And Orthodoxy, unites a number of independent churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, the Anglican Church, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists), differing from each other in cult and organization, but connected by a common origin and dogma. The name "Protestants" (Latin protestans) was originally given to the German princes and cities that signed the so-called Protest at the Speyer Diet of 1529 - a protest against the decision of the majority of this Diet to limit the spread of Lutheranism in Germany. In the future, the followers of church directions that broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation of the 16th century, and also appeared later as a result of separation from the main Protestant churches, began to be called Protestants. In the 19th and 20th centuries, some areas of Protestantism were characterized by the desire to give a rationalistic interpretation of the Bible, the preaching of "religion without God", that is, only as a moral doctrine. Protestant churches play a leading role in the ecumenical movement. Protestantism is widespread in the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavian countries, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Estonia.
Dogma of Protestantism
The dogmas of Protestantism were outlined by theologians of the 16th century M. Luther, J. Calvin, W. Zwingli. One of the main dogmatic provisions that distinguish Protestantism from Catholicism and Orthodoxy is the doctrine of the direct "connection" of man with God. “Divine grace” is bestowed on man directly by God, without the mediation of the church, the clergy, and the salvation of man is achieved only through his personal faith (the principle of “justification by faith”) in the atoning sacrifice of Christ and by the will of God. Therefore, in Protestantism (with the exception of Anglicanism) there is no fundamental opposition between the clergy and the laity, and every believer has the right to interpret and expound the "word of God" - the principle of the "priesthood" of all believers. This justified the refusal of the Protestants from the church hierarchy characteristic of Catholicism and the non-recognition of the Pope of Rome as its head, opened the way for the demands of democratic freedoms and the development of individualism, to the creation of national churches independent of the papacy. In accordance with Protestant views on the relationship of man to God and the Church, religious worship was simplified and cheapened. It retains a minimum of religious holidays, there is no worship of icons and relics, the number of sacraments is reduced to two (baptism and communion), the service consists mainly of sermons, joint prayers and singing of psalms. Protestants do not recognize saints, angels, the cult of the Virgin, they deny the idea of purgatory adopted in the Catholic Church. The Protestant clergy are elected by the laity, but in practice the clergy are appointed from above. In Protestantism there is no monasticism, celibacy of the clergy (celibacy).
In the reform of Catholicism, Protestantism appealed to original Christianity and recognizes the Holy Scripture (Bible) as a source of doctrine, translated into living national languages, rejecting the Catholic Holy Tradition as a human fabrication. The original forms of Protestantism that arose already in the 16th century were: Lutheranism, Calvinism, Zwinglianism, Anglicanism, Anabaptism, Mennonism. The Protestants were joined by Unitarians, including Polish Socinians and Czech brothers.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Protestantism became the banner of social revolutions in the Netherlands and England. From the 17th century, Protestantism began to spread in the North American colonies. In England and its colonies, Calvinism took the form of Presbyterianism, not essentially different from Calvinism on the Continent, which absorbed Zwinglianism and is commonly called Reformed. More democratic than the Presbyterians, the Congregationalists established the autonomy of religious communities. Baptism and Quakerism developed in the 17th century.
Protestant ethics
The body of moral principles containing the essence of reformed Christianity was called Protestant ethics, the central concepts of which are the concepts of grace, predestination, calling. Protestantism presents the fate of man and his salvation as a predetermined decision of God, which denied the independence of man and the importance of “good deeds” for salvation, among which the support of the Catholic Church was the main one. The main signs of a person being chosen by God are the strength of faith, labor productivity and business success, which, in turn, gave an incentive to entrepreneurship, justifying smartness, wealth, prosperity as charitable, consecrating labor, condemning idleness. The interpretation of the profession as a response to the call of God made the acquisition of a specialty and its constant improvement a moral duty. The charity of the poor, considered in Catholicism as a virtue, was condemned by Protestantism; instead of alms, it was supposed to give the needy the opportunity to learn a craft and work. Thrift was considered a special virtue. Protestant ethics regulated the whole way of life: its requirements related to labor and social discipline, it condemned drunkenness and debauchery, demanded the creation of a family, familiarizing children with the Bible, and reading it daily. The main virtues of the Protestant were frugality, diligence, and honesty.
Over time, Protestant churches in a number of countries received the status of a state church, and in other countries - equal rights with other churches. They showed a tendency towards formalism and outward piety. The new directions of Protestantism that arose from the end of the 17th century were distinguished by sophisticated forms of religious influence, mystical and irrational elements intensified in them. Such trends include Pietism, which emerged in Lutheranism in the late 17th century; Methodism, which broke away from Anglicanism in the 18th century; Adventists (since the 1930s); Pentecostals, separated from the Baptists at the beginning of the 20th century. Protestantism is characterized by active missionary activity, as a result of which Protestant currents spread in the former colonial countries. From the second half of the 19th century, Protestantism occupied a prominent place in the movement of Christian socialism, in the creation of so-called internal missions among the proletariat.
From the second half of the 19th century, liberal theology developed within the framework of Protestantism, which strove for a rationalistic interpretation of biblical texts. This direction until the beginning of the 20th century enjoyed the predominant influence in Protestant theology, its largest representatives A. Richl, A. Harnack, E. Troelch. In the extreme manifestations of liberal theology, there has been a tendency to view Christianity as an ethical doctrine. In this case, Christianity lost the features of a “revelation religion” and was interpreted as a side of the human spirit, merging with the idealistic areas of philosophy. The Protestant theology of the first half of the 20th century is characterized by a crisis of religious liberalism, the strengthening of the influence of the reactionary fideist direction - fundamentalism, and from the 1920s-1930s - the promotion of dialectical theology or the theology of crisis as the leading direction (K. Barth, P. Tillich, R. Niebuhr, E. Brunner). This direction, which proclaimed a return to the teachings of Luther and Calvin, abandoned the belief in moral progress inherent in liberal theology, emphasizing the idea of the insolubility of the tragic contradictions of human existence, the impossibility of overcoming the "crisis" within a person. Since the 1960s, the influence of neo-orthodoxy began to decrease, there has been a revival of liberal trends in Protestantism, the search for ways to update religion, adapt to modernity. Depending on the theological views of the followers, the theology of Protestantism is divided into classical, liberal, fundamentalist, postmodern. In the 20th century, an ecumenical movement unfolded, aiming at the unification of Christian, primarily Protestant churches. Since 1948, the World Council of Churches has been the governing body of the ecumenical movement. Protestantism is the second largest branch of Christianity in terms of the number of believers, it has about 800 million adherents.
