Mainline Protestant

A member of a historically established U.S. Protestant denomination, commonly associated with churches such as the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), and United Methodist Church.

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Protestantism: A branch of Christianity that emerged from the Reformation and includes churches distinct from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Mainline Protestant identity belongs to the broader Protestant tradition.
Protestant Reformation: A sixteenth-century movement that challenged Roman Catholic authority and produced new Christian churches and traditions. Its European churches supplied the theological and institutional roots of U.S. mainline denominations.
Evangelicalism: A Protestant movement emphasizing conversion, biblical authority, the cross, and evangelism. Evangelical churches often differ from mainline denominations in theology, institutions, and political patterns.
National Council of Churches: A U.S. ecumenical organization that brings together Christian denominations for cooperation and public engagement. It has provided a shared institutional platform for many mainline Protestant denominations.
Christian denomination: An organized body within Christianity with shared governance, history, and religious identity. Mainline Protestants belong to established denominational bodies rather than a single unified church.
Puritanism: A movement within English Protestantism that sought to reform the Church of England more thoroughly. Puritan migration and congregational traditions helped shape early American Protestant institutions.
Black church: The diverse network of African American Christian congregations and institutions shaped by Black history and community life. Its history and racial identity do not map neatly onto the conventional mainline category.
Ecumenism: Efforts to promote cooperation and unity among Christian churches. Mainline denominations have often pursued interchurch cooperation through councils and joint initiatives.
Episcopal Church: A U.S. Anglican church with bishops, liturgical worship, and roots in the Church of England. It is one of the denominations commonly identified as mainline Protestant.
Second Great Awakening: A series of Protestant revival movements in the United States during the early nineteenth century. Its revivals expanded Methodist and other churches that later became part of the mainline.