1. Religious Branches
By Mr. Davis

2. Hinduism Vaishnavites - 580,000,000 Shaivites - 220,000,000
neo-Hindus and reform Hindus - 22,000,000
Veerashaivas (Lingayats) - 10,000,000

3. Judaism Branch Number of Adherents Conservative 4,500,000
Unaffiliated and Secular
Reform
3,750,000
Orthodox
2,000,000
Reconstructionist
150,000

4. Christian Family Tree

5. Christianity - Protestant
Branch
Number of Adherents
Pentecostal
105,000,000
Reformed/Presbyterian/Congregational/United
75,000,000
Anglican
73,000,000
Baptist
70,000,000
Methodist
Lutheran
64,000,000
Jehovah's Witnesses
14,800,000
Adventist
12,000,000
Latter Day Saints
12,500,000
Apostolic/New Apostolic
10,000,000
Stone-Campbell ("Restoration Movement")
5,400,000
New Thought (Unity, Christian Science, etc.)
1,500,000
Brethren (incl. Plymouth)
Mennonite
1,250,000

6. Christianity – Other Branch Number of Adherents Catholic 1,050,000,000
Orthodox/Eastern Christian
240,000,000
African indigenous sects (AICs)
110,000,000
Anglican
73,000,000

7. Differences Among Christians
Roman Catholic Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian group that exists today, with more than a billion adherents.
Eastern Orthodox The Orthodox Church became a distinct branch in the 11th century "Great Schism." It is prominent in Russia, Greece and nearby areas.
Protestant Protestantism encompasses numerous denominations and embraces a wide theological spectrum, but all share certain distinctives.
Anglican/Episcopalian Anglicanism is characterized by a via media (middle way) between Catholicism and Protestantism.
Amish The Amish are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination who are especially known for their separation from society and rejection of modern technology.
Baptists Baptists are the largest of the Free Church denominations and are characterized by adult baptism and encouraging religious freedom and separation of church and state.
Lutheran Lutheranism, based on the teachings of Martin Luther, is one of the largest Protestant denominations in the world today.
Presbyterian Presbyterian and Reformed churches share a common origin in the 16th-century Swiss Reformation and the teachings of John Calvin.
Seventh-day Adventists A group known for its Sabbath observance, expectation of Christ, and emphasis on physical health.

8. Islam Branch Number of Adherents Sunni 940,000,000 Shi’ah 120,000,000
Ahmadiyya
10,000,000 *
Druze
450,000

9. Shi’a – Sunni Differences
Sunni
Shia (or Shi'ah)
adherents called
Sunnis
Shiites, Shi'i
current adherents
940 million
120 million
percentage of total Muslims
88%
11%
primary locations
most Muslim countries
Iran, Iraq, Yemen
origins
c. 632 CE; theology developed especially in 10th cent.
c CE; killing of Ali's son Husayn in 680 CE is major event
did Muhammad designate a successor? no
yes
true successor of the Prophet
Abu Bakr, father of the Prophet's favoured wife, 'A'ishah (elected by people of Medina)
'Ali ibn Abi Talib, husband of the Prophet's daughter Fatimah (designated by the Prophet)
current leaders
imams
mujtahids
identity of imams
human leaders
infallible manifestations of God and perfect interpreters of the Qur'an
holy cities
Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem
Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, Najaf, Karbala
major holidays
Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Ashura

10. Pagans
The term, pagan, is derived from the Latin word, paganus, which means a country dweller. Others define it as religions outside of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, while some simply define it as being without a religion. The pagan usually has a belief in many gods (polytheistic), but only one is chosen as the one to worship which represents the chief god and supreme godhead.
History records that worship of many gods, goddesses, and deities was viewed by people as important in worship. It was thought that everything had a spirit and was polytheistic, so people had gods and goddesses of the forest, sea, and all aspects of nature. When the civilizations began to change and develop, the gods grew and changed with the people as they began to acquire gods of their occupations, or gods relevant to their village life. The old gods remained, but were changed or conformed to the changing lives of the people. Gods played an important role in every aspect of society influencing everything from laws and customs to general workings of the community. Reincarnation (rebirth of the body into another bodily form) was believed by the people, but they did not believe in the existence of heaven and hell. Today, Paganism (neo-paganism) celebrates the Earth, living creatures, nature, and so on. Most modern-day pagans believe in more than one god, while others are atheistic.

11. American Pagan’s
practice a variety of forms of traditions, but the most popular are Celtic, Greco-Roman, Native American, ancient Egyptian, and Norse.

12. Kabbalah
During the Middle Ages, this Jewish mystical and magical system developed.

13. Egyptian
This is very popular today, and involves complex spiritual and magical systems centering on death and rebirth. It developed in ancient Egypt when priestesses and priests became known for their level of knowledge and skill in magical arts.

14. Druidism
The original Druids were priestesses and part of the judicial class of the ancient Celts.

15. Discordianism
This began as a Buddhist practice with the main idea being “existence is orderly chaos.” Meditative procedures, confusion and enlightenment, chaos and order, pain and pleasure are revealed as inseparable parts of a total vision of reality.