← Back to the Christian History Atlas Communions · branches · reforms · renewal
Christian denomination family tree Christian traditions are related, but not by one clean genealogy. This map shows broad historical lines while preserving councils, politics, migration, reunion, overlapping identities, and the ways living churches understand their own continuity.
37 historical nodes 5 family lenses Linked to full profiles
Selected lineage Apostolic-era churches Ancient communions 1st century Apostolic-era churches Shared starting point Interconnected local churches before later patriarchal, conciliar, and denominational boundaries.
2nd–5th centuries Alexandrian Christianity Developed from Apostolic-era churches 1st–5th centuries Antiochene Christianity Developed from Apostolic-era churches 2nd century onward Latin Christianity Developed from Apostolic-era churches 4th century onward Byzantine Christianity Developed from Apostolic-era churches Eastern churches 4th century onward East Syriac Christianity Developed from Antiochene Christianity After Chalcedon, 451 Coptic Orthodox Developed from Alexandrian Christianity 4th century; distinct hierarchy 1959 Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Developed from Alexandrian Christianity Autocephaly 1993 Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Developed from Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo After Chalcedon, 451 Syriac Orthodox Developed from Antiochene Christianity Royal conversion c. 301 Armenian Apostolic Developed from Antiochene Christianity Byzantine inheritance; separation from Rome gradual Eastern Orthodox communion Developed from Byzantine Christianity Western catholic Latin development; global communion Catholic communion Developed from Latin Christianity Late antique roots Maronite Catholic Developed from Antiochene Christianity Division of 1724 Melkite Greek Catholic Developed from Byzantine Christianity Union of Brest, 1596 Ukrainian Greek Catholic Developed from Byzantine Christianity East Syriac roots; Catholic hierarchy Syro-Malabar Catholic Developed from East Syriac Christianity Reunion movement, 1930 Syro-Malankara Catholic Developed from Syriac Orthodox Union of Utrecht, 1889 Old Catholic Developed from Catholic communion Reformation families 16th century Magisterial Reformation Developed from Latin Christianity 16th century Radical Reformation Developed from Latin Christianity From 1517 Lutheran Developed from Magisterial Reformation From the 1520s Reformed Developed from Magisterial Reformation Late 16th century Congregational Developed from Reformed English Reformation Anglican Developed from Magisterial Reformation From 1525 Anabaptist and Mennonite Developed from Radical Reformation From 1609 Baptist Developed from Radical Reformation From the 1650s Quaker Developed from Radical Reformation 1457; renewed 1722 Moravian Developed from Radical Reformation Renewal and global movements 18th century revival Methodist Developed from Anglican 19th century Wesleyan-Holiness Developed from Methodist Early 20th century Pentecostal Developed from Wesleyan-Holiness From 1960 Charismatic renewal Developed from Pentecostal Early 19th century Stone-Campbell Restoration Developed from Reformed Organized 1863 Seventh-day Adventist Developed from Baptist 19th–20th centuries African Initiated Churches Developed from Apostolic-era churches 20th century Non-denominational networks Developed from Baptist Lines show broad historical relationships, not claims that one modern church simply “became” another. Communities overlap, reunite, divide internally, exchange practices, and describe their own continuity in different theological terms.
