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Why Are There So Many Christian Denominations? | Year 7 Catholic RE Lesson – KS3

This fully resourced Year 7 lesson helps pupils understand why there are so many different Christian denominations today. Focusing on key events like the Great Schism, the Protestant Reformation, and the Council of Trent, the lesson explains how disagreements about beliefs and authority led to splits in the Church.

As part of the Dialogue and Encounter unit, this lesson introduces key terms like ‘schism’, ‘heresy’, and ‘Reformation’ using simple definitions and corrects common misconceptions (e.g. that all Christians believe the same thing or that Protestantism is one single Church).

Aligned with the KS3 Religious Education Directory (RED) and Source & Summit, the lesson supports pupils with a reading age of 10 by using clear timelines, colourful visuals, and structured tasks to explain why different denominations exist, such as Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, and Baptist.

Pupils are encouraged to reflect on the role of Church councils, like Nicaea and Trent, and explore how leaders tried to solve disagreements about Jesus, salvation, and authority.

Ideal for Catholic RE teachers seeking a clear, accessible, and engaging way to teach Church history and Christian diversity in a way that links past decisions with modern Christian life.

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