Try “Becket”, “Moscow” or a year such as “1492”.

← The three churches

Protestant churches

From 1517, reformers sought to renew the one Church; Rome excommunicated Luther in 1521. Protestants find continuity in Scripture and faith rather than in a line of bishops, so these columns show founders and movements, not successions.

Shown through selected figures.

LutheranReformers and movements · no single succession
ReformedReformers and movements · no single succession
Free churchesAnabaptist, Baptist, Quaker, Methodist, Pentecostal
1st–15th c.
See the main chart for the centuries before
16th c.
Martin Luther1483–1546 · LutheranPosted the Ninety-five Theses, 1517.Philipp Melanchthon1497–1560 · LutheranDrafted the Augsburg Confession, 1530.Laurentius Petri1499–1573 · LutheranFirst Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala.
Huldrych Zwingli1484–1531 · ReformedLed the Reformation in Zurich.Martin Bucer1491–1551 · ReformedLed reform in Strasbourg.Heinrich Bullinger1504–1575 · ReformedSucceeded Zwingli in Zurich, 1531.John Calvin1509–1564 · ReformedWrote the Institutes, 1536.John Knoxc. 1514–1572 · PresbyterianLed the Scottish Reformation, 1560.Theodore Beza1519–1605 · ReformedSucceeded Calvin in Geneva, 1564.
Menno Simons1496–1561 · AnabaptistGathered the scattered Anabaptists.
17th c.
JAJacob Arminius1560–1609 · ReformedChallenged Calvinist predestination.
THThomas Helwysc. 1575–c. 1616 · BaptistFounded England's first Baptist church.George Fox1624–1691 · QuakerBegan the Quaker movement, 1652.
18th c.
Nicolaus Zinzendorf1700–1760 · MoravianRenewed the Moravian Church, 1727.
John Wesley1703–1791 · MethodistBegan Methodism as an Anglican priest.William Carey1761–1834 · BaptistSailed as a missionary to India, 1793.
19th c.
Richard Allen1760–1831 · MethodistFounded the AME Church, 1816.William Booth1829–1912 · Salvation ArmyBegan The Salvation Army's work, 1865.Pandita Ramabai1858–1922 · EvangelicalFounded the Mukti Mission in India.
20th c.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer1906–1945 · LutheranResisted Hitler; executed in 1945.
William J. Seymour1870–1922 · PentecostalLed the Azusa Street Revival, 1906.William Wadé Harrisc. 1860–1929 · EvangelicalPreached across West Africa, 1913.Billy Graham1918–2018 · EvangelicalPreached to millions on six continents.Martin Luther King Jr.1929–1968 · BaptistLed the US civil rights movement.
21st c.

16th century

Martin LutherLutheran · 1483–1546 · LutheranPosted the Ninety-five Theses, 1517.Huldrych ZwingliReformed · 1484–1531 · ReformedLed the Reformation in Zurich.Martin BucerReformed · 1491–1551 · ReformedLed reform in Strasbourg.Philipp MelanchthonLutheran · 1497–1560 · LutheranDrafted the Augsburg Confession, 1530.Laurentius PetriLutheran · 1499–1573 · LutheranFirst Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala.Heinrich BullingerReformed · 1504–1575 · ReformedSucceeded Zwingli in Zurich, 1531.John CalvinReformed · 1509–1564 · ReformedWrote the Institutes, 1536.Menno SimonsFree church · 1496–1561 · AnabaptistGathered the scattered Anabaptists.John KnoxReformed · c. 1514–1572 · PresbyterianLed the Scottish Reformation, 1560.Theodore BezaReformed · 1519–1605 · ReformedSucceeded Calvin in Geneva, 1564.

17th century

JAJacob ArminiusReformed · 1560–1609 · ReformedChallenged Calvinist predestination.THThomas HelwysFree church · c. 1575–c. 1616 · BaptistFounded England's first Baptist church.George FoxFree church · 1624–1691 · QuakerBegan the Quaker movement, 1652.

18th century

Nicolaus ZinzendorfLutheran · 1700–1760 · MoravianRenewed the Moravian Church, 1727.John WesleyFree church · 1703–1791 · MethodistBegan Methodism as an Anglican priest.William CareyFree church · 1761–1834 · BaptistSailed as a missionary to India, 1793.

19th century

Richard AllenFree church · 1760–1831 · MethodistFounded the AME Church, 1816.William BoothFree church · 1829–1912 · Salvation ArmyBegan The Salvation Army's work, 1865.Pandita RamabaiFree church · 1858–1922 · EvangelicalFounded the Mukti Mission in India.

20th century

William J. SeymourFree church · 1870–1922 · PentecostalLed the Azusa Street Revival, 1906.William Wadé HarrisFree church · c. 1860–1929 · EvangelicalPreached across West Africa, 1913.Dietrich BonhoefferLutheran · 1906–1945 · LutheranResisted Hitler; executed in 1945.Billy GrahamFree church · 1918–2018 · EvangelicalPreached to millions on six continents.Martin Luther King Jr.Free church · 1929–1968 · BaptistLed the US civil rights movement.

21st century

Figures are placed in the century in which most of their tenure fell; founders are placed at the year of the act they are known for. Source: Wikipedia, September 2026.

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