Portal:Christianity
Scripture is proclaimed to be the only source of doctrine. The Bible was translated into national languages, its study and application in one's own life became an important task for every believer. The attitude towards Holy Tradition is ambiguous - from rejection, on the one hand, to acceptance and veneration, but, in any case, with a reservation - Tradition (as well as any other doctrinal opinions, including our own) is authoritative, since it is based on Scripture , and to the extent that it is based on Scripture. It is this reservation (and not the desire to simplify and cheapen the cult) that is the key to the refusal of a number of Protestant churches and denominations from one or another doctrine or practice.
Protestants teach that original sin corrupted human nature. Therefore, a person, although he remains fully capable of good deeds, cannot be saved by his own merits, but only by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Organization
Every Christian, being elected and baptized, receives a "consecration" for communion with God, the right to preach and worship without intermediaries (the Church and the clergy). In Protestantism, the dogmatic distinction between the priest and the laity is thus removed, and the church hierarchy is simplified. Confession and remission of sins is not a sacrament, while repentance directly before God is very important. Celibacy, as well as compulsory marriage for priests and pastors, is not regulated in any way. Protestantism also rejected the authority of the Pope and abandoned the idea of monasticism as a special saving field. The principle of universal priesthood laid the foundation for the democratic organization of communities (equality of laity and clergy, election, accountability, etc.).
In practice, priests and pastors tend to be specially trained and professional. Hierarchy, in one form or another (formally or informally), exists at least to maintain order. There may also be monasteries in the form of communes.
Rites
Protestantism limited the number of Sacraments, leaving only Baptism and Communion. In addition, Protestants do not see much point in prayers for the dead, prayers to the saints and numerous holidays in their honor. At the same time, respect for the saints is respectful - as examples of a righteous life and good teachers. The worship of relics is generally not practiced as unscriptural. The attitude towards the veneration of images is ambiguous: from rejection as idolatry, to the teaching that the honor given to an image goes back to the prototype (determined by the adoption or non-adoption of decisions of the Ecumenical Councils).
Protestant prayer houses, as a rule, are free from lavish decoration, images and statues, which, however, is not an end in itself, and comes from the belief that such decoration is not necessary. A church building can be any building that is rented or purchased on equal terms with worldly organizations. Protestant worship is focused on preaching, praying and singing psalms and hymns in the national languages. Some churches, such as the Lutheran, place a lot of emphasis on the sacrament, which may require confirmation for admission.
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Main article: History of Protestantism
The original forms of Protestantism were Lutheranism, Zwinglianism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, Mennonism, Anglicanism. In the future, a number of other movements arise - Baptists, Adventists, Methodists, Quakers, Pentecostals, the Salvation Army and a number of others. The formation of most of these movements took place under the sign of "religious revival" (rivalism), a return to the ideals of early Christianity and the Reformation. They all differ from old or liturgical Protestantism in their preference for free preaching and active evangelistic missionary activity.
Theology
The theology of Protestantism has gone through a number of stages in its development. This is the orthodox theology of the sixteenth century. (Martin Luther, J. Calvin, F. Melanchthon), non-Protestant, or liberal theology of the 18th-19th centuries. (F. Schleiermacher, E. Troelch, A. Harnack), “crisis theology”, or dialectical theology that appeared after the First World War (K. Barth, P. Tillich, R. Bultmann), radical, or “new” theology, spread after World War II (D. Bonhoeffer).
The final formation of Protestant theology took place by the middle of the 17th century, and is set out in the following religious documents of the Reformation:
- Heidelberg Catechism 1563 (Germany)
- Book of Concord 1580 (Germany)
- Canons of the Synod of Dort 1618-1619 (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
- Westminster Confession of Faith 1643-1649 (Westminster Abbey, London, UK).
A characteristic feature of classical Protestant theology is a very strict attitude towards what is considered essential - faith, the sacraments, salvation, the doctrine of the church, and a less strict attitude towards the external, ritual side of church life (adiaphora), which often gives rise to a wide variety of forms while maintaining strictness. teachings.
Later currents often develop their own doctrine, only partly correlating with the classical theological legacy. Thus, for example, Adventists accept the prophecies of Ellen White. Pentecostals, unlike other Christians, pay very significant attention to "speaking in other tongues" (glossolalia), considering this a sign of "Baptism in the Holy Spirit."
Spread of Protestantism
Currently, Protestantism is most widespread in the Scandinavian countries, the USA, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, and Switzerland. The United States is rightfully considered the world center of Protestantism, where the headquarters of the Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists and some other Protestant churches and denominations have settled. Modern Protestantism is characterized by a desire for integration, which found expression in the creation in 1948 of the World Council of Churches.
Protestantism is one of the few religions that is rapidly spreading around the world today. To date, 15-20% of the population of Brazil, 15-20% of the population of Chile, about 20% of the population of South Korea have adopted Protestantism. According to Sabri Khizmetli, a member of the Eurasian Islamic Council of Kazakhstan, over 500,000 Muslims of Central Asia have converted to Protestantism over the past 15 years.
Relationships with other confessions, intra-church discussions and an atheistic view
From Orthodox and Catholics
There have been debates about Protestantism by other Christians from the very beginning of its existence.
Major points of disagreement or criticism of Protestantism by Orthodox and Catholics. Arguments from supporters of Protestantism highlighted in italics.
creed
The most fundamental shortcoming of the Protestant doctrine is considered by Orthodox and Catholics to be the denial of the role of Sacred Tradition, which it has in Orthodoxy and Catholicism. In their opinion, thanks to the Holy Tradition, the Holy Fathers selected (from many dubious apocryphal books) a list (canon) of inspired books of the New Testament. In other words, Protestants use a set of canons, but deny the traditions by which they were adopted. The Protestants themselves deny the role of Holy Tradition in the formation of the canon, believing that it was formed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The teaching of Protestantism that only faith and the grace of God is sufficient for salvation is rejected by Catholics and Orthodox.
Organization
According to many Orthodox and Catholics, Protestantism does not have an unbroken apostolic succession. The absence of apostolic succession is not recognized by the Protestants themselves, for example, the Anglican Church and the Lutheran churches of all Scandinavian states have apostolic succession, since the churches in these countries were formed by the complete separation of local dioceses (together with bishops, priests and flocks) from the RCC. In the opinion of many Protestants, apostolic succession in itself is optional or obligatory, but not the only condition of the Church of God - there are cases when Orthodox bishops became schismatics and created their own churches (for example, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate).
Protestants do not recognize the acts of the Ecumenical Councils. De facto All Protestants recognize the decisions of the first two Ecumenical Councils: the First Council of Nicaea and the First Council of Constantinople ( Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses Those who do not recognize them are not considered Christians by Protestants).
Most Protestants reject monasticism, icons, and the veneration of saints. Lutherans and Anglicans have monasteries, saints and icons are also not denied by these denominations, but there is no icon veneration in the form that is characteristic of Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Reformed Protestant icons also deny monasticism.
