Protestantismo

Etymologia

ab le lat. pro, in favor de, e testari, testificar = testificar al veritate (biblic) contra su oppositores.

Definition:

Termino usate in le periodo immediatemente successive al Dieta de Spyra (1529) pro designar illes qui “protestava” contra le practicas e credentias del Ecclesia catholic-roman. Ante al 1529, tal individuos e gruppos refereva a se mesme como “evangelicos”.

Exegese:

Le Protestantismo in le stricte senso del parola face referentia al gruppo de citates imperial e principes qui al "dieta de Speyer" in 1529 firmava un protestation contra le Edicto de Worms le qual prohibeva le inseniantias Lutheran in le Imperio Sacre Roman. De illac, le parola "Protestante" in germano ancora se refere al ecclesias Lutheran in contraste con le ecclesias Reformate, durante que le designation commun pro omne ecclesias originante ab le Reformation es evangelic.

In senso plus amplie, le parola "Protestantismo" es qualque del gruppos christian de origine West Europee, que se appartava del ecclesia catholic a causa del influentia de Martin Luther, le fundator del ecclesia Lutheran, e John Calvin, le fundator del movimento Calvinista. Un tertie branca major del Reformation, que se incontrava con conflicto ab ambe le catholicos e altere protestantes, es alcun vices nominate le Reformation Radical, o le Anabaptismo. Alcun gruppos christian occidental ma non-catholic son nominate como protestante, mesmo si ille secta non recognosce un connexion con le ideologias de Luthero o Calvin, o le anabaptistas.

Origines del Protestantismo

Le protestantes generalmente tracia lor separation ab le Ecclesia Catholic Roman al seculo XVI, lo que es alcun vices nominate le Reformation magisterial proque initialmente illo proponeva numerose revisiones radical al standards doctrinal del Ecclesia Catholic Roman (appellate le magisterium). Le protesta eruptava subindemente, in multe sitos al mesme tempore, con le distinctive characteristicas national in le varie regiones in le quales illo appariva. A un certe grado, iste explosion de protesta pote esser explicate per le eventos del duo seculos previe in le Europa Occidental.

Discontento in le Ecclesia Occidental e le Imperio, que culminava in le Papato de Avignon (1308 - 1378), e depois in le schismo papal (1378-1416), excitava guerras inter principes, sublevamentos per le paisanos, et extense anxietate super le corruption in le systema monastic. Additionalmente, le Renascentia humanistic stimulava le fermento academic sin precedente, con un accompaniante preoccupation pro le libertate academic. Sincer debattos theoretic

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excited wars between princes, uprisings among the peasants, and widespread concern over corruption in the monastic system. In addition, the humanistic Renaissance was stimulating an unprecedented academic ferment, with a concomitant concern for academic freedom. Earnest theoretical debates were ongoing in the universities concerning the nature of the church, and the proper source and extent of the authority of the papacy, of councils, and of princes. One of the most disruptive and radical of the new perspectives came first from John Wyclif at Oxford and then from Jan Hus at the University of Prague. Within the Roman Catholic Church, this debate was officially concluded by the Council of Constance (1414-1418), which executed Jan Hus, and posthumously burned Wyclif as a heretic. However, while Constance confirmed and strengthened the Medieval conception of church and empire, it could not entirely resolve the national tensions, nor the theological tensions which had been stirred up during the previous century. Among other things, the council could not prevent schism and the Hussite Wars in Bohemia.

To some extent, the protest that began when Luther, an Augustinian monk and professor at the University of Wittenberg, called for reopening of debate on the sale of indulgences (or as tradition holds, literally nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church). It was a sudden outbreak with new and irresistible force of discontent which had been pushed underground but not resolved.

Parallel to events in Germany, a movement began in Switzerland under the leadership of Huldreich Zwingli. These two movements quickly agreed on most issues, as the recently introduced printing press spread ideas rapidly from place to place but some unsolved differences kept them separate. Some followers of Zwingli believed that the Reformation was too conservative, and moved independently toward more radical positions, some of which survive among modern day Anabaptists. Other Protestant movements grew up along lines of mysticism or humanism (cf. Erasmus), sometimes breaking from Rome or from the Protestants, or forming outside of the churches.

After this first stage of the Reformation, following the excommunication of Luther and condemnation of the Reformation by the Pope, the work and writings of John Calvin were influential in establishing a loose consensus among various groups in Switzerland, Scotland, Hungary, Germany and elsewhere. The separation of the Church of England from Rome under Henry VIII, beginning in 1529 and completed in 1536, brought England alongside the Reformation. However, change in England proceeded more conservatively than elsewhere in Europe and alternated between traditional and Protestant sympathies for centuries, progressively forging a stable compromise. Thus, the West was permanently divided into Catholic and Protestant.

Basic Theological Tenets

Four Latin slogans of the Protestant Reformation express the principal theological concerns. See also five solas.

Solus Christus: Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus Christ (God) is the only referent for adoration and worship. Some believe that Catholics worship saints as well, apparently from the prominent display of statues and images of the saints in Catholic churches and homes, but this belief is in error. Catholics honor saints, and worship God alone.

