‘Denominations…seem to be an inevitable aspect of our fallen nature’

Kate Orson reminds us that we are meant to be unified, so need to learn to disagree well

There are a lot of Christian denominations. Some figures flying around claim numbers in the region of 30,000-45,000. While these are widely exaggerated, there are still a lot. Do we need them all, and are they crucial to the Christian faith? 

Unity is God’s intention

Perhaps a good place to start reflecting on this is how the denominations came about. We see one of the earliest splits occurring in Act 15, when some of the Jewish Christians started claiming that Christians needed to be circumcised and follow the law of Moses. Despite discussion with the apostles and confirmation from the Holy Spirit that this was not necessary, some believers continued to teach this.