Lifestyle, issues of ethics and morality
According to critics, the absence of rites and rituals reveals the Protestant religion to be inferior, ... flawed and unstable, leads Protestantism to endless fragmentation into many denominations, and the spirit of rationalism to complete atheism (which developed precisely in predominantly Protestant countries. Protestant rational collectivism neglects obedience to God and is expressed in sinful and shameful human pleasing, for example: the Protestants of Western Europe crown homosexuals, allow abortions, drugs, euthanasia (suicide), etc.
These phenomena are now becoming more and more the norm in the developed countries of the West and have an increasingly strong corrupting influence on church life in those countries (there is even a corresponding term for these manifestations - “secularization of the Church”). There are more and more such "Protestant" churches in Western society every year. However, this is already marginal Protestantism, which has nothing in common either with classical Protestantism or with Christianity in general. "By their fruits you will know them." Nowadays, even some classical Protestant churches are marginalized, for example, the Lutheran Church of Sweden (which, as mentioned above, has apostolic succession) approves same-sex marriages. The Protestant churches of the CIS and Baltic states are much more conservative in these matters, modern Western trends have affected them to a lesser extent.
Atheistic view
Just as often, Protestant churches are criticized by atheists and representatives of traditional denominations for intrusive self-promotion and proselytism. Although proselytism is condemned by the World Council of Churches, in practice the missionaries of some Protestant churches are actively promoting their creeds among representatives of traditional denominations. For example, the already mentioned pastor of the New Generation church, A. S. Ledyaev, formally tolerant of the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church, regularly harshly criticizes Orthodoxy in his sermons and speeches, often descending to banal attacks on the Orthodox Church; he also repeatedly called himself an apostle and called to build a society where every sphere of life would be led by people of a certain denomination; in voting for the best figures in Latvia, he called residents of other countries to vote for himself. Naturally, such behavior of a well-known Protestant pastor inevitably becomes the object of counter-criticism. The representative of another trend of Protestantism, Baptist Tom Carl Wheeler, in his book "Pseudo-Christianity" points out that "the creeds of such large ecumenical groups as liberal Protestantism in the World Council of Churches, the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox (Russian and Greek) churches contradict the basic fundamental doctrines of the Holy Scriptures”, thereby actually equating the named Christian churches (including the Protestant ones, which are part of the WCC) with pseudo-Christian religious organizations.
Mass “evangelizations” or crusades conducted by some prominent Protestant ministers, notably the American preacher Benny Hinn.
Consistent critics of the proselytizing methods of Protestants and Protestantism in general are A. I. Osipov (Russian theologian) and A. L. Dvorkin (anti-cultist, sectarian, activist).
From human rights organizations
Human rights societies are currently criticizing mainly conservative Protestant churches (including the New Generation Church) for prohibiting
The traditional date of the “birth” of Protestantism is October 31, 1517, when the German priest Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg, the Saxon capital, in which he stated his disagreement with the tenets of Catholicism. These theses became the basis of Lutheranism - the first major trend in Protestantism. Later Luther had imitators who thought that their way of worshiping God would be more true - this is how the teachings of Jacques Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli appeared, and later some others. Well, what is the difference between Protestants and Orthodox and Catholics, we will consider a little lower.
From the history of Protestant teachings
The first shoots of Protestantism hatched in the 12th century. These were the religious communities of the Waldensians and Albigensians. Later, Lollards and followers of the Czech reformer Jan Hus appeared - the Hussites. All of them came into sharp conflict with the Catholic Church and were destroyed. In 1209, even a crusade had to be declared against the Albigensians.
Modern Protestantism as a set of religious teachings arose, as the name implies, as a protest against the ideological dictates of the Roman Catholic Church. By the end of the 15th century, the spiritual crisis of Catholicism became so obvious that the Pope even had to issue a special bull forbidding clergy to maintain brothels. Can you imagine what kind of den the sacred throne was at that time? Naturally, such a situation could not please everyone; discontent ripened, and the last straw that overflowed the cup was the permission of the Pope Leo Tenth to sell indulgences - certificates of absolution. Permission was given on October 18, 1517, and after 13 days Luther's "95 theses" appeared.
The era of the Reformation (16th century) gave rise to a number of Protestant denominations. These include:
- Lutheranism;
- Calvinism;
- Zwinglism;
- Anglicanism;
- Anabaptism.
The first three are named after the founders, the fourth term refers to the English established church. A romantic history is connected with the emergence of Anglicanism. The loving King Henry the Eighth, unable to get permission from the Pope of Rome to divorce Catherine of Aragon (Spanish), severed relations with Rome and ordered the creation of his own, "pocket" church, which successfully divorced him from his unloved first wife (later he was married five more times). It is clear that in fact the break with Catholicism was in the interests of the British political elite, and the mentioned episode was only a small touch accompanying this act.
Anabaptism is not a homogeneous doctrine and includes a number of independent trends that have survived to this day. These are Mennonites, Hutterites, Amish and a number of other denominations. They deny taking a military oath, recognize baptism performed only by adults, and have some other differences. The largest number of Anabaptists live in Germany and North America.
Features of the Protestant Faith
The difference between Protestants and Orthodox is much greater than between Catholics and Orthodox, since the latter two directions largely preserve the religious tradition that developed in the first centuries of Christianity, in contrast to later Protestantism. The reformed churches have become a handy tool in the hands of the emerging bourgeoisie in modern times, and they lack a number of concepts and institutions found in Orthodoxy or Catholicism. For example, Protestants do not have saints, they do not recognize confession, repentance and communion. They have no monks, and therefore no monasteries; there is no fast, the elders, who for many Orthodox are spiritual mentors.
Protestants believe that anyone who has read it can interpret the Bible. Sincere adherents of this Christian direction may object that they have saints, but they only put a completely different meaning into this concept than the Orthodox. Protestantism arose as a “light version” of Catholicism, understandable and accessible to semi-literate medieval burghers and peasants, each of whom interpreted the doctrine in a way that was more convenient for him. Hence the large number of denominations that arose both in the 16th century and later.
Protestantism and liberalism
Too free interpretation of Christian dogma led to the emergence of the so-called Protestant business ethics. The main criterion of pleasing God is labor, business. The derivatives of such an attitude to business are the recognition of success as being pleasing to God, and failures as a statement of non-virtue. Hence the word “loser”, widely known to us in mass Anglo-Saxon culture, is a loser, as a manifestation of the highest degree of contempt and ridicule. Naturally, the Orthodox believer in this case considers Protestantism not as a religion, but as an ideological guide to doing business.
