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'''Mainline''' Protestant churches in America include the [[United Methodist Church]], the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]], The [[Episcopal Church]], the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]], the [[United Church of Christ]], the [[Disciples of Christ]], the [[American Baptist Churches USA|American Baptist Churches]], and some smaller churches.  Notably, the largest American Protestant denomination, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], is not counted within this group due to its conservative theology (though according to some sources such as the liberal Pew Research, two of its most recent splinter groups—the openly-liberal [[Alliance of Baptists]] and the so-called "moderate" [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]]—are counted as mainline; the SBC itself is considered [[Evangelical]]).

'''Mainline''' Protestantism is one of four major movements within Protestantism; the other three are [[evangelical]], [[fundamentalism]], and [[Pentecostal]]/[[charismatic]].  They grew rapidly during the [[Great Awakening]] from the 1740s to the 1940s and dominated religion in America even into the 1950's, but they have been shrinking in membership and are now down to about 26 million.  Though Catholics have long outnumbered Protestants in general, mainline adherents are now outnumbered by evangelical and Pentecostal/charismatic Christians; only fundamentalism has a smaller following among Protestants.

They grew rapidly during the [[Great Awakening]] from the 1740s to the 1940s.  

Theologically they were generally evangelical in the 19th century, liberal or modernist in the early 20th century, and now generally favor [[Neo-orthodoxy]]. Theology is not a central concern, and they rarely engage in heresy trials. However all have been deeply divided in recent years by such issues as homosexuality.  The Mainline churches founded many colleges, universities and divinity schools.  They were leaders in many reform movements, ranging from anti-slavery to temperance to the [[Social Gospel]] and [[Civil Rights Movement]].  They are organizers and dominate the [[National Council of Churches]].

Down to the 1950s they dominated religion in America, but they have been shrinking in membership and are now down to about 26 million.  Though Catholics have long outnumbered Protestants in general, mainline adherents are now outnumbered by [[Evangelical Christians]] and by Pentecostal/Charismatic Christians.

Mainline Protestant churches in America include the [[United Methodist Church]], the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]], The [[Episcopal Church]], the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]], the [[United Church of Christ]], the [[Disciples of Christ]], the [[American Baptist Churches USA|American Baptist Churches]], and some smaller churches.  Notably, the largest American Protestant denomination, the [[Southern Baptist Convention]], is not counted within this group due to its conservative theology and is considered evangelical (though according to some sources such as the liberal Pew Research, two of its splinter groups—the openly-liberal [[Alliance of Baptists]] and the so-called "moderate" [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]]—are counted as mainline).

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Ahlstrom, Sydney E. ''A Religious History of the American People'' (1976; 2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Religious-History-American-People/dp/0300100124/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243520377&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]; see [[A Religious History of the American People]]

* Ahlstrom, Sydney E. ''A Religious History of the American People'' (1976; 2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Religious-History-American-People/dp/0300100124/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243520377&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]; see [[A Religious History of the American People]]