Terminology and Beliefs
– Protestantism originated from a protest against the Diet of Speyer in 1529.
– Protestants separated from the Church of Rome during the Reformation.
– The term ‘Reformed’ became common for Calvinists.
– Lutherans and Calvinists prefer the term ‘evangelical.’
– Protestantism emphasizes the Bible as the supreme authority.
– The Trinity belief is central to Protestants.
– The Five solae summarize Protestant theological beliefs.
– Protestants reject the doctrine of transubstantiation.
– Protestants believe in justification by faith alone.
– Protestants uphold the universal priesthood of believers.
– Protestants emphasize Christ’s preeminence over the Pope.
– Protestant denominations have variant views on sacraments and ecclesiastical polity.
Historical Figures and Anticipation of Reformation
– Early Protestant forerunners challenged Catholic doctrines.
– The influence of theologians like Wycliffe and Hus preceded the Reformation.
– Figures like Wessel Gansfort and the Waldensians anticipated the Reformation.
– The Moravian Church and German theologians contributed to the anticipation of the Reformation.
Key Figures and Movements
– Martin Luther criticized Catholic practices and sparked the Reformation.
– John Calvin’s work in Geneva influenced Protestantism.
– The Scottish Reformation established a church along Reformed lines.
– King Henry VIII’s break from Rome led to the English Reformation.
– The Puritan movement and Counterreformation shaped religious dynamics in England.
– The Great Awakenings and Radical Reformation impacted Protestant beliefs.
Post-Reformation Developments
– The Peace of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years War and recognized religious freedoms.
– The Great Awakenings emphasized religious revival and social activism.
– The Radical Reformation advocated for independence from constituted authority.
– Le Réveil and the Welsh Protestant revival marked significant religious developments.
Geographical Spread and Impact
– Protestantism spread from Germany to regions like Switzerland, France, and England.
– Calvinism faced persecution in France but found refuge in other countries.
– The English Reformation established Anglicanism as a distinct tradition.
– The Scottish Reformation and the Counterreformation influenced religious changes in Europe.
– The Peace of Westphalia marked a decline in the papacy’s political power.
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes justification by God through faith alone, the teaching that salvation comes by unmerited divine grace, the priesthood of all believers, and the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The five solae summarize the basic theological beliefs of mainstream Protestantism.
Protestants follow the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began in the 16th century with the goal of reforming the Catholic Church from perceived errors, abuses, and discrepancies. The Reformation began in the Holy Roman Empire in 1517, when Martin Luther published his Ninety-five Theses as a reaction against abuses in the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church, which purported to offer the remission of the temporal punishment of sins to their purchasers. The term, however, derives from the letter of protestation from German Lutheran princes in 1529 against an edict of the Diet of Speyer condemning the teachings of Martin Luther as heretical. In the 16th century, Lutheranism spread from Germany into Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Iceland. Calvinist churches spread in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Scotland, Switzerland and France by Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and John Knox. The political separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church under King Henry VIII began Anglicanism, bringing England and Wales into this broad Reformation movement, under the leadership of reformer Thomas Cranmer, whose work forged Anglican doctrine and identity.
Protestantism is diverse, being divided into various denominations on the basis of theology and ecclesiology, not forming a single structure as with the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy. Protestants adhere to the concept of an invisible church, in contrast to the Catholic, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Ancient Church of the East, which all understand themselves as the one and only original church—the "one true church"—founded by Jesus Christ (though certain Protestant denominations, including historic Lutheranism, hold to this position). Some denominations do have a worldwide scope and distribution of church membership, while others are confined to a single country. A majority of Protestants are members of a handful of Protestant denominational families; Adventists, Anabaptists, Anglicans/Episcopalians, Baptists, Calvinist/Reformed, Lutherans, Methodists, Moravians, Plymouth Brethren, Presbyterians, and Quakers. Nondenominational, charismatic and independent churches are also on the rise, and constitute a significant part of Protestantism.
Today, it is the fastest growing and second-largest form of Christianity, with a total of 800 million to 1 billion adherents worldwide or about 37% of all Christians. By 2050, Protestantism is projected to comprise a majority of the world's total Christian population. According to Mark Jürgensmeyer of the University of California, popular Protestantism is the most dynamic religious movement in the contemporary world.
