Report

America’s Changing Religious Landscape

Appendix B: Classification of Protestant Denominations

Table of Contents

This section documents the composition of the three major Protestant traditions (evangelical Protestantism, mainline Protestantism and historically black Protestantism) as they have been defined in this report.²⁷

Protestants were grouped into religious traditions based on the specific denomination with which they identify. For instance, all members of the Southern Baptist Convention have been classified as members of the evangelical Protestant tradition, those who belong to the American Baptist Churches USA are classified as members of the mainline Protestant tradition and those who belong to the National Baptist Convention are classified as members of the historically black Protestant tradition.

Protestant respondents who gave a vague answer to denominational questions (e.g., “I am just a Baptist” or “I know I am Methodist but don’t know which specific Methodist denomination I belong to”) were placed into one of the three Protestant traditions based on their race and/or their response to a question that asked if they would describe themselves as a “born-again or evangelical Christian.” This means that some groups may appear within more than one tradition. For example, independent Baptists appear in both the evangelical Protestant tradition and the historically black Protestant tradition, and a respondent’s placement into one or the other depends on the race of the respondent. These cases are noted in the detailed summary at the end of this appendix.

Overall, 38% of Protestants (including 36% of evangelical Protestants, 35% of mainline Protestants and 53% of those in the historically black Protestant tradition) gave a vague denominational identity, necessitating the use of their race or their born-again status (or sometimes both) to categorize them into one of the three major Protestant traditions.

The table below estimates the size of the largest Protestant denominations and identifies the Protestant tradition to which each belongs. Note that many denominational families include denominations that are associated with more than one Protestant tradition. For example, Baptists are found within all three Protestant traditions, Pentecostals belong to either the evangelical or historically black Protestant tradition and Lutherans belong to either the evangelical or mainline tradition.

Detailed Summary of Protestant Denominations by Tradition and Family

The denominations listed below represent answers given by survey respondents. Some denominations were offered to respondents as explicit answer categories during the interview, while others were volunteered by respondents. Respondents who gave vague denominational affiliations were assigned to a religious tradition based on their race and/or their response to a question that asked whether they would describe themselves as a “born-again or evangelical Christian,” as noted in italics.

Evangelical Protestant Tradition

Baptist in the evangelical tradition

Southern Baptist Convention
Independent Baptist(if non-black)
Baptist Missionary Association(if non-black)
Baptist General Conference/Swedish Baptist
Conservative Baptist Association of America
Free Will Baptist
General Association of Regular Baptists
American Baptist Association
Baptist Bible Church, including Baptist Bible Fellowship(if non-black)
Primitive Baptist(if non-black)
Reformed Baptist (Calvinist)
Fundamentalist Baptist(if non-black)
Seventh Day Baptist
Baptist General Convention of Texas
North American Baptist
Full Gospel Baptist Association(if non-black)
Evangelical Baptist(if non-black)
United Baptist Church
Evangelical Free Baptist
Cowboy Church Baptist
Pentecostal Baptist (if non-black)
Traditional Baptist(if non-black)
Ethnic Baptist (if non-black and born again)
Baptist, not further specified(if non-black and born again)
Baptist, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black and born again)

Methodist in the evangelical tradition

Congregational Methodist
Evangelical Methodist
Independent Methodist(if non-black)
Churches of Christ in Christian Union
Southern Methodist Church
Other ethnic Methodist(if non-black and born again)
Methodist, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black and born again)
Methodist, not further specified(if non-black and born again)

Nondenominational in the evangelical tradition

Nondenominational evangelical
Nondenominational fundamentalist
Nondenominational charismatic
Interdenominational(if born again)
Community church(if born again)
Nondenominational Protestant
Nondenominational Christian
Federated or union church(if born again)
Association of Bridge Churches
Ethnic nondenominational(if non-black and born again)
Electronic ministries
Nondenominational, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black and born again)
Nondenominational, not further specified (if non-black and born again)

Lutheran in the evangelical tradition

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Lutheran Church-Wisconsin Synod
Lutheran Brethren
Church of the Lutheran Confession
Free Lutheran
Apostolic Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ
North American Lutheran Church
Lutheran Church of the Reformation
Conservative Lutheran
Ethnic Lutheran(if born again)
Lutheran, ambiguous affiliation(if born again)
Lutheran, not further specified(if born again)