The perception of homosexuality as a variant of the norm, and not a sexual perversion, is also a logical development of liberal views generated by Protestantism. Catholicism and Orthodoxy treat this issue much more patriarchally, in accordance with the spirit of early Christianity. Some other problems of our time - for example, feminism - also developed from the Protestant model of perception of the world. The attitude towards “equality between the sexes” adopted in Protestant countries seems unnatural and wild to the Orthodox. Indeed, if humanity is divided into two sexes with different body functions, a different set of chromosomes (women have two X chromosomes, men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome), even with a slightly different mentality (hence the idea of "women's logic"), it is more correct to speak not about equality, but about complementing each other.
Can we reach an understanding, or is the difference between Orthodox and Protestants too great for that? Yes of course we can! How can any two people understand each other, regardless of the views they hold. There would be only a desire to understand and awareness of the degree of influence of religion on the life of an individual!
What are we talking about? Protestantism is one of the three main trends in Christianity that arose in the 16th century. during the Reformation.
How many Protestants? Protestantism ranks second among the world's currents of Christianity in terms of the number of followers after Catholics (over 600 million people; according to some sources - about 800 million people). In 92 countries, Protestantism is the largest Christian denomination, in 49 of which Protestants make up the majority of the population. In Russia, Protestants make up about 1% of the population (1.5 million people).
Where did the term come from? The term "Protestants" originated in Germany at the Speyer Reichstag in 1529, at which it was proposed to cancel the decision of the previous Reichstag that the princes and so-called. Imperial cities have the right to choose their religion until the convening of an all-German council. Supporters of the Reformation did not agree with this and, having drawn up a protest document, left the meeting. Those who signed the protest became known as Protestants. Subsequently, the term came to be applied to all followers of the Reformation.
What do Protestants believe? Protestantism is based on five "only":
a person is saved only by faith (“only by faith”, sola fide)
one should believe in only one Mediator between God and man - Christ (“only Christ”, solus Christus);
a person gains faith in Him only through the grace of God (“only grace”, sola gratia);
a person does good deeds only by the grace of God and only for God, therefore all glory should belong to Him (“only glory to God”, soli Deo gloria);
Who are considered Protestants? Protestantism, having arisen as a combination of various currents, has never been united. Its largest movements include Lutheranism, Calvinism and Anglicanism, which are commonly referred to as "classical" Protestantism or the first wave of the Reformation. Other independent denominations that arose in the 17th-19th centuries are associated with them. (the second wave of the Reformation), which differ from each other in dogma, cult and organization: Baptists, Quakers, Mennonites, Methodists, Adventists, etc. Pentecostalism, which appeared in the twentieth century, is attributed to the third wave of the Reformation.
And who is not included? Jehovah's Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Days (Mormons), the Christian Science Society, the Church of Christ (Boston Movement), who are genetically related to Protestantism, but in their ideological development have gone far beyond it (as well as Christianity in general), are usually referred to as new religious movements.
How to deal with denominations, when did someone arise and what does he believe in? Let's take a closer look at the history of Protestantism. Speaking in 1517 in Wittenberg with 95 theses against indulgences, Luther initiated the process of the Reformation and a new confession - Lutheranism. Later, Luther's doctrine of justification by faith, which became the cornerstone of Protestantism as a whole, caused a wide resonance in society and condemnation from the papacy; in 1521 Luther was excommunicated by a papal bull. Luther's special attitude to Scripture (his translation of the Bible into German was a great contribution to culture), especially to the New Testament texts as the main authority, caused his followers to be called evangelical Christians (later this term became synonymous with the word "Lutherans").
The second major center of the Reformation arose in Switzerland among the followers of the Zurich priest Ulrich Zwingli. Zwingli's doctrine had common features with Lutheranism - reliance on Scripture, sharp criticism of scholastic theology, the principles of "justification by faith" and "universal priesthood" (denial of the ordained priesthood as an intermediary for the salvation of man, the priesthood of all believers). The main difference was a more rationalistic interpretation of the Eucharist and a more consistent criticism of church rites. From the mid 1530s. the development of reform ideas and their implementation in Switzerland are associated with the name of John Calvin and his activities in Geneva. The followers of Calvin and Zwingli became known as Calvinists. The main provisions of the teachings of Calvin - the doctrine of predestination to salvation and the inseparable connection between the state and the church.
The third major direction of Protestantism, Anglicanism, appeared in the course of reformation in the Church of England, initiated by King Henry VIII. Parliament in 1529–1536 adopted a number of documents that formed a national church independent of Rome, from 1534 subordinate to the king. The main ideologue of the English Reformation was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. The carrying out of the Reformation "from above", the compromise nature of the transformations (a combination of the provisions of the Catholic Church and Calvin), the preservation of the church hierarchy with the apostolic succession of ordinations allow us to consider Anglicanism the most moderate Protestant movement. Anglicanism is ideologically divided into so-called. the high church (which advocates the preservation of pre-Reformation worship), the low church (close to Calvinists), and the broad church (which advocates Christian unity and distances itself from doctrinal disputes). The Anglican Church is called Episcopal, as a rule, outside the UK.
From the second half of the XVI century. Differences in Protestant theory and practice led to the formation of various currents in the Reformation movement. In Calvinism, there was a division according to the principle of organizing communities into Presbyterians (managed by an elected consistory headed by a presbyter) and Congregationalists (who proclaimed the complete autonomy of communities). Communities of continental European origin, predominantly French, Dutch and Swiss, began to be called Reformed. Reformed churches generally accept central government, and some of them, unlike Presbyterians and Congregationalists, have bishops. Puritans appeared in England, advocating the cleansing of the Anglican Church from the Catholic heritage in the spirit of Calvin's ideas. The Spanish theologian Miguel Servet, who had a polemic with Calvin, became one of the first preachers of Unitarianism, a doctrine that rejects the dogma of the Trinity and the God-manhood of Jesus Christ. In the second half of the XVI century. Unitarianism spread in Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, in the 17th century. in England in the 19th century. - in USA.
The Reformation found wide support from all strata of European society, representatives of the lower classes got the opportunity to express social protest with an appeal to the biblical commandments. In Germany and Zurich, Switzerland, an active sermon on the establishment of social justice in society was started by the Anabaptists, whose doctrinal features were the requirement to baptize only adults and not to take up arms. Subjected to severe persecution from both Catholics and "classical" Protestants, the Anabaptists fled to Holland, England, the Czech Republic, Moravia (Hutterites), and later to North America. Part of the Anabaptists merged with the followers of the so-called. Moravian Church (followers of Jan Hus, a preacher who lived in the 15th century) and in the 18th century. formed a community of herrnguters. The most famous Anabaptist denomination is Mennonite (1530), named after its founder, the Dutch priest Menno Simons, whose followers emigrated as a sign of social protest. From the Mennonites in the second half of the 17th century. the Amish separated. Influenced by the ideas of the Anabaptists and Mennonites in the middle of the 17th century. In England, Quakerism appeared, distinguished by the doctrine of an "inner light", unusual for the 17th century. social ethics (denial of social hierarchy, slavery, torture, death penalty, uncompromising pacifism, religious tolerance).
