Western Christianity
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Western Christianity constitutes the Latin Church of the Catholic Church and those denominations historically derived from it, including the Anglican Communion, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Methodism, and other Protestant traditions. The term is used in contrast to Eastern Christianity. Western Christianity makes up about 80% of Christians worldwide.
Western Christianity developed and came to be predominant in most of Western, Northern, Central, Southern and parts of Eastern Europe, ancient Northern Africa, Southern Africa, and throughout Australia and the Western Hemisphere. When used of historical periods since the 16th century, 'Western Christianity' refers collectively to Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, especially in referral to aspects shared (for example ritually, doctrinally, historically and politically) rather than aspects differing between them. Today, the geographical distinction between Western and Eastern Christianity is not nearly as absolute, especially after the spread of missionaries.
See also
- Holy Roman Empire
- Western Orthodoxy
- List of Christian denominations
- Lutheranism
- Protestant Reformation
- Western churches
- Western religion