Should Pentecostals be considered their own branch of Christianity?

[DC Al Fine]

Pentecostals are sometimes criticized for teachings practices that clash with the denominations that came out of the Reformation, most notably speaking in tongues, and modalism in the case of Oneness Pentecostals.

Is this enough of a difference to consider them their own branch of Christianity along with Protestantism, Catholicism etc?

[DC Al Fine]

Shia Muslims, and non-Catholic Christians would like to have a word with your chart out back

[DC Al Fine]

Shia Muslims, and non-Catholic Christians would like to have a word with your chart out back

Besides, why are all the Reformed Churches lumped together while the tiny denominations evolved from the CoE are listed separately? Whoever made this chart is very anglo-centric.

Gee I hadn't noticed that. Oh here's another one: Pentecostalism emerges around 1750!

Religion is very complicated, so any attempt to graph is bound to oversimplify and make mistakes. On top of that, it always seems that the people that make these charts make a lot of unforced errors that make the charts even worse.

Ok Blue. I'll stop crapping on that chart you found now.

[DC Al Fine]

Getting back on topic...

I think it would be helpful to use a 'test' like one might develop in a court case to determine what makes a separate wing of Christianity. Here are some potential indicators:

1) Modifying the definition of God
2) Looking to a new authority
3) Introducing major new doctrines
4) Not fellow-shipping with the parent group
5) Significant numbers

Applying this to Pentecostalism, #'s 3 and 5 are a big yes, #4 is a no, and #'s 1 & 2 are 'depends on the sect'. All of that adds up to a big fat 'maybe?'

[DC Al Fine]

They usually are.
Catholic
Orthodox
Protestant
Restorationist (the denominations less than 300 years old, that tend to reject long-held teachings: Mormonism, Pentacostalism, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.)

Orthodox is way too broad.

It is? It's a defined set of churches with shared government structures and a clear theological identity. At least, assuming what's being referred to is Eastern Orthodox rather than small-o orthodox.

Yeah, not quite sure of the reasoning here. If any group is too broad, its Protestantism, i.e. why I started the thread.