Protestantism

Protestantism is one of the four major divisions within Christianity (or five, if Anglicanism is considered
separately) together with the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Roman Catholic
Church. The term is most closely tied to those groups that separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the
sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation.

The doctrines of the various Protestant denominations vary, but nearly unanimous doctrines include justification by
grace through faith and not through works, the priesthood of all believers, and the Bible as the ultimate authority in
matters of faith and order.

In the sixteenth century the followers of Martin Luther established the evangelical churches of Germany and
Scandinavia. Reformed churches in Switzerland were established by John Calvin and more radical reformers such
as Huldrych Zwingli. Thomas Cranmer reformed the Church of England and later John Knox established a more
radical Calvinist communion in the Church of Scotland.
Protestantism
Etymology
• Adventists
• Anabaptist
• Anglicanism[20]
• Baptist
• Calvinist
• Charismatic
• Congregational
• Lutheran
• Methodist / Wesleyan
• Nazarene
• Pentecostal
• Plymouth Brethren
• Presbyterian
• Religious Society of Friends
(Quaker)
• Reformed
• Restoration movement
• Seventh-day Adventist
• Waldensians

Protestant iconoclasm: the Beeldenstorm during the Dutch reformation.

The term Protestant is derived (via French or German Protestant[1]) from the Latin protestari [2][3] meaning publicly
declare/protest which refers to the letter of protestation by Lutheran princes against the decision of the Diet of
Speyer in 1529, which reaffirmed the edict of the Diet of Worms in 1521, banning Martin Luther's 95 theses of
protest against some beliefs and practices of the early sixteenth century Catholic Church.

The term Protestant was not initially applied to the reformers, but later was used to describe all groups protesting
Roman Catholic orthodoxy.

Since that time, the term Protestant has been used in many different senses, often as a general term merely to
signify people who believe in Christ who worship outside the Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches.

Luther's 95 theses

In 1517, Martin Luther, a German Augustinian monk, posted 95 theses on the church door in the university town of
Wittenberg. That act was common academic practice of that day. It served as an invitation to debate. Luther’s
propositions challenged some portions of Roman Catholic doctrine and a number of specific practices.
Protestantism
Luther was particularly criticizing a common church practice of the day, the selling of indulgences. These
indulgences were papal documents sold to penitents and promised them the remission of their sins. To Luther, it
appeared that selling indulgences was tantamount to selling salvation, something that he felt was against biblical
teaching. At the time, Rome was using the sale of indulgences as a means to raise money for a massive church
project, the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (now known as the 95 theses)[4]
[5]
debated and criticized the Church and the Pope, concentrating upon the sale of indulgences, the doctrines of
purgatory, and the authority of the Pope. Luther maintained that justification (salvation) was granted by faith alone,
saying that good works and the sacraments were not necessary in order to be saved.

Luther sent a copy of his challenges to his bishop, who in turn forwarded the theses to Rome.[6]

Protestant doctrines

Although the doctrines of Protestant denominations are far from uniform, some beliefs extending across
Protestantism are the doctrines of sola scriptura and sola fide.

• Sola scriptura maintains that the Bible (rather than church tradition or ecclesiastical interpretations of the
Bible)[7] is the final source of authority for all Christians.
• Sola fide holds that salvation comes by faith alone in Jesus as the Christ, rather than through good works.

Protestant churches generally reject the Catholic and Orthodox doctrines of apostolic succession and the
sacramental ministry of the clergy.[8] Exceptions are found mostly in countries, such as in the southern parts of
Europe, that came under non-Catholic influences long before the Reformation.

Protestant ministers and church leaders have somewhat different roles and authority in their communities than do
Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox priests and bishops.

Conservative/Liberal

Protestantism has both conservative and liberal theological strands within it. Protestant styles of public worship
tend to be simpler and less elaborate than those of Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Eastern Christians, sometimes
radically so, though there are exceptions to this tendency.

Dissension in the ranks of Protestantism

The reformers soon disagreed among themselves and divided their movement according to doctrinal differences—
first between Luther and Zwingli, later between Martin Luther and John Calvin—consequently resulting in the
establishment of different and rival Protestant denominations such as the Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and
others.

