So then, in reading the history of the Early Church, the Protestant can either view it asapostolicin nature: as the true, original Church, essentially as it had been received from Christ and the Apostles only years before, alive and vibrant in freshness and purity of belief, practice, and doctrine.

What is Protestantism?

Advertiser Disclosure: TheWitness.org earns commissions from qualifying purchases. Protestantism is an early religious movement in Christianity that began in the early 16th century as a reaction to the catholic. The name protestant comes from the fact that it started as a protest.

What are the main beliefs of the Protestant church?

Protestant Christianity. The divine life is embodied in “the true holy self that lies within the other” (Bhme, First Epistle ). When that self is manifested, there is a birth of God (or of Christ) in the soul. Protestant mystics rejected the Lutheran and Calvinist doctrine of the total corruption of human nature.

What is the difference between the papacy and Protestantism?

The papacy has no unbroken chain going all the way back to Peter. Likewise Protestantism has no unbroken chain going back to the early church. However, just like the claims of Rome, Protestants also have some claims of dissenters from Rome at a very early period.

Where did the Protestant faith come from?

Historically, that which may be called “the Protestant faith” emerged from perceived and undeniable abuses within the Roman Catholic Church during the late fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries in the British Isles and Northern Europe.

Why did the Church use Augustine as a tool of bad men?

As someone has said, they used “the good Augustine, a tool of bad men,” to write in defense of monasticism and asceticism and celibacy.

Why did we have great difficulty in putting ourselves back into the position of the first Protestants?

We have great difficulty in putting ourselves back into the position of the first Protestants, because religious liberty was then unknown. The Papacy still ruled most of Europe with an iron fist. So to gain some measure of freedom to preach the Gospel was a great triumph at that time.

What was the second diet of spires?

The second Diet of Spires was the first step to religious liberty, and the right to preach the Gospel and form churches based on the Bible and not on the papacy. Ever since, the Papal Dominion has sought to recover the dictatorship it once had.

What did Augustine believe?

Augustine was deeply involved in this controversy. First of all, it broke out in North Africa where he labored, and second, he believed in the authority of the church of Rome, and believed that all churches must remain in connection to it and indeed in subjection to it. Third, he believed that the church should be united to the State, and not separate from the State.

What is the series of tracts about?

This series of Tracts will present a brief overview of church history, with particular emphasis upon the last 200 years. A concerted effort has been made in the past 200 years to undo the truths of the Protestant Reformation, not just on the part of the Jesuits, and other Roman Catholic scholars; but on the part of those within Protestantism itself.

What was the significance of the breakup of the Papal Dominion?

The significance of this breakthrough was that those who dissented and separated from the Papal Dominion had made the first step toward the liberty to preach the Gospel. Others, down through church history had dissented and separated from the Papal Dominion, but they were put down, imprisoned, and massacred.

Where were the Canons of the Nicene Council forged?

McClintock and Strong stated that, The Canons of the Nicene Council were, however, forged at Rome in the interest of the papacy at an early period, and the words Ecclesia Romana Semper Habuit Primatum (The Roman Church always has had the primacy) were inserted.

What is the ideal world of B?hme?

For Böhme and the Spirituals, essential reality lies in the ideal world, which Böhme described as “the uncreated Heaven.”. Böhme adopted the Gnostic belief that the physical world arose from a primeval fall, renewed with the Fall of Adam.

What is the divine element in Protestant mysticism?

Protestant mysticism emphasized the divine element in humanity, which was called the “spark” or “ground” of the soul, the “divine image” or “holy self,” the “ Inner Light ,” or the “Christ within.”.

Who are the representatives of Protestant mysticism?

The chief representatives of Protestant mysticism are the continental “Spirituals,” among whom Sebastian Franck ( c. 1499– c. 1542), Valentin Weigel (1533–88), and Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) are especially noteworthy. Among traditional Lutherans Johann Arndt (1555–1621) in his Four Books on True Christianity took up many of the themes of medieval mysticism in the context of Reformation theology and prepared the way for the spiritual revival known as Pietism, within which mystics such as Count von Zinzendorf flourished. The important mystics in England included the Cambridge Platonists (a group of Anglican divines), the Quakers, and William Law (1686–1761). In Holland a mystical group known as Collegiants, similar to the Quakers, broke away from the Remonstrant (Calvinist) Church. Other groups of mystics were the Schwenckfeldians, founded by Kaspar Schwenckfeld, and the Family of Love, founded in Holland by Hendrik Niclaes in about 1540. He later made two trips to England, where his group had its largest following and survived into the 17th century. The religion of the Ranters and other radical Puritans in 17th-century England also had mystical aspects.

Which doctrine did Protestant mystics reject?

Protestant mystics rejected the Lutheran and Calvinist doctrine of the total corruption of human nature. William Law remarked, “The eternal Word of God lies hid in thee, as a spark of the divine nature” ( The Spirit of Prayer, I.2).

Who were the most important mystics in England?

The important mystics in England included the Cambridge Platonists (a group of Anglican divines), the Quakers, and William Law (1686–1761). In Holland a mystical group known as Collegiants, similar to the Quakers, broke away from the Remonstrant (Calvinist) Church.

Who were the Mystics?

Other groups of mystics were the Schwenckfeldians, founded by Kaspar Schwenckfeld, and the Family of Love, founded in Holland by Hendrik Niclaes in about 1540. He later made two trips to England, where his group had its largest following and survived into the 17th century.

Who taught that humans are created beings?

This conception received its greatest emphasis from Schwenckfeld, who, unlike Protestant mystics generally, taught that humans as created beings are totally corrupt; salvation means deliverance from the creaturely nature and union with the heavenly Christ.

What are the non-Roman Catholic churches?

The largest of these non-Roman Catholic denominations in the West is the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran churches in Germany, in Scandinavian countries, and in the Americas are distinct from one another in polity, but almost all of them are related through various national and international councils, of which the Lutheran World Federation is the most comprehensive. Doctrinally, Lutheranism sets forth its distinctive position in the Book of Concord, especially in the Augsburg Confession. A long tradition of theological scholarship has been responsible for the development of this position into many and varied doctrinal systems. Martin Luther moved conservatively in this reform of the Roman Catholic liturgy, and the Lutheran Church , though it has altered many of his liturgical forms, has remained a liturgically traditional church. Most of the Lutheran church es of the world have participated in the ecumenical movement and are members of the World Council of Churches, but Lutheranism has not moved very often across its denominational boundaries to establish full communion with other bodies. The prominence of Lutheran mission societies in the history of missions during the 18th and 19th centuries gave an international character to the Lutheran Church; so did the development of strong Lutheran churches in North America, where the traditionally German and Scandinavian membership of the church was gradually replaced by a more cosmopolitan constituency.

What is Lutheranism in the book of Concord?

Doctrinally, Lutheranism sets forth its distinctive position in the Book of Concord, especially in the Augsburg Confession. A long tradition of theological scholarship has been responsible for the development of this position into many and varied doctrinal systems. Martin Luther moved conservatively in this reform of the Roman Catholic liturgy, …

What are the four confessions of Protestantism?

Amid this diversity, however, it is possible to define Protestantism formally as non-Roman Western Christianity and to divide most of Protestantism into four major confessions or confessional families—Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed, and Free Church.

Is Lutheranism a ecumenical movement?

Most of the Lutheran churches of the world have participated in the ecumenical movement and are members of the World Council of Churches, but Lutheranism has not moved very often across its denominational boundaries to establish full communion with other bodies.

Is Protestantism a form of Christianity?

Formulating a definition of Protestantism that would include all its varieties has long been the despair of Protestant historians and theologians, for there is greater diversity within Protestantism than there is between some forms of Protestantism and some non-Protestant Christianity . For example, a High Church Anglican or Lutheran has more in common with an Orthodox theologian than with a Baptist theologian. Amid this diversity, however, it is possible to define Protestantism formally as non-Roman Western Christianity and to divide most of Protestantism into four major confessions or confessional families—Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed, and Free Church.

Was Martin Luther a conservative?

Martin Luther moved conservatively in this reform of the Roman Catholic liturgy, and the Lutheran Church, though it has altered many of his liturgical forms, has remained a liturgically traditional church.

Why Are There So Many Protestant Denominations?

The first reason is that if Protestantism is a movement and not a “replacement church” for the existing church of the day—and we posit that this is precisely what Protestantism is, a movement—then the application and appropriation of this movement must by its own emphases be nationalized. This is to say that Protestantism, with its stress on the preeminence of the Word of God for all that is vital in faith and life, as well as the Great Commission being realized by the services of the Church conducted in the common language of the people, was bound to flourish in national communities. Thus, we see the Dutch Reformed Church tracing its roots to the Protestant faith coming to the Netherlands. Anglicanism and Methodism, Presbyterianism, and Congregationalism, along with Baptists, thrived as offshoots of the Reformation in the British Isles. Even in the United States, today, the major Protestant dominations and traditions are remnants of British, Dutch, or German settlers who transported their faith across the Atlantic Ocean and settled in on the coasts, plains, and mountains of the New World.

How did Martin Luther spread his doctrines?

Others assimilated the teachings of Luther into their own national churches. Thus, we see the ministry of John Calvin in Geneva. Calvin, perhaps more than any other reformer of the era, systematized and appropriated the doctrines of grace into the Genevan church and even the Genevan political, economic, and governmental processes. In this sentence, we see that the Reformation was the explosion of Protestant thought. It is at this point that we should consider what the Protestant thought is made of and how it differs from the Roman Catholic doctrines of the day.

How many people are in Protestantism?

Almost one billion people, at this writing of this article, belong to that vital part of the Christian faith called Protestantism. The word is, of course, from the word “protest.” And while “protest” harkens back to Luther—to John Wycliffe of Oxford and John Hus of Bohemia before Luther (and even to other similar leaders and groups before those “morning lights of the Reformation”)—the meaning of Protestant was, is, and will, no doubt, continue to be, an impulse in the Church for reform. Protestantism that began in England in the 15 th century and in Western Europe in the 16 th century was not merely about reform from undeniable abuses of faith and practice within the remnant of the medieval Church, that is, the Roman Catholic Church.

What are the five Solae?

The five “Solae” articulate the powerful doctrines that fuel the Protestant faith: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fides, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. Carefully followed, the five Solae kept the movement on the “right road, faithful to the Word and faithful to the Reformation of the Church.” 2.

What is the most famous work on the origins of Protestantism?

One of the most famous works on the origins of Protestantism began with this literary portraiture: “The man who thus called upon a saint was later to repudiate the cult of the saints. He who vowed to become a monk was later to renounce monasticism. A loyal son of the Catholic Church, he was later to shatter the structure of medieval Catholicism. A devoted servant of the pope, he was later to identify the popes with Antichrist. For this young man was Martin Luther.” 1

What is the Protestant faith?

Protestantism is both an ecclesial movement of the Church, and a devotional urge within the believer. Historically, that which may be called “the Protestant faith” emerged from perceived and undeniable abuses within the Roman Catholic Church during the late fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries in the British Isles and Northern Europe.

When did Protestantism start?

Protestantism that began in England in the 15 th century and in Western Europe in the 16 th century was not merely about reform from undeniable abuses of faith and practice within the remnant of the medieval Church, that is, the Roman Catholic Church.

Short Answer

The Catholic Church shares some common theological history and beliefs with Reformed Protestantism, but also upholds major doctrinal differences with the Bible. Though the Catholic Church is a false church, it is impossible to condemn all Catholics are non-Christians because of the diverse nature of its billion-plus members.

Long Answer

The Catholic Church is one of the largest religious groups in the world. According to the BBC, in 2017 the Church boasted around 1.2 billion members worldwide. Around 40% of the world’s Catholics live in Latin America and one of the largest areas of growth is in Africa.

A Very Brief History of the Catholic Church – By A Protestant

The Christian church (not the Catholic Church) began around AD 30 when Jesus the Messiah was crucified, buried, resurrected, and ascended to heaven ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ).

Doctrine Comparison: Catholicism vs. The Bible

Conservative Protestants have much in common with Catholics. Both Protestants and Catholics affirm God’s creation of the universe, the Fall of Mankind, divine revelation, Jesus as the savior of the world, and many other historic Christian doctrines.

Are Catholics Christian?

So can a Catholic be a Christian? On the one hand, it’s difficult to label every Catholic an unbeliever. Over one billion people practice the Catholic religion.

Summary And Charge: Search The Scriptures

The Catholic Church has a storied and controversial past. Though most Western Christians trace their theological roots to the Catholic Church, many have left the Church for secularism, another religion, or biblical Christianity. It is my prayer that any Catholic reading this would strongly consider the above doctrinal comparison.

Resources

Matt Slick put together an excellent overview on (Roman) Catholicism with answers to many common questions: Roman Catholicism

What is the thesis of the Protestant Reformation?

The inherent thesis of the Protestant Reformation is that the changes brought about by the Reformers in the sixteenth century were a reformation of the Church, a return to the true faith and doctrine of Christ that had been lost. So then, in reading the history of the Early Church, the Protestant can either view it as apostolic in nature: as …

Who is the favorite candidate for being a proto-protestant?

Saint Augustine, a favorite candidate for being a proto-Protestant.

What is the problem with the early documents of the Church?

The problem with this latter proposition is that even the earliest documents of the Church present a very un-Protestant Church. The very earliest Christian writers after the Apostles express faith in a sacramental economy, in the necessity and efficacy of baptism, in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They appeal to authority not in Scripture alone, but in an apostolic succession of bishops and a faith having been received by tradition. They evince trust from the very beginning in the intercession of saints, the primacy of the bishop of Rome, the perpetual virginity of the Virgin Mary. So if the Protestant cannot discover a time when the Church did not clearly hold these doctrines the later Reformers considered “corruptions” — what does this mean for the belief that the Reformation was a return to a lost “purity” of faith?

How did the Christian movement begin?

