Why did the Christian church split into so many denominations in the 16th century?

Mostly because people either wanted to understand the Bible in their own language instead of Greek and Latin, or they wanted to get their own way in the matters of theology. They would change little things about the original belief in order to fit it to their liking.

This still happens today.

Methodists are 17th century. But yeah, it’s a pretty dramatic turn of events indeed. Two factors play in it dramatically:

1) the printing press. Movable type had been invented in the mid fifteenth century and had spread all over Europe by 1500. Luther’s writings were printed tens of thousands of times before the catholic church even officially responded to him. By the time of the Diet of Worms he was a media superstar. John of Hus, the previous major challenger of the church, had only a very regional following.

2) overstretch of the Habsburg Empire. Charles V was not just holy Roman Emperor, but also king of Spain, which included Southern Italy and a budding American empire. Controlling the German princes proved impossible from Madrid. Yes he moved back and forth but ultimately Spain was more important to him. Until the ascent of Charles V, power in the HRE had always hinged between a Germany-oriented emperor and a Italy-centered pope. Now, suddenly, even working together the Pope and the Emperor could no longer control Germany. Obviously that had to do with the fact that the Emperor had other worries than Germany.

Probably the printing press had the most effect. Many groups, finding themselves in the possession of the (mass printed) Bible, attempted to correct the centuries of non-biblical practices and ultimately fragmented into disunity.

Most of these churches were not splits from one another, but from the Catholic church.

Someone above mentioned the political environment, which made the growth of denominations easier, but I think was less the cause and more a catalyst. (It is still well said)

Actually, Christianity was split up into many denomiations long before the 16th century. Mostly, because there once was several versions of the Holy Bible. Depending on which version you followed depended on which denomination you were part of. Also, it is well known that there are many books to the Bible that were left out. For example, there is another book that talks about Daniel. It is called the Book of Bel and the Dragon. It talks about how Daniel was way more than just a humble guy that was thrown to the lions.
The books that were left out were discarded because there was an attempt to stream-line the faith (orthodox) into one cohesive faith. Also, the opinions of the high priests at the time made a huge impact. Individuals, were responsible for the final version of the Bible we see now. But there was much, much more to it than what we see now.
As another example, there is a book about a woman named Lillith. She was made of earth like Adam, and when she refused to lie under him Adam complained to God that his partner should submit to him. When Lillith refused to do what Adam wanted she ran and uttered the named of God. This gave her a lot of power, and she flew away and never returned. The book itself does not say that she was evil, but later writings say that Lillith turned into a demon.
I think the book was left out because at the time it was not okay for women to be thought of as being equal. Lillith was after all made from earth like Adam, and not made from part of him like Eve. I don’t think the church at the time thought it would be a good idea for women to be anything other than **********.

Sorry, I know that is a long answer. My main point is, that Christianity was never completely cohesive, so it only makes since that it split up into different denominations.

they fell into a teaching brief called fide.def= faith only and sola scripture= scripture alone
with those 2 undertakings christians were taught that as long as you have faith and you understand your own interpretation of scripture you are saved. now we have nearly 40,000 different denominations of christian religion, because they refuse to acknowledge the true authority given by jesus when he started his church

No, they were not the first groups of people to renounce Catholicism. Many “heretic” groups were slaughtered for opposing the Catholic church. The first major church split formed the Eastern Orthodox faith in the 1000s.

Products of the Separatist Movement
(Wanting to correct the Church from within, but unable. Also, some wanted complete separation from state church(anabaptists).)

–The printing of the Bible, against the wishes of the Roman Catholic Church, permitted the literate to read it. When it was printed in other tongues, the reading became widespread. Also, most of the founders of the separatist churches were originally monks who, learning to read the Bible, became dissatisfied with the way the state church operated. Lutheran was started by a monk Martin Luther.

–The Anabaptist(baptize again) movement started at this time. The early Anabaptist’s had a colony in Munster. This colony was completely destroyed. Menno Simon’s brother had been part of the rebellion, and although he admired his brother’s bravery at opposing the Catholic’s doctrine, he was had different doctrinal beliefs from his brother. He believed in nonresistance(turn the other cheek), for example. Menno had had difficulty with Catholic doctrine for years, but it was the death of his brother that made him become one of the most important leaders of the anabaptist movement. The Catholics began referring to this group as mennonites. The mennonites, amish, Church of Christ, Church of the Nazarene and Baptists all have origins from the anabaptist movement.

Products of the Protestant Movement
(openly Protesting the state Catholic Church)

-Religious Society of Friends or Quakers

-Calvinism (Protestant)

–The Anglican church began as an English Catholic Branch during the 1200s. It was never considered a separate church until the excommunication of Henry VIII. He wanted a church he could divorce in. The church had dotrine similar in belief to John Calvin.

–Puritans

–Presbyterianism had roots in the Calvinist doctrine.

–Methodism was started by a man John Wesley. It began as four college students meeting in 1729. The students all had origins from the Church of England faith(Anglican). Other students on the English campus began referring to them as Methodists.

(Note: any church that has “Reformed” in their church title has Calvinist beliefs in their doctrine)

Products of the Restorationist Movement
(faiths that teach returning to earliest church practices, that other denoninations have flaws, mid nineteenth century, America)

–Mormonism

–Jehovah’s Witnesses

–Pentecostal(Arminian Calvinist branch)

–Disciples of Christ

–Seventh-day Adventists

–Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ

–non-denominational churches

–anti-denominational churches

–any church with “primitive” in their title

In the 1500′s England {like many other nations in Europe} generally held to tow basic convictions. Firstly that it was a christian country and secondly that being a christian was the same thing as being Catholic. For many the idea of being a christian without being a Catholic didn’t even enter their minds.

The word Catholic itself means ‘universal and Roman Catholicism taught that this church was the one ‘true’ church in which all true christians belonged and was a necessary prerequisite for salvation. Over the centuries many of their own scholars began to question aspects of their teaching. Two things accelerated the coming reformation. The then illegal translation of the bible into languages other than latin {Which only the trained Roman clergy could understand} and the invention of the printin press which meant that these ‘illegal’ bibles could be produced by the wagon load. England has this period to thank for it’s development in literacy. Many learned to read and write simply because they could now read the bible in their mother tongue.
This had brought challenges. To have one church which is the arbeter of all truth makes things simple. They just tell you what the bible teaches. Now you can read it for yourself. This means there are many differences in opinion and thus many churches with differing interpretations of what they read. The problem was exacerbates by Roman teaching that their was one official church. Some of the new churches saw themselves as the official replacement of Catholicism.
On the other questions, Martin Luther was not the first but he was ne of the moste ffective and at a critical point in history as well. The Anabaptists caused revulsion when they taught that you chose to become a christian and that baptism as a personal choice was the entrance into a church and that this church is not an outward organisation. As many considered the kingdom of God, the official church and the state and pretty much the same thing this put the Anabaptists under the accusation of treason and many were slaughtered. Today Baptist churches generally have a tradition of supporting freedom of concience in religion and every baptist church is essentially autonomous and run by it’s members.