Presbyterian in the evangelical tradition

Presbyterian Church in America
Associate Reformed Presbyterian
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Orthodox Presbyterian
Evangelical Presbyterian
Reformed Presbyterian
Congregational Presbyterian
Bible Presbyterian Church
Conservative Presbyterian Church
Independent Presbyterian
Covenant Presbyterian Church
ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
Charismatic Presbyterian
Ethnic Presbyterian(if born again)
Presbyterian, ambiguous affiliation(if born again)
Presbyterian, not further specified(if born again)

Pentecostal in the evangelical tradition

Assemblies of God
Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.)
Four Square Gospel (Four Square)
Pentecostal Church of God
Pentecostal Holiness Church
Church of God of the Apostolic Faith
Assembly of Christian Churches
Church of God of Prophecy
Vineyard Fellowship
Open Bible Standard Churches
Full Gospel(if non-black)
Calvary Chapel
Apostolic Pentecostal(if non-black)
Nondenominational, independent Pentecostal(if non-black)
Missionary Church
Elim Fellowship
International Pentecostal Church of Christ
Evangelical Pentecostal
Church of God of Kentucky
Charismatic(if non-black)
Home church (if non-black)
International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church
Other ethnic Pentecostal(if non-black)
Electronic ministries (if non-black)
Pentecostal, ambiguous affiliation (if non-black)
Pentecostal, not further specified (if non-black)

Anglican/Episcopalian in the evangelical tradition

Anglican Orthodox Church
Evangelical Anglican/Episcopalian
Anglican/Episcopalian, ambiguous affiliation(if born again)
Anglican/Episcopalian, not further specified(if born again)

Restorationist in the evangelical tradition

Church of Christ
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
Restorationist, ambiguous affiliation(if born again)
Restorationist, not further specified(if born again)

Congregational in the evangelical tradition

Conservative Congregational Christian
National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
Evangelical Congregational
Independent Congregational Church
Ethnic Congregationalist(if born again)
Congregationalist, ambiguous affiliation(if born again)
Congregationalist, not further specified(if born again)

Holiness in the evangelical tradition

Church of the Nazarene
Wesleyan Church
Free Methodist Church
Christian and Missionary Alliance
Church of God (Anderson, Ind.)
Salvation Army
Wesleyan Methodist Church
Pilgrim Holiness Church
Free Holiness Holiness, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black)
Holiness, not further specified(if non-black)

Reformed in the evangelical tradition

Christian Reformed Church
Sovereign Grace
Evangelical Reformed
Independent Reformed
Reformed Church in the United States (German Reformed)
Calvinist
Protestant Reformed Church
Reformed, ambiguous affiliation(if born again)
Reformed, not further specified(if born again)

Adventist in the evangelical tradition

Seventh-day Adventist
Advent Christian
Worldwide Church of God/Grace Communion International
Church of God General Conference
Church of God (Seventh-day)
United Church of God
Living Church of God

Anabaptist in the evangelical tradition

Grace Brethren Church
Brethren in Christ
Mennonite Brethren
Amish
United Brethren in Christ, United Brethren
Social Brethren
Brethren, not further specified(if born again)
Mennonite, not further specified
Anabaptist, not further specified(if born again)

Pietist in the evangelical tradition

Evangelical Covenant Church (covenant)
Evangelical Free Church (free church)

Other evangelical/fundamentalist

“Evangelical”
“Born again,” “Bible believers,” etc.
Evangelical Bible Church
Plymouth Brethren
Bible, Gospel, Missionary Churches
Fundamentalist, not further specified
“Charismatic,” “spirit filled”
Electronic ministries

Protestant non-specific in the evangelical tradition

Home church(if non-black and born again)
Mixed Protestants (if non-black and born again)
Other Protestant non-specific(if non-black and born again)

Mainline Protestant Tradition

Baptist in the mainline tradition

American Baptist Churches USA
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship; Baptist Alliance
Liberal/progressive/moderate Baptist
Ethnic Baptist (if non-black and not born again)
Baptist, not further specified(if non-black and not born again)
Baptist, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black and not born again)

Methodist in the mainline tradition

United Methodist Church
Evangelical United Brethren
Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Protestant Church
Other ethnic Methodist(if non-black and not born again)
Methodist, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black and not born again)
Methodist, not further specified(if non-black and not born again)

