Religious denomination

A religious denomination is an organized branch of a religion with a distinct identity, teachings, practices, and institutions, while remaining part of a broader religious tradition.

Religious organization: A structured community or institution organized around religious beliefs and practices. Denominations coordinate congregations and institutions through varying forms of governance.
Schism: A formal division within a religious community that produces separate groups or institutions. A schism can establish separate institutions that later function as denominations.
Religious sect: A religious group regarded as distinct from a larger tradition, often because of its separate organization or teachings. The term often implies stronger separation or outsider status than denomination.
Roman Catholic Church: The worldwide Christian church in communion with the bishop of Rome, the pope. It is a large, centralized church often classified as a Christian denomination.
Ecumenism: Efforts to foster cooperation or unity among Christian churches and traditions. Ecumenical work addresses divisions among denominations without requiring their immediate merger.
Congregation: A local community that gathers for religious worship and shared activities. Congregations are local communities that may belong to a denomination.
Protestant Reformation: A sixteenth-century movement that challenged Roman Catholic authority and produced Protestant churches. The Reformation generated many lasting Protestant denominational traditions.
Religious movement: A collective effort to promote or renew religious beliefs and practices. Movements may cross denominational boundaries without forming a stable institution.
Lutheranism: A Protestant Christian tradition shaped by the teachings of Martin Luther and the Reformation. Its churches share historical roots while differing in organization across regions.
Interfaith dialogue: Conversation and cooperation among people or institutions from different religious traditions. Denominational institutions often represent communities in wider religious dialogue.

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Southern Baptist ConventionNarrower topic: The convention is a denominational structure built from independent churches.