For Protestant theology of the 17th-18th centuries. characteristic is the idea that the church should consist only of consciously converted people who have experienced a personal meeting with Christ and active repentance. In "classical" Protestantism, the pietists (from the word pietas - "piety") in Lutheranism and the Arminians (who proclaimed free will) in Calvinism became the spokesmen for this idea. At the end of the XVII century. in Germany, a closed community of Dunkers emerged from the Pietists into a separate denomination.
In 1609, in Holland, from a group of English Puritans, a community of followers of John Smith was formed - Baptists, who borrowed the Anabaptist doctrine of adult baptism. Subsequently, the Baptists were divided into "general" and "private". In 1639, Baptism appeared in North America and is now the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Famous preachers and writers are Baptist followers: Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), Martin Luther King, Billy Graham (b. 1918).
The main feature of Methodism, which emerged from Anglicanism in Great Britain at the beginning. XVIII century, is the doctrine of "sanctification": the free conversion of a person to Christ takes place in two stages: first, God sanctifies a person with the righteousness of Christ ("justifying grace"), then gives him the gift of holiness ("sanctifying grace"). Methodism quickly spread, primarily in the United States and in English-speaking countries, thanks to its peculiar forms of preaching - open-air mass worship, the institution of itinerant preachers, home groups, as well as annual conferences of all ministers. In 1865, the Salvation Army, which is an international charitable organization, appeared in Great Britain on the basis of Methodism. The Church of the Nazarene (1895) and the Wesleyan Church (1968) also emerged from Methodism, reproaching Methodism for excessive doctrinal liberalism.
Reformation processes also affected Orthodox Russia. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. among the Russians appeared the so-called. Spiritual Christianity - Christophers (whips), Dukhobors, Molokans, whose doctrine was partly similar to the Protestant one (in particular, the rejection of icons, the veneration of saints, the rejection of rituals, etc.).
The denomination of the Plymouth Brethren (Darbists), which appeared in Great Britain in the 1820s. from Anglicanism, adheres to the doctrine according to which the history of mankind is divided into separate. periods, in each of which the characteristic law of God operates (dispensationalism). In the 1840s there was a split into "open" and "closed" Darbists.
Adventism appeared in the 1830s. in the USA based on the interpretation of biblical texts about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the possibility of its exact calculation. In 1863, the organization of the largest current in Adventism, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was created. During the 1st World War reformist Adventists stood out, dissatisfied with the partial rejection of Adventists from pacifism. Seventh-day Adventists are distinguished by their denial of the immortality of the soul and eternal torment (sinners will simply be destroyed during the Last Judgment), the veneration of Saturday as the "seventh day" of serving God, the recognition of the restoration of the gift of prophecy and visions through the founder of the church, Ellen White, as well as a number of food prohibitions and prescriptions healthy lifestyle (“health reform”).
A distinctive feature of the New Apostolic Church, which arose in the second half of the XIX century. in the UK based on the communities of the so-called. Irvingian (a community that broke away from the Presbyterians), is the cult of "apostles" - the leaders of the church, whose word is the same doctrinal authority as the Bible.
In the 19th century there was a tendency to unite the Protestant churches. In the English-speaking world, this was facilitated by the so-called. revivalism is a movement that called Christians to repentance and personal conversion. The result was the emergence of the Disciples of Christ (Church of Christ), the so-called. Evangelicals and United Churches. The Disciples of Christ (Church of Christ) appeared in the early 1830s. in the United States from Presbyterianism. This denomination included Protestants who proclaimed a complete rejection of any dogmas, symbols and institutions not specified in the New Testament. The disciples of Christ allow differences of opinion even on such important issues as the Trinity, believing that this and many other dogmas are not clearly explained in Scripture. Evangelicals that appeared in the United States in the 19th century preach non-denominational personal conversion, "birth again" with a special act of God changing the believer's heart, faith in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and active missionary work. The conservative wing of the Evangelicals created dispensationalism, the liberal wing created social evangelism (changing social reality in order to bring it closer to the Kingdom of God). On the basis of evangelicalism, fundamentalism arose (named after a series of pamphlets "Fundamentals", published in 1910-1915). Fundamentalists insisted on the absolute authenticity of common Christian dogmas and a literalist reading of the Bible. so-called. neo-evangelicalism emerged in the 1940s, uniting those who criticized liberal evangelicals for moral relativism and fundamentalism for being closed, and advocated active preaching by modern means. Neo-evangelicalism has given rise to the so-called in the United States. megachurches - church organizations in which there is a "center" (the main church, headed by a leader, which develops the style of worship and preaching, manuals for Sunday schools and social work, etc.) and "branches" (numerous church communities located in direct and rigid submission to the "center").
In the middle of the XIX - early. XX centuries appeared so-called. united churches as a result of the merger of different Protestant denominations - Lutherans, Anglicans, Reformed, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Quakers, etc. In most cases, the merger was voluntary, sometimes imposed by the state. The unifying basis of these churches is their historical involvement in the Reformation and doctrinal affinity. At the end of the XIX century. appeared so-called. free churches are Protestant communities that exist independently of state Protestant churches.
The development of the theology of Protestantism in the XX century. characterized by the ideas that the mystical gifts of the ancient church should return to the church and that Christianity should be adapted to non-European cultures. So, at the beginning of the XX century. from the Methodist group "Movement of holiness" Pentecostalism was formed, which is characterized by an exclusive role in the church of the Holy Spirit, the gift of glossolalia (pronouncing specific sounds reminiscent of unknown languages during prayer), etc. In the 1960s and 70s Pentecostalism received a new impetus for development due to representatives of Christian denominations using Pentecostal practices. Under the influence of the so-called. Pentecost in the 20th century original Asian and African churches arose, characterized by a combination of Christian and pagan practices.
Reverend Stuart
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People talk about Protestant communities, denominations, people, ideas, etc.
During the coronation, the British monarch swears: "I am a faithful Protestant." Given the different ideas regarding Protestantism, and in connection with the celebration in 2017 of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, the question “Who are Protestants?” is especially important.
This question will be answered; historically: where and when did the term "protestant" originate? What does this tell us about its meaning? theologically: what are the main doctrines of Protestantism? and ethically: what are the most important aspects of the morality and life of Protestants? Our answer will help to get to the heart of the identity of Protestantism, so we will not deal with secondary or non-essential issues.