History
Protestantism
Fundamental principles

The three fundamental principles of traditional Protestantism are the following:

• Scripture Alone

The belief in the Bible as the only source of authority for the church. The early churches of the Reformation
believed in a critical, yet serious, reading of Scripture and holding the Bible as a source of authority higher
than that of Church Tradition. The many abuses that had occurred in the Western Church prior to the
Protestant Reformation led the Reformers to reject much of the Tradition of the Western Church, though
some would maintain Tradition has been maintained and reorganized in the liturgy and in the confessions of
the Protestant Churches of the Reformation. In the early 20th century there developed a less critical reading
of the Bible in the United States that has led to a "fundamentalist" reading of Scripture. Christian
Fundamentalists read the Bible as the "inerrant, infallible" Word of God, as do the Roman Catholic, Eastern
Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches, to name a few, but interpret it in a literalist fashion without
using the historical critical method.

• Justification by Faith Alone

The subjective principle of the Reformation is justification by faith alone, or, rather, by free grace through
faith operative in good works. It has reference to the personal appropriation of the Christian salvation, and
aims to give all glory to Christ, by declaring that the sinner is justified before God (i.e., is acquitted of guilt,
and declared righteous) solely on the ground of the all-sufficient merits of Christ as apprehended by a living
faith, in opposition to the theory—then prevalent, and substantially sanctioned by "the Council of Trent—
which makes faith and good works co-ordinate sources of justification, laying the chief stress upon works.
Protestantism does not depreciate good works; but it denies their value as sources or conditions of
justification, and insists on them as the necessary fruits of faith, and evidence of justification."[9]

• Universal Priesthood of Believers

The universal priesthood of believers implies the right and duty of the Christian laity not only to read the
Bible in the vernacular, but also to take part in the government and all the public affairs of the Church. It is
opposed to the hierarchical system which puts the essence and authority of the Church in an exclusive
priesthood, and makes ordained priests the necessary mediators between God and the people.[9]

Major groupings

The term Protestant is often used loosely to denote all non-Roman Catholic varieties of Western Christianity, rather
than to refer to those churches adhering to the principles described below. Trinitarian Protestant denominations are
divided according to the position taken on baptism:

• "Mainline Protestants," a North American phrase, are Christians who trace their tradition's lineage to
Lutheranism, Calvinism or Anglicanism. These groups are often considered to be part of the Magisterial
Reformation and traditionally have adhered to the central doctrines and principles of the Reformation.
Lutheranism, Calvinism, and a Zwinglian theology are typically mainline, and as denominations, "mainline"
Protestantism
is typically seen as referring to Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglican/Episcopalian, and Lutherans, all large
denominations with significant liberal and conservative wings.
• Anabaptists (lit. "baptized twice") were so named from the fact that they re-baptised converts. While not all
agree, today's scholars believe that Anabaptists, by name, began with the Radical Reformers in the 16th
century. A minority of other people and groups may still legitimately claim that there were earlier
forerunners. A full discussion of the origins of the Anabaptists is available at the article on their origins.
• Baptists do not believe baptism is a sacrament. They practice believer's baptism by immersion. The
predominant view of Baptist origins is that Baptists came along in historical development in the century
after the rise of the original Protestant denominations.[10] This perspective on Baptist history holds that the
Baptist faith originated from within the Separatist movement─Protestant Christians that decided they must
leave the Church of England because of their dissatisfaction that it had not made corrections of what some
considered to be errors and abuses in Catholicism.[11] This Separatist view of the origin of Baptists traces the
earliest Baptist church back to 1609 in Amsterdam, with John Smyth as its pastor.[12]
• Today, denominations such as the Schwarzenau Brethren/German Baptists, Mennonites, Hutterites, and
Amish eschew infant baptism and have historically been Peace churches. Typically, independent Pentecostal
and Charismatic denominations, and the house church movement belong in this category, too.
• Certain Protestant denominations including the Quakers and the Shakers, do not practice baptism
sacramentally.[13] These denominations view baptism as part of a process on ongoing renewal. Antecedents
of these beliefs may be found in Strigolniki theology. Normatively, the Salvation Army does not practice
baptism.

There are many independent, non-aligned or non-denominational Trinitarian congregations that may take any one
of these or no particular position on baptism.

Other groups rejecting Protestant label

Some religious movements, such as the Latter Day Saint movement, other Nontrinitarian movements, and the New
Religious Movements, which share certain characteristics of Protestant churches, are often included in lists of
Protestants by some outsiders. However, neither mainline Protestants nor the groups themselves would consider the
designation appropriate. Some groups associated with the Restoration Movement also do not consider themselves to
be Protestant.

