denomination

A denomination is a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church. It is a distinct religious body within a larger religion, often with its own specific beliefs, practices, and organizational structure. Christianity is the world's largest religion, with over two billion followers, and is broadly divided into Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Protestantism itself encompasses numerous denominations, such as Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, each with unique traditions and interpretations of scripture. The term "sect" can also refer to a dissenting or schismatic religious group, sometimes viewed as extreme or heretical, or more broadly as a religious denomination.123