Handbook of Denominations

Adam, I have several editions of the Handbook of Denominations, and I highly recommend it for a general overview of the religious denominations in the United States. The 11th edition is the latest version.

 

Brother Robert just to humor Jeff and I how many Primitive Baptist are there?... Brother Glen

 

Brother Glen, the Handbook of Denominations mentions white Primitive Baptists as a single general group and fails to make any distinction between the various types. It also mentions the National (Black) Primitive Baptist Convention. This is one of the drawbacks of a book with such a large scope. Not only all Primitive Baptists, but also a number of other Baptist bodies, are not mentioned in the book. I wrote Craig Atwood, who revised the 11th edition, and suggested adding some of the larger small Baptist bodies. In fact, your question reminds me that I have not followed up by sending some information he requested (I'd better hop to it!). But it is beyond the scope and intent of the Handbook to identify every group with a denomination.

 

Brother Glen, and all, follow THIS LINK to a more detailed discussion of how many Primitive Baptists there are.

 

I have 2 Questions:
1. How many American Baptist denominations are listed?
2. How many Pentecostal denominations are listed?

 

Handbook of Denominations, 11th edition, 2001

Baptists - 22 (19 under Baptists & 3 under Fundamentalists)

Pentecostals - 25 (including the Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church)

 

Pentecostal free will Baptist? what do they beleive?
**Abby**

 

They are basically Free Will Baptists that embraced the "pentecostal experience" in the early 1900's, eventually pulled away from the regular Free Will Baptists, and finally formed their own conference in 1959. I believe they are MUCH more Pentecostal than Baptist. Here is a link to the Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church, Inc.. You will be able to find information there concerning their history, faith and practice.

 

I own a copy of this book and I have learned a great deal from it. It has introduced me to what others beleived so I had a strong base on what to go on when people ask about differnet churchs and what they believed. A Great work. Highly recommend.