
Sect Shinto / Kyōha Shintō
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Community · Shinto tradition
Folk Shinto / Minzoku Shintō
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Community · Shinto tradition
Ise Shinto
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Community · Shinto tradition
Izumo Shinto
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Community · Shinto tradition
Konkokyo
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Community · Shinto tradition
Tenrikyo
A Shinto form or community with regional and ritual diversity.
Jainism
Major Jain branches and sub-traditions with different scriptural collections and monastic histories.
Branch · Jain tradition
Digambara Jainism
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Branch · Jain tradition
Śvetāmbara Jainism
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Branch · Jain tradition
Digambara Terapanth
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Branch · Jain tradition
Taran Panth
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Branch · Jain tradition
Śvetāmbara Murtipujaka
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Branch · Jain tradition
Sthanakvasi
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Branch · Jain tradition
Śvetāmbara Terapanth
A Jain branch or sub-tradition with a distinct monastic and textual history.
Zoroastrianism
Communities and interpretive streams that share the Avesta while differing in calendar and communal practice.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Parsi Zoroastrians
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Iranian Zoroastrians
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Shahenshahi calendar tradition
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Kadmi calendar tradition
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Fasli calendar tradition
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Reformist Zoroastrianism
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Community · Zoroastrian tradition
Gathic / Zarathushtrian reform movement
A Zoroastrian community or interpretive stream; calendar and communal practice distinctions do not create a different Avesta.
Bahá’í Faith
Mainstream and related Bahá’í/Bábí communities with carefully distinguished scriptural authorities.
Community · Bahá’í / Bábí tradition
Mainstream Bahá’í Faith
A Bahá’í or related Bábí community with a distinct historical and administrative context.
Community · Bahá’í / Bábí tradition
Bábism / Bábí Faith
A Bahá’í or related Bábí community with a distinct historical and administrative context.
Community · Bahá’í / Bábí tradition
Azali Bábism
A Bahá’í or related Bábí community with a distinct historical and administrative context.
Community · Bahá’í / Bábí tradition
Orthodox Bahá’í Faith
A Bahá’í or related Bábí community with a distinct historical and administrative context.
Community · Bahá’í / Bábí tradition
Free Bahá’ís
A Bahá’í or related Bábí community with a distinct historical and administrative context.