Denominations
Main article: Protestants by country

Anti-papal painting showing the enmity between Edward VI of England and the Pope.
Protestantism
Protestants refer to specific Protestant groupings of churches that share in common foundational doctrines and the
name of their groups as "denominations". They are differently named parts of the whole "church"; Protestants reject
the Roman Catholic doctrine that it is the one true church. Some Protestant denominations are less accepting of
other denominations, and the basic orthodoxy of some is questioned by most of the others. Individual
denominations also have formed over very subtle theological differences. Other denominations are simply regional
or ethnic expressions of the same beliefs. Because the five solas are the main tenets of the Protestant faith, Non-
denominational groups and organizations are also considered Protestant.

Various ecumenical movements have attempted cooperation or reorganization of the various divided Protestant
denominations, according to various models of union, but divisions continue to outpace unions, as there is no
overarching authority to which any of the churches owe allegiance, which can authoritatively define the faith. Most
denominations share common beliefs in the major aspects of the Christian faith, while differing in many secondary
doctrines, although what is major and what is secondary is a matter of idiosyncratic belief. According to World
Christian Encyclopedia, there are "over 33,000 denominations in 238 countries," having increased in number from
8,196 in 1970. Every year there is a net increase of around 270 to 300 denominations.[14]

There are about 800 million Protestants worldwide,[15] among approximately 2.2 billion Christians.[16][17] These
include 170 million in North America, 160 million in Africa, 120 million in Europe, 70 million in Latin America,
60 million in Asia, and 10 million in Oceania.

Protestants can be differentiated according to how they have been influenced by important movements since the
magisterial Reformation and the Puritan Reformation in England. Some of these movements have a common
lineage, sometimes directly spawning later movements in the same groups. Only general families are listed here
(due to the above-stated multitude of denominations); some of these groups do not consider themselves as part of
the Protestant movement, but are generally viewed as such by the public at large[citation needed]:

Anglicans / Episcopalians

The separation of the Church of England (then including the Church in Wales) and Church of Ireland from Rome
under King Henry VIII did not take a Protestant form. However by the efforts of Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of
Canterbury and Thomas Cromwell, both with Lutheran sympathies[18], the Churches assumed a Protestant character,
and under King Edward VI the Churches became openly Protestant, adopting Calvinist doctrines in the Forty-Two
Articles, restored under Queen Elizabeth I. Thereafter the defence of Protestantism in Britain and Ireland became a
major political issue, culminating in the deposition of King James II & VII and the settlement of the Crown in the
line of Princess Sophia and "the heirs of her body being Protestant".

In the nineteenth century some of the Tractarians proposed that the Church of England and the other Anglican
churches are not Protestant, but a middle path between Rome and Protestantism (via media). This assertion was
attacked by, amongst others, the Church Association.[19] Today, the Anglican Communion continues to be
composed of theologically diverse traditions, from Reformed Sydney Anglicanism to High-Church Anglo-
Catholicism. The Episcopal Church USA, as an example, asserts that it is "Protestant, yet Catholic" in the

Theological tenets of the reformation

Main article: Five solas
Protestantism
The Five Solas are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize
the Reformers' basic differences in theological beliefs in opposition to the teaching of the Catholic Church of the
day. The Latin word sola means "alone", "only", or "single".

The use of the phrases as summaries of teaching emerged over time during the reformation, based on the over-
arching principle of sola scriptura (by scripture alone). This idea contains the four main doctrines on the Bible: that
its teaching is needed for salvation (necessity); that all the doctrine necessary for salvation comes from the Bible
alone (sufficiency); that everything taught in the Bible is correct (inerrancy); and that, by the Holy Spirit
overcoming sin, believers may read and understand truth from the Bible itself, though understanding is difficult, so
the means used to guide individual believers to the true teaching is often mutual discussion within the church
(clarity). The necessity and inerrancy were well-established ideas, garnering little criticism, though they later came
under debate from outside during the Enlightenment. The most contentious idea at the time though was the notion
that anyone could simply pick up the Bible and learn enough to gain salvation. Though the reformers were
concerned with ecclesiology (the doctrine of how the church as a body works), they had a different understanding
of the process in which truths in scripture were applied to life of believers, compared to the Catholics' idea that
certain people within the church, or ideas that were old enough, had a special status in giving understanding of the
text.