So, what is the historical origin of the word "Protestant"? In which country did the term Protestant originate? Germany (not Britain). In what city? Speyer, southwestern Germany. What century? In the sixteenth century. At what year? In 1529, twelve years after Martin Luther nailed ninety-five theses to the church door in Wittenberg.
Let's stop here in more detail. In 1529, the Imperial Diet (or general assembly) of the Holy Roman Empire met in Speyer. The Roman Catholic majority decided that Martin Luther should be rightfully under the imperial ban (that is, he was considered an outlaw, so that anyone was allowed to rob, injure or kill him without any legal consequences). The writings and teachings of Luther were forbidden, the Reformation was forbidden to spread.
However, six princes and fourteen imperial cities protested against this decision: "We must follow our conscience, obeying the Word of God! The preaching of the Holy Scriptures cannot be forbidden!"
These Protestants had the same spirit as that of Martin Luther, who declared in 1521 in the city of Worms, where another Imperial Diet was held, eight years before Speyer: "Rebut me with arguments from the Holy Scriptures or other clear and true arguments ( since I do not believe in the Pope or in his advice, since they are known to be often mistaken and contradict themselves); I am bound by the Scriptures, my conscience is in captivity to the Word of God.
I cannot and do not want to renounce, for it is unsafe and imprudent to act against one's conscience. May God help me. Amen." In this famous statement, you will notice that Luther refers three times to the Word of God or Scripture, and twice to his conscience, since his conscience is connected with the Word.
The first Protestants in 1529 and Martin Luther had the same spirit as "Peter and the other apostles" in Acts 5:29, who testified, "We must obey God, not men." All of these believers in Jesus Christ spoke out for God's truth before hostile authorities with spiritual courage at the risk of life.
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It is important to note that the word Protestant, both initially and later, had two meanings. One in the form of a protest against the false doctrines of Roman. Cat. Churches, etc., and the other in the form of a testimony.
This is evident from the very meaning of the word Protestant - Protestant in terms of its Latin etymology. It comes either from the words pro(for) + testari(testify) or protestatio(protest - protest). Thus, the word PROTEST (Protestant) deeply reflects a specific position.
Thus, the Protestants in the Diet of Speyer in 1529 proclaimed that "they must protest and testify publicly before God that they cannot agree with anything that is contrary to his Word."
The Protestants of 1529 had a two-pronged message, just like Peter and John in Acts 4. On the one hand, against hostile religious authorities, they protested: "Judge whether it is fair before God to listen to you more than to God?" (19). But on the other hand, they testified that: “We cannot but say what we have seen and heard” (20).
In short, Protestants behind truth and therefore against lies. To put it a little differently, we are against error because we hold on to the infallible Word of God.
But what does the Word of God teach: what do Protestants believe? One of the useful documents of Protestant theology is " 5 Solas"(Five Theses); sola from Latin: "only" or "one".
Sola Scriptura or Only Scripture is the Word of God. The Bible is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), inerrant (John 10:35), authoritative (as the voice of the living God), self-sufficient (not needing additions from the church or imaginary (someone's) personal revelations) and clear. This last characteristic of the Word does not mean that every verse in the Bible is easily understood by all people. The clarity of Scripture means that its basic truths, centered in salvation by Jesus Christ, are perceived by all believers through the Holy Spirit. To do this, praying for the gift of enlightenment to the understanding of Scripture, they can use simple means (study and compare texts of Scripture with each other, use auxiliary literature, etc.)
Following their faithful confession of Scripture, the Protestants, unlike the Catholics, were engaged in the translation of the Bible (from the original Hebrew and Greek into the languages of Europe) and its distribution, stimulated the reading of the Bible and its preaching (exposition of verses, chapters and books of Scripture), as well as catechesis (instruction) of the Bible so that even children know the contents and doctrines of the Word.
bible truth Sola Scriptura- Only Scripture revealed the essence of the teachings of Rome (Rom. Cat. Church.) Rome illegally uses the Apocrypha texts as if they are part of the Word of God. Rome equated its traditions with the authority of the Bible. This was accompanied by unbiblical and anti-biblical teachings: Mariolatry (idolatry worship of the Virgin Mary), purgatory (supposedly a place of fire where believers are temporarily punished for their sins), transubstantiation (transformation of bread and wine into the literal body, blood and divinity of Christ), mass (bloodless sacrifice offered by the priest for the sins of the living and the dead), the papacy and its hierarchy (as opposed to the biblically established ministries in the New Testament church: pastors, elders and deacons), five additional sacraments (confirmation, marriage, ordination, penance and last rites), etc. d.
Sola Scriptura is as necessary against Rome today as it was in the sixteenth century. Rome still adheres to the same heresies as during the Reformation, since it did not abandon any of them, but reaffirmed them all (for example, in Vatican II and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church). In fact, since the Reformation, Rome has added even more heresies, such as papal infallibility in 1870 (the pope cannot err on matters of faith or morals, speaking from the pulpit) and the bodily assumption of the Virgin Mary in 1950 (her physical ascension to heaven at the end of her earthly life). If we compare Rome today with Rome 500 years ago, as far as its heresies are concerned, then it has not become better and has not even remained the same; Rome just got worse!
Not only is Sola Scriptura so necessary today as then against Rome, but it is also decisive against other heretical movements that have emerged, especially against the rising criticism of the Bible and modernist theology. They attack the inerrancy of the Word of God, believing that there are errors in Scripture and its teachings. But Faithful (Scripture) Protestantism declares, "Your word is true from the beginning" (Ps. 119:160).
Sola Scriptura also opposes Pentecostalism, Charismaticism, and Neo-Charismaticism. All of these groups of renewers add (from themselves) to God's verbal revelation in the Bible. Thus, they specifically deny the self-sufficiency of God's Word, contrary to 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God be perfect, equipped for every good work." ". The Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century was opposed to the charismatics or renovators of their time among the Anabaptists.
Sola Scriptura is our slogan against the political correctness of the twenty-first century. Not the moralization of the liberal media, and not the opinion polls, and not the opinion of celebrities, but God's Holy Word defines truth and morality. Here we affirm the authority of Scripture as the Word of God to judge all fallen and foolish humanistic standards. "Thus says the Lord!" This is Protestantism! In the famous saying of William Chillingworth ( William Chillingworth): "Only the Bible is the religion of the Protestants."
As Westminster Confession 1:10 states, “The Holy Spirit who speaks in Scripture is the only supreme Judge, to whom all disputes concerning faith must be turned, by whom all ordinances of councils, the opinions of writers, the doctrines of men and personal revelations, are tested, and on Whose judgment we must rely entirely.
