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Religious Studies & Theology vocabulary · Religious Institutions and Roles

Denomination

Meaning in religious studies & theology, with examples

/dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃən/nounCore term

In religious studies & theology, denomination means: A recognized branch of a religion, especially of Christianity, with its own name, organization and traditions, such as the Lutheran, Methodist or Baptist churches.

In Turkish: mezhep, kilise, dini grup

How it is used

A neutral sociological term, used most often for Protestant churches in the English-speaking world. Phrases: Christian denominations, mainline denominations, across denominations. The adjective denominational also describes schools and colleges run by a particular church.

Example sentences

  1. More than twenty denominations are represented in the city's council of churches.

  2. The survey found that young people switch denominations more often than their parents did.

Common collocations

  • Christian denominations
  • Protestant denomination
  • mainline denominations
  • across denominations
  • ProtestantismThe branch of Christianity that grew out of the sixteenth-century Reformation, stressing the authority of the Bible and salvation by grace through faith.
  • SunniBelonging to the largest branch of Islam, followed by most Muslims worldwide, which accepts the first four caliphs as the rightful successors of the Prophet Muhammad.
  • churchA building for Christian worship; also a particular Christian community or organization, such as the Catholic Church, or Christians as a whole.
  • schismA formal split within a religious community into separate groups, usually over doctrine, authority or practice.

More terms: Religious Institutions and Roles

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