The second main principle, sola fide (by faith alone), states that faith in Christ is sufficient alone for eternal
salvation. Though argued from scripture, and hence logically consequent to sola scriptura, this is the guiding
principle of the work of Luther and the later reformers. As sola scriptura placed the bible as the only source of
teaching, sola fide epitomises the main thrust of the teaching the reformers wanted to get back to, namely the direct,
close, personal connection between Christ and the believer, hence the reformers' contention that their work was
Christocentric.

The other solas, as statements, emerged later, but the thinking they represent was also part of the early reformation.

• Solus Christus: Christ alone.

The Protestants characterize the dogma concerning the Pope as Christ's representative head of the Church on
earth, the concept of works made meritorious by Christ, and the Catholic idea of a treasury of the merits of
Christ and his saints, as a denial that Christ is the only mediator between God and man. Catholics, on the
other hand, maintained the traditional understanding of Judaism on these questions, and appealed to the
universal consensus of Christian tradition.[21]

• Sola Gratia: Grace Alone.

Protestants perceived Roman Catholic salvation to be dependent upon the grace of God and the merits of
one's own works. The Reformers posited that salvation is a gift of God (i.e., God's act of free grace),
dispensed by the Holy Spirit owing to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ alone. Consequently, they argued
that a sinner is not accepted by God on account of the change wrought in the believer by God's grace, and
that the believer is accepted without regard for the merit of his works—for no one deserves salvation.[Matt. 7:21]

• Soli Deo Gloria: Glory to God Alone

Protestantism
All glory is due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through his will and action—not only
the gift of the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus on the cross but also the gift of faith in that atonement,
created in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit. The reformers believed that human beings—even
saints canonized by the Catholic Church, the popes, and the ecclesiastical hierarchy—are not worthy of the
glory

Main denominations

Christian Denominations
in English-speaking countries

[show]Australia
[show]Canada
[show]United Kingdom
[show]United States
[show]International Associations
All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC)
Association of Evangelicals of Africa (AEA)
All Africa Baptist Fellowship
Africa Lutheran Communion
Christian Conference of Asia (CCA)
Evangelical Fellowship of Asia
Asia Pacific Baptist Federation
Asia Lutheran Communion
Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC)
Evangelical Association of the Caribbean
Caribbean Baptist Fellowship
Conference of European Churches (CEC)
European Evangelical Alliance
European Baptist Federation
Pentecostal European Fellowship
Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI)
Latin American Evangelical Fellowship (FIDE)
Union of Baptists in Latin America
North American Baptist Fellowship
Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America
North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council
Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC)
Protestantism

Evangelical Fellowship of the South Pacific (EFSP)

Asia Pacific Baptist Federation

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Movements within Protestantism

Evolution of major branches and movements within Protestantism

[edit] Pietism and Methodism

Main articles: Pietism and Methodism

Protestantism
The German Pietist movement, together with the influence of the Puritan Reformation in England in the
seventeenth century, were important influences upon John Wesley and Methodism, as well as new groups such as
the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers") and the Moravian Brethren from Herrnhut, Saxony, Germany.

The practice of a spiritual life, typically combined with social engagement, predominates in classical Pietism, which
was a protest against the doctrine-centeredness Protestant Orthodoxy of the times, in favor of depth of religious
experience. Many of the more conservative Methodists went on to form the Holiness movement, which emphasized
a rigorous experience of holiness in practical, daily life.

[edit] Evangelicalism

Main article: Evangelicalism

Beginning at the end of eighteenth century, several international revivals of Pietism (such as the Great Awakening
and the Second Great Awakening) took place across denominational lines, largely in the English-speaking world.
Their teachings and successor groupings are referred to generally as the Evangelical movement. The chief
emphases of this movement were individual conversion, personal piety and Bible study, public morality often
including Temperance and Abolitionism, de-emphasis of formalism in worship and in doctrine, a broadened role for
laity (including women) in worship, evangelism and teaching, and cooperation in evangelism across
denominational lines.