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Like the Word of God - only the Bible ( Sola Scriptura), so salvation is only through Christ ( Solus Christus), Protestants believe.
The Lord Jesus has two natures - He is both fully God and fully human, in one Divine Person. He is the Eternal and Only Begotten Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, who appeared in the flesh. As Christ, He is God's anointed one, as promised in the Old Testament. Like Jesus, He is the only and perfect Savior. As Lord, He is the sovereign ruler of all.
We Protestants believe in the virgin birth of Christ, His sinless life, sacrificial death, victorious resurrection, glorious ascension, and almighty reign at the right hand of God.
On the cross our Lord died for all the sins of all His chosen people. All our iniquities have been "laid on", imputed and numbered to Him (Isaiah 53:6). And He took the punishment that was meant for us. As our only High Priest, He constantly prays for us, "always alive to make intercession for us" (Heb. 7:25).
The cross and the intercession of Christ are absolutely necessary for God to save sinners. This is quite enough for our complete salvation. We don't need a pope, earthly priests, Mary or Saints to lead us to God (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:18, Hebrews 10:19-22).
The battle of Protestantism with Rome (and others) is essentially the same as in Acts 4 between the apostles and unbelieving Jewish religious leaders. The apostles declared of Christ: “He is the stone that you builders despised, but has become the head of the corner, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. » Acts 4:11,12
Only Scripture teaches salvation only by Christ and only by faith ( sola fide). Protestantism proclaims that our salvation and perfect righteousness in Jesus Christ is received by faith alone. The forgiveness of sins in the blood of Christ and the imputed righteousness of God (the lifelong and perfect obedience of Jesus) are ours by faith, and by faith only! Therefore, our justification and rightful standing before God does not need any additional works of the saints, the earthly mother of the Lord, the church, or ourselves.
As in the sixteenth century, today this biblical and Protestant truth is once again needed against Rome and also, unfortunately, against most modern evangelists who, when they speak of justification by faith alone, actually mean justification by the free will of man! They teach that the sinner's salvation is determined by the decision of his supposed own free will, which is contrary to the truth of the Word of God (Romans 3:11, 7:18, 8:7) and the single testimony of the Reformation, including Martin Luther's Great Protestant Manifesto, "The Bondage of the Will" ( 1525).
Thesis sola fide vital to the Christian's daily comfort and vitality. Being justified by faith alone, we have "peace with God" (Romans 5:1) and blessedness (4:6-9, Psalm 32:1-2)!
We move on. Only Scripture teaches salvation only by Christ, only through faith and only by grace ( sola gratia). Our salvation is God's gift, absolutely free and gracious, according to the sovereign mercy of our merciful God in Jesus Christ, because we were "chosen . . . in him before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4).
By grace alone, both in time (through the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ) and in eternity (election) is Protestantism, because it is the teaching of the Word of God: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not from you: it is the gift of God: not from works, so that no one can boast. (Eph.2:8-9).
"So pardon depends not from one who desires and not from one who struggles, but from God who is merciful.” (Rom. 9:16) Not from one who flees (i.e., from the action of man), but from God, who shows mercy.
The fifth thesis of 5 Solas is only glory to God ( Soli Deo Gloria). Glory not to man (even in the least degree), whether it be by his free will or his good deeds, because everything that is really good in the works of a believer is completely filled with God's grace (John 15:5, Eph. 2:10 )). The glory, even in part, is not to the church, especially the false church of Rome, and not to any other false or apostate church.
Salvation belongs entirely to the Father, through the Son and by the Holy Spirit. Therefore glory belongs only to the Triune God: the electing Father, the redeeming Son, and the calling Spirit. Soli Deo gloria is the message of the Reformation, because “our God is in heaven; does whatever he wants. » Ps.114:11
Philip Schaff Philip Schaff, a church historian, sums it up well: “Catholicism puts the Church first and then Christ; Protestantism reverses this order. Catholicism says: “Where the Church is (thus meaning the papal organization), there is Christ; Protestantism says: “Where Christ is, there is the Church. Catholicism says: “Where there is a Catholic tradition, there is the Bible and the infallible rule of faith; Protestantism says: “Where the Bible is, there is the true tradition and the infallible rule of faith. Catholicism says: “Where there are good works, there is faith and justification; Protestantism says: “Where there is faith, there is justification and good works. Catholicism places Mary and the saints between Christ and the believer; Protestantism goes straight to the Savior. Catholicism proceeds from the visible Church (papacy) to the invisible Church; Protestantism - from the invisible Church (the true body of Christ) to the visible... Protestantism is a protest against the tyranny of man, based on the authority of God. He declares the Bible to be the only infallible principle of Christian faith and practice, and teaches justification only by grace accepted by the living faith. He clings to the whole of Christ, Whose word is self-sufficient for study, Whose grace is sufficient for salvation.
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Summarizing the origin and meaning of the word Protestant in the first three articles, and briefly explaining the Biblical and Reformed truth that salvation is by faith alone, by Christ alone, by grace alone, for the glory of God alone, and according to Scripture alone (Five Solas), we it is now necessary to clarify other important aspects of Protestantism.
First, Protestantism is a creed that many people don't know much about these days. A popular misconception is that if Protestants believe in sola Scriptura (only Scripture), they do not hold any creed at all. But this is wrong! In fact, the Anabaptists believed that the principle of sola Scriptura meant the absence of any creed. The Protestants opposed them as well as the Roman Catholics.
The first Protestants at the Sejm of Speyer in 1529 protested (hence their name) against the impious decisions of the Roman Catholic majority, taking as a basis the principle of "Scripture alone". In 1530, just a year later, they recognized the Augsburg Confession of Faith as a creed!
Namely, in the Reformed (and not so much Lutheran) branch of the Protestants, many other principles of faith were developed and expounded by those who adhered to sola Scriptura. In fact, four volumes of the collection of Reformed Confessional Documents of the 16th and 17th centuries ed. James T. Dennison Jr. The English translation contains 127 principles of the faith written over a 173-year period from 1523 to 1695. That is, each new principle appeared on average every 16 months!
Two facts are characteristic of the formation period of Protestantism. First, the clearest expositions of Scripture in the history of the church were made during this period. And secondly, during this period, the maximum number of confessional documents expounding Protestant Theology (Canons of the Synod of Dort, 1 Helvetic Confession, Westminster Short Catechism, etc.) was created in the entire history of the church. How to understand and reconcile these two points?
It's not that hard. The term Sola Scriptura means that the Bible alone is the written Word of God and is therefore the ultimate judge of faith and morality. The Protestant principles of faith set forth what the inspired, infallible, and absolutely authoritative Word of God teaches.
Today, Scripture-faithful Protestants continue to study the biblical doctrines found in the creeds.