Nondenominational in the mainline tradition

Interdenominational(if not born again)
Community Church(if not born again)
Federated or union church(if not born again)
Emergent Church
Liberal/moderate nondenominational
Ethnic nondenominational(if non-black and not born again)
Nondenominational, ambiguous affiliation(if non-black and not born again) Nondenominational, not further specified (if non-black and not born again)

Lutheran in the mainline tradition

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
American Lutheran Church/Lutheran Church in America
Ethnic Lutheran(if not born again)
Lutheran, ambiguous affiliation(if not born again)
Lutheran, not further specified(if not born again)

Presbyterian in the mainline tradition

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Scotch Presbyterian
United Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church of Canada
Southern Presbyterian; Presbyterian Church in the United States
Ethnic Presbyterian(if not born again)
Presbyterian, ambiguous affiliation(if not born again)
Presbyterian, not further specified(if not born again)

Anglican/Episcopalian in the mainline tradition

Episcopal Church
Anglican Church (Church of England)
Church of Ireland
Anglican/Episcopalian, ambiguous affiliation(if not born again)
Anglican/Episcopalian, not further specified(if not born again)

Restorationist in the mainline tradition

Disciples of Christ
Restorationist, ambiguous affiliation(if not born again)
Restorationist, not further specified(if not born again)

Congregational in the mainline tradition

United Church of Christ
Liberal/progressive Congregational
Ethnic Congregationalist(if not born again)
Congregationalist, ambiguous affiliation(if not born again)
Congregationalist, not further specified(if not born again)

Reformed in the mainline tradition

Reformed Church in America (Dutch Reformed)
Free Hungarian Reformed Church
Reformed, ambiguous affiliation(if not born again)
Reformed, not further specified(if not born again)

Anabaptist in the mainline tradition

Church of the Brethren
Moravian Church
Brethren, not further specified(if not born again)
Anabaptist, not further specified(if not born again)

Friends in the mainline tradition

Society of Friends
Friends/Quaker not further specified

Other/Protestant non-specific in the mainline tradition

Home church(if non-black and not born again)
Mixed Protestants (if non-black and not born again)
“Ecumenical”
United Church of Canada
Metropolitan Community Church
Other Protestant non-specific(if non-black and not born again)

Historically Black Protestant Tradition

Baptist in the historically black Protestant tradition

National Baptist Convention
Progressive Baptist Convention
International Baptist
Independent Baptist(if black)
Missionary Baptist (if black)
Baptist Bible Fellowship (if black)
Primitive Baptist (if black)
Full Gospel Baptist(if black)
Evangelical Baptist(if black)
Pentecostal Baptist(if black)
Traditional Baptist(if black)
Black Baptist
Other ethnic Baptist (if black)
Electronic Baptist ministries(if black)
Baptist, not further specified(if black)
Baptist, ambiguous affiliation(if black)

Methodist in the historically black Protestant tradition

African Methodist Episcopal
African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Independent Methodist(if black)
Black Methodist
Methodist, ambiguous affiliation(if black)
Methodist, not further specified(if black)

Nondenominational in the historically black Protestant tradition

Black nondenominational
Other ethnic nondenominational(if black)
Nondenominational, ambiguous affiliation (if black)
Nondenominational, not further specified (if black)

Pentecostal in the historically black Protestant tradition

Church of God in Christ
United Pentecostal Church International
United House of Prayer for All People
Black Pentecostal
Apostolic Pentecostal (if black)
New Testament Church of God
Nondenominational, independent Pentecostal (if black)
Full Gospel(if black)
Deeper Life Bible Church/Deeper Christian Life Ministry
Other ethnic Pentecostal(if black)
Electronic ministries(if black)
Pentecostal, ambiguous affiliation(if black)
Pentecostal, not further specified (if black)

Holiness in the historically black Protestant tradition

Independent Holiness
Apostolic Holiness Church
Holiness Baptist
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God
Church of the Living God
Black Holiness
Holiness, ambiguous affiliation(if black)
Holiness, not further specified(if black)

Protestant non-specific in the historically black Protestant tradition

Home church(if black)
Mixed Protestants(if black)
Other Protestant non-specific(if black)

Next: Appendix C: Putting Findings From the Religious Landscape Study Into Context

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The same approach to categorizing a respondent’s current religious tradition was used to define the traditions in which respondents were raised (see Q.J1-Q.J3v and CHBORN) and the tradition with which the respondent’s spouse or partner identifies (see Q.K1-Q.K3v, SPBORN, SPHISP and SPRACE).↩