[edit] Adventism

Main article: Adventism

Adventism, as a movement, began in the United States in middle nineteenth century. The Adventist family of
churches are regarded today as conservative Protestants.[32]

[edit] Modernism and Liberalism

Main article: Liberal Christianity

Modernism and Liberalism do not constitute rigorous and well-defined schools of theology, but are rather an
inclination by some writers and teachers to integrate Christian thought into the spirit of the Age of Enlightenment.
New understandings of history and the natural sciences of the day led directly to new approaches to theology.

[edit] Pentecostalism

Main article: Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism, as a movement, began in the United States early in the twentieth century, starting especially within
the Holiness movement. Seeking a return to the operation of New Testament gifts of the Holy Spirit, speaking in
tongues as evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Ghost" or to make the unbeliever believe became the leading
feature. Divine healing and miracles were also emphasized. Pentecostalism swept through much of the Holiness
Protestantism
movement, and eventually spawned hundreds of new denominations in the United States. A later "charismatic"
movement also stressed the gifts of the Spirit, but often operated within existing denominations, rather than by
coming out of them.

[edit] Fundamentalism

Main article: Christian fundamentalism

In reaction to liberal Bible critique, fundamentalism arose in the twentieth century, primarily in the United States,
among those denominations most affected by Evangelicalism. Fundamentalism placed primary emphasis on the
authority and sufficiency of the Bible, and typically advised separation from error and cultural conservatism as an
important aspect of the Christian life.

[edit] Neo-orthodoxy

Main article: Neo-orthodoxy

A non-fundamentalist rejection of liberal Christianity, associated primarily with Karl Barth, neo-orthodoxy sought
to counter-act the tendency of liberal theology to make theological accommodations to modern scientific
perspectives. Sometimes called "Crisis theology", according to the influence of philosophical existentialism on
some important segments of the movement; also, somewhat confusingly, sometimes called neo-evangelicalism.

[edit] New Evangelicalism

Main article: Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism is a movement from the middle of the twentieth century, that reacted to perceived excesses of
Fundamentalism, adding to concern for biblical authority, an emphasis on liberal arts, cooperation among churches,
Christian Apologetics, and non-denominational evangelization.

[edit] Paleo-Orthodoxy

Main article: Paleo-orthodoxy

Paleo-orthodoxy is a movement similar in some respects to Neo-evangelicalism but emphasizing the ancient
Christian consensus of the undivided Church of the first millennium AD, including in particular the early Creeds
and councils of the Church as a means of properly understanding the Scriptures. This movement is cross-
denominational and the theological giant of the movement is United Methodist theologian Thomas Oden.

[edit] Ecumenism

Main article: Christian ecumenism

Protestantism
The ecumenical movement has had an influence on mainline churches, beginning at least in 1910 with the
Edinburgh Missionary Conference. Its origins lay in the recognition of the need for cooperation on the mission field
in Africa, Asia and Oceania. Since 1948, the World Council of Churches has been influential, but ineffective in
creating a united Church. There are also ecumenical bodies at regional, national and local levels across the globe;
but schisms still far outnumber unifications. One, but not the only expression of the ecumenical movement, has
been the move to form united churches, such as the Church of South India, the Church of North India, The US-
based United Church of Christ, The United Church of Canada, Uniting Church in Australia and the United Church
of Christ in the Philippines which have rapidly declining memberships. There has been a strong engagement of
Orthodox churches in the ecumenical movement, though the reaction of individual Orthodox theologians has
ranged from tentative approval of the aim of Christian unity to outright condemnation of the perceived effect of
watering down Orthodox doctrine. [2]

A Protestant baptism is held to be valid in a Catholic church because it is a sacrament borrowed from the Catholic
Church and derives its efficacy from Christ. However, Protestant ministers are not recognized as valid Church
leaders, due to their lack of apostolic succession and their disunity from the Catholic Church. Therefore, laymen
who convert are not re-baptized, although Protestant ministers who convert are ordained to the Catholic priesthood
(cf Apostolicae Curae).

In 1999, the representatives of Lutheran World Federation and Catholic Church signed The Joint Declaration on the
Doctrine of Justification, apparently resolving the conflict over the nature of Justification which was at the root of
the Protestant Reformation, although some conservative Lutherans did not agree to this resolution. This is
understandable, since there is no compelling authority within them. On July 18, 2006 Delegates to the World
Methodist Conference voted unanimously to adopt the Joint Declaration. [3] [4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism