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really the answer to that is far too long to put here.
fundamentally, denominational differences are a result of certain questions becoming breaking points in polities. so...of course, there's historical and political influence...i think of the council of Nicea being called at the Emperor's command.
To be fair, there are also splits that are pretty much doctrinal. The divisions with in reform theology are all pretty much straight doctrine, role of baptism, the nature and number of God's elect, etc...
"having drawn my own interpretations, what is stopping me from teaching these to anyone who might want to listen?"
Nothing really. But the strength of Christianity does not lie in it's novelty. Reform comes in the context of re-imaging tradition, and not simply discarding it. One of the key reasons i identify as Christian is that when i have a problem...i can argue, wrestle with, and discuss that issue with a vast number of learned theologians past and present. Richness of tradition matters...
And orthodoxy matters too. I once choked on certain words, didn't sing certain songs. And that's still true. But i'm amazed at the ways in which spending time with tradition has led me to new ways of seeing it. I don't deny that tradition can be problematic. But i also resist the idea that we can create something better whole cloth. We depend experience, the collective stories of faith that are presented in scripture and teachings.
And yeah...from my study of other religions, there are "denominational" style splits occuring...Christians didn't invent the schism, but we've sure gotten good at it.
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