The Christian movement probably began not from a single center but from many different centers where different groups of disciples of Jesus gathered and tried to make sense of what they had experienced with him and what had happened to him at the end of his public ministry. Each of those groups probably had a very different take on what the significance of Jesus was. Some of them understanding his death and the resurrection experience, if they focused on it, in terms of exaltation. Others understanding it in terms of a resuscitation of the corpse of Jesus, others not worrying very much at all about the resurrection of Jesus, but concentrating on his teaching and trying to propagate that. We can see, even in the canonical text, in the Book of Acts, that there were different groups that were in competition with one another. Those who insisted more strongly on observance of Jewish laws in the Torah competed with those who were more open to admission of gentiles without imposing the burden of the Torah on them. There were others who we meet again in the Book of Acts, who apparently stood in continuity with the activity of John the Baptist and did not know the baptism that the Pauline Christians, at least, knew. So there was much more diversity in the early stages of the Christian movement than the Book of Acts suggest….

What was the diversity of early Christianity?

The Diversity of Early Christianity. From the beginning, early Christians struggled to define for themselves the identity of Jesus and the meaning of his message.

What did the disciples do in the missionary campaign?

So with the power of the spirit behind them, the disciples of Jesus immediately began a missionary campaign and started bringing people into the fold, converting them to belief in Christ. And from that time forward the mission moved ahead in the rather smooth way, directed by the spirit and by all of the apostles who acted in concert …

What is the meaning of the word "gnostic"?

Gnostic Christianity, on the other hand, would have placed its prime emphasis on the message, the wisdom, the knowledge, the gnosis, that’s where the word gnostic comes from, the Greek word for knowledge, the knowledge that Jesus transmits, and even the secret knowledge that Jesus transmits. So one would have on the one hand faith in …

How long after Jesus’ death did Paul convert to Christianity?

moved into very different cultural and language contexts…. Paul’s conversion as an apostle to the gentiles may date as early as three years after Jesus’ death. No later than the year 35, but probably already 32 or 33….

What was the significance of the Book of Acts?

And at that time the disciples of Jesus were gathered together in Jerusalem unsure of what their future would be, when all of a sudden the spirit took hold of them and enabled them to speak in tongues, and that speaking of tongues is understood by the author of the Book of Acts to mean speaking in all of the languages of the world. So with the power of the spirit behind them, the disciples of Jesus immediately began a missionary campaign and started bringing people into the fold, converting them to belief in Christ. And from that time forward the mission moved ahead in the rather smooth way, directed by the spirit and by all of the apostles who acted in concert with one another and agreement with one another. That’s the picture that we get in Acts.

Where is Justin Martyr’s school?

At one point in Rome,… Justin Martyr has his Christian school in one part of the city, and the gnostic teacher Valentinus is in another school in Rome, and another so-called heretic by the name of Marcion is also in Rome just down the street somewhere.

What is humanism in the world?

— Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfillment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times. Humanism can be a way of life for everyone everywhere. (Emphasis added) ( http://iheu.org/humanism/the-amsterdam-declaration/)

What is the meaning of the quote "Thus engaged in the flow of life"?

“….Thus engaged in the flow of life, we aspire to this vision with the informed conviction that humanity has the ability to progress toward its highest ideals. The responsibility for our lives and the kind of world in which we live is ours and ours alone.” (http://americanhumanist.org/Humanism/Humanist_Manifesto_III)

What does the humanist find his religious emotions expressed in?

— In place of the old attitudes involved in worship and prayer, the humanist finds his religious emotions expressed in a heightened sense of personal life and in a cooperative effort to promote social well-being.

What is the Episcopal Church doing?

It works directly with the executive and legislative branches of the U. S. government and with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. It is also involved in debt relief, the global AIDS pandemic, and conflict resolution in Africa and the Middle East. Other areas of social-oriented activism include women’s rights, religious freedom, and development assistance (the Millennium Development Goals).

What are the dimensions of Protestantism?

There are two primary dimensions of Protestant Christianity: ecclesiastical and secular. The latter focuses on social teachings , many of which are inclined toward humanism. While the motivation and inducements traditionally differ, Protestantism and humanism share many social goals. While the prime traditional motivator in Christianity is to please God, not all modern Christians see it that way. Today more and more agree with humanists that serving humankind should be the key motivating factor.

What was the Protestant Reformation?

During the Middle Ages the Roman Catholic Church held a virtual monopoly of faith in Western Europe. However, between the 14th and 17th centuries a series of Northern European reforms led to what is now called the “Protestant Reformation” culminating in a mass exodus from the near total control of Christianity from Rome. The Reformation began in 1517 when Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, nailed 95 propositions to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. These proposals for reform challenged many contemporary church practices. Committed to the idea that salvation only could be reached through faith and “divine grace”, Luther compiled the list of grievances known as the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” — The 95 Theses.