Where does the claim of 30,000+ protestant denominations come from and what exactly defines a denomination?

I would say we aren't a denomination.... we didn't split.
So then, what would you call the "Great Schism" of 1054?

Then, there's the
 
Oh, like Lady of Carmel church, lady of Perpetual hope church, st Louis cathedral, st Peter's basilica, church of Saint Mary's, and a host of other names that still denote an rcc establishment. All non rcc churches have a name doesn't mean they are all teaching different doctrine.
No those are Catholic. "One faith", not many.
 
I've read, on these very threads, the claim that protestantism is a mass of disunity comprised of 30,000+ denominations. I'm curious what a denomination is defined as. Is it a self governing church? Is it a church that maintains a jurisdiction (semi-autonomous)? I'm just seeking what rc's define as a denomination to justify the claim there are 30,000+ protestant denominations. Now, that said, if we can get past that question, what statistical data base do rc's refer to when they claim there are 30,000+ protestant denominations. There must be an authoritative resource that has compiled such data and I'm curious to see just who/what that is for rc's and how dependable it is as a resource.
This tally comes from the 2001 World Christian Encyclopedia, and it includes all denominations and paradenominations which self-identify as Christian, including Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Old Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Gnostics, Bogomils, etc.
And even so, the number is too high. The World Christian Encyclopedia artificially inflates the number of Catholic "denominations" by counting Eastern Churches in communion with Rome as separate denominations. It likewise inflates the number of Eastern Orthodox "denominations" by counting Churches in communion with each other as distinct.


This reference lists 8,973 denominations under the heading "Protestant," and 22,146 more under the heading "Independent." Some, but not all, of the "independent" denominations may justly be described as Protestant. Still, these numbers may be inflated similarly to the numbers for Catholics and Orthodox. Suffice it to say that there are thousands of Protestant denominations."


Also note: there is no such thing as a denomination of one:
And yet Catholics would consider my independent church as a denomination
 
So then, what would you call the "Great Schism" of 1054?

Then, there's the
Hey, Arch Stanton, do you need more time to reply?
 
Even if it is 5, that is 4 too many! One faith, one flock, one shepherd, one spirit, one body, one heart and mind, no divisions.
And All "Catholics" are in unity???? Tell us another one!!! Rome threw away a significant portion of Caholics years ago when they grabbed the "primacy". You couldn't even elect a Catholic to be the Pope!!!
 
This is a logical fallacy called "begging the question". It has not been established that Catholicism is "Christ's One True Church" and the fact that there are numerous denominations within Catholicism show your claim to be untrue.
You must be confusing denominations with the 24 Catholic Rites.... one of which is the Latin [Roman] Rite.
 
And All "Catholics" are in unity???? Tell us another one!!! Rome threw away a significant portion of Caholics years ago when they grabbed the "primacy". You couldn't even elect a Catholic to be the Pope!!!
“All in the Church must preserve unity in essentials. But let all, according to the gifts they have received enjoy a proper freedom, in their various forms of spiritual life and discipline, in their different liturgical rites, and even in their theological elaborations of revealed truth.”

UR 4
 
“All in the Church must preserve unity in essentials. But let all, according to the gifts they have received enjoy a proper freedom, in their various forms of spiritual life and discipline, in their different liturgical rites, and even in their theological elaborations of revealed truth.”

UR 4
SO from your OWN WORDS, there's no "Catholic Unity".
 
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