Secondly, Protestants are also people devoted to the church, loving the church of Christ. We are not individualists who live on their own and go about their own business.
The Protestant Reformation was a reformatting of the structure of the church as an assembly of believers. It was a reformation of the church's doctrines (including 5 Sola), its creeds, as well as sermons, sacraments, church discipline, church government, and church worship. The aspiration, goal and fruits of godly Protestantism is the creation of biblical Protestant churches, governed on the basis of biblical Protestant principles, and with church members convinced of biblical Protestant truth, where all glory is given to the one Triune God in Jesus Christ!
Third, Protestants and their churches oppose lies and stand for truth. The history of scripturally faithful Protestantism is the history of the church militant in the last 500 years, going back to the Sejm of Speyer (1529), and to Martin Luther's speech at Worms, "There I Stand" (1521) and his "Ninety-five Theses" (1517).
In fact, the correct Protestant testimony goes back (although not in terminology) to Jan Hus in Bohemia, to John Wycliffe in England, to the Waldensians in and around the Alps, to Gottschalk in various parts of Europe, to Augustine in North Africa, etc. d.
The same struggle for the true faith is described on the pages of the Bible in the battles of the apostles against the Sadducees and Judaizers in the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles, in the ministry of the Lord Jesus against the Scribes and Pharisees, in the gospel narratives and writings of faithful prophets, like Elijah, in the Old Testament.
Today, faithful Protestants and their churches, out of love for the truth and to gain others for it by the grace of God, are protesting against apostasy: liberal theology, Arminianism, women in church ministry, false ecumenism (with Roman Catholicism and other false or apostate churches and cults), sodomy and lesbianism among church employees and members of the church, merging with pagan religions, etc.
A child of God has a right and a calling to also protest against unbiblical teachings and practices in his own church, in the service of the believer. Because he is a prophet, priest and king, being a partaker of the spiritual anointing of Jesus Christ. His protest must be made in an orderly, godly manner, in accordance with the Reformed creed and the ecclesiastical code or ecclesiastical order. Such protest must be humble but bold, with many prayers and backed up by the Holy Scriptures for the glory of God.
Psalm 119 beautifully sums up the spirit of Biblical Protestantism: “By Thy precepts I am enlightened; therefore I hate every way of lying.” (Art. 104); “But I love your commandments more than gold, and pure gold. All your commandments - all I recognize as just; I hate every way of lying. "(Art. 127-128).
Next time, we will complete our consideration of some of the major ethical doctrines of Protestantism, DV.
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Having defined Protestants in the light of history, theology, beliefs, and ecclesiastical organization, let's move on to the next question: What is the ethics of the children of the Reformation?
How does Protestantism affect the way of life? There's a lot to be said here, but I'll just focus on two points.
First, the Protestant loves the truth and speaks it. In part, there is a historical background for this. The Jesuit teaches that it is good and even virtuous to tell a lie if it serves the Roman Catholic Church. The degree of moral ambiguity in Roman Catholicism regarding the ninth commandment has been going wild for centuries. Think of the lies and concealment of the truth in the Roman church. This is especially true of their homosexual priests, who abused little boys, as recently became known.
Protestantism's attitude to truth is based on its Sola's or "only". Sola Scriptura declares, "Your word is truth" (John 17:17). Salvation is only by Christ, because He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Only Jehovah glory (soli Deo gloria) - "God of truth" (Deuteronomy 32: 4), observance of the ninth commandment: "Do not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).
Also, the gospel truth - justification by faith alone (sola fide), promotes honesty. In Psalm 32, David rejoices in the forgiveness and remission of his sins: “Blessed is the one whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered! Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (1-2). For believers, the imputation of sins and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ always go hand in hand (Rom. 4:6-8). Now notice what verse 2 of this Psalm adds: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit." Those who are truly blessed with the forgiveness of sins and receiving the righteousness of Christ by faith alone are honest with God through the work of the Holy Spirit. If a fallen person instinctively and impiously hides his sins, then a true believer confesses his sins, both at the moment of the first repentance, and throughout his Christian life. Therefore, the child of God honestly speaks the truth both to himself and to others, because in his "spirit there is no deceit."
Secondly, there is the so-called Protestant work ethic. It also originates from the Five Sola's of the Reformation. According to sola Scriptura, we are to keep the fourth commandment out of gratitude. Therefore, we work six days and rest on the Christian Sabbath, which is called the Day of the Lord (Rev. 1:10), spending the day in personal and corporate worship of God. We imitate our Savior, only Christ (solus Christus), who did what the Father entrusted to him (John 4:34, 17:4). We are justified only by faith (sola fide) through the imputed righteousness of God, not just a dead faith in Christ, but a living and active faith. We are saved only by grace (sola gratia). Therefore, we work with gratitude for an absolutely merciful salvation. In accordance with the principle of the Reformation soli Deo gloria, we work to honor the Triune God and serve Him, and not just man.
True Protestants believe that they should work honestly without avoiding hardship, and so they do. Think of the French Huguenots and the terrible negative impact of the war on the French economy as they were persecuted and driven out of the country, especially because of King Louis XIV's vicious rejection of the Decree of Nantes (1685).
The Protestant work ethic is based on two other biblical, Protestant truths. The first is the priesthood of all believers. It is not that only the faithful work of a Christian minister is of value in the sight of God; the work of all His people is holy when it is done on the basis of faith and to please Him, in Christ Jesus. The second Biblical and Reformed truth supporting the Protestant work ethic is the calling. It does not only apply to preachers, elders, or deacons who are called to serve in local churches. Also, all Christians are called by God to work in every lawful occupation that He has given them in His providence. Thus, it does not matter to the Lord how low-paid or ugly, and perhaps even modest, your work is. No work is "below" you if it is done for the glory of God. Our Savior worked with his hands for many years as a carpenter! This is an important point, especially in our day, when the ideas of Western secularism humiliate the good ordinance on work given from the creation of the world. Many people foolishly believe that it is more worthwhile to be unemployed than to do a low-paying job.
Heed the refreshing biblical teaching in Colossians 3:22-24: “Servants, obey in all things your lords according to the flesh, serving not only in the sight of them like men-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God. And everything that you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for people, knowing that in reward from the Lord you will receive an inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. The motto of the Protestant work ethic is, in fact, the words: "Whatever your hand can do, do it with your might" (Eccl. 9:10).
Are you a Protestant? If you adhere to the principles of the 5 Sola's Reformation (Scripture alone, Christ alone, Faith alone, Grace alone, and God alone) and the great Protestant creeds, if you speak the truth, believe and work diligently, support the creed of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation, which is pure, apostolic Christianity, then continue to bear witness to God's truth by participating in the ongoing reformation of the church and engaging in the good fight of faith!