Sola Scriptura: Scripture alone.

Against the Catholic view which decided orthodoxy by interpretation of the writings of the Fathers and doctors of the church, through the decisions of councils and the declarations of the bishop of Rome, the Protestants argued that the Bible alone is the Word of God, self-interpreting, and the foundation and test of authority for the Church.

Sola fide: Faith alone.

In contrast to the Roman Catholic system of meritorious works, of penance and indulgences, masses for the dead, the treasury of the merits of saints and martyrs, a ministering priesthood, and purgatory, the Protestants argued that every believer is a priest, called to be a saint, and obtains reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ, alone.

Sola gratia: Grace alone.

Against the Roman Catholic view that faith and works are necessary to preserve the state of grace freely given by God, the Reformers posited that salvation is a gift from God dispensed through Jesus Christ, regardless of merit - for no one deserves salvation.

Lord's Supper

From the beginning, Protestantism was in agreement against the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which teaches that the substance of the bread and wine used in the sacrificial rite of the Mass, is exchanged for the substance of Christ's body and blood. However, they disagreed with one another concerning the manner in which the believer is united with Christ through the Eucharist. The Lutherans held to a theory called consubstantiation (affirming the substantial presence of Christ in or under the bread). The Reformed according to Zwingli see the Lord's Supper as a memorial ceremony, denying the substantial presence of Christ but affirming that Christ is united to the believer through faith (a view referred to somewhat derisively as memorialism). The Calvinists affirm the real presence of Christ in a manner different from Lutherans, saying that the Church has a new identity from Him in a manner analogous to naming the bread "my body", effecting a spiritual union with the Church, symbolized and given by means of the bread, by the Holy Spirit, through faith, but without changing the bread into Himself.

Major Influences on the Development of Protestantism

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.

Holiness Movement and Pietism

The Holiness movement in the 17th and the 18th century, began after the English Puritan Reformation, joined on the continent of Europe the German Pietist movement, and returned to Britain in a changed form through John Wesley and the Methodist Church, as well as through smaller, new groups such as the Quakers. The practice of a spiritual life, often 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.

Evangelicalism

Beginning at the end of 18th century, several international revivals of Pietism took place across denominational lines, which 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 family values, 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.

Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism as a movement began in the United States early in the 20th 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" became the leading feature. Divine healing and miracles were also emphasized. Pentecostalism swept through much of the Holiness 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 coming out of them.

Liberalism

Liberalism is a label for various attempts to accommodate the doctrine and practice, especially of the main branches of the Protestant churches, to the principles of the Enlightenment. These adaptations achieved critical momentum at the end of the 19th century in the Modernist movement and the historical critical Bible exegesis.

Fundamentalism

In reaction to liberal Bible critique, Fundamentalism arose in the 20th century, primarily in the United States and Canada, 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 important aspects of the Christian life.

Neo-Evangelicalism

Neo-evangelicalism is a movement from the middle of the 20th century, that reacted to perceived excesses of Fundamentalism, adding to concern for biblical authority an emphasis on liberal arts, co-operation among churches, Christian Apologetics, and non-denominational evangelicalization.

Protestant Denominations

Protestants often refer to specific Protestant churches and groups as denominations to imply that they are differently named parts of the whole church. Some denominations, though, are less accepting of others, and some are so unorthodox as to be questioned by most. But there are also denominations where the theological differences are very small. Other denominations are simply regional expressions of the same beliefs found in other places under other names. The actual number of distinct denominations is hard to calculate, but has been estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Various ecumenical movements have attempted cooperation or reorganization of Protestant churches, according to various models of union, but divisions continue to outpace unions. Most denominations claim to have a certain unity with other groups of Christians, but contain doctrines which fundamentally contradict each other.

Protestant Families of Denominations

Please note that only general families are listed here (tens of thousands of individual denominations exist):

Anabaptist
Anglican
Baptist
Calvinist/Reformed/Presbyterian
Lutheran
Methodist
Pentecostal
Unitarian (many Christians hold Unitarians not to be Christians at all due to the rejection of the godhead of Christ)

Well-known Protestant Religious Figures

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement
Billy Graham, American evangelist
Jerry Falwell, American religious/political activist
Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, peace activist
Auguste Sabatier, founder of the French fideo-symbolist tendency and of the Institut de Théologie Protestante ^*, in Paris (1872)
Paul Tillich, Lutheran theologian, involved in Process Theology
John B. Cobb, theologian, involved in Process Theology
Martin Luther, Reformer, founder of Lutheranism
Ulrich Zwingli, early Swiss religious reformer,
John Calvin, Reformer, founder of Calvinism
Philipp Melanchthon, early Lutheran leader
John Knox, Scottish reformer,
William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I of England
George Fox, Founder of the Society of Friends
George Whitefield, Great Awakening reformist preacher
Jonathan Edwards, Great Awakening reformist preacher
Menno Simons, founder of Mennonitism
Jacob Amman, founder of the Amish church
Pat Robertson, American fundamentalist leader
Ellen White, American prophetess, founder of Seventh-Day Adventism

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