A question for non-Catholic Christians

[Baptista]

I may be showing my ignorance here, and that’s ok because I am obviously ignorant of the answer to this question…

Aren’t all non-Catholic Christian religions referred to collectively as Protestant?

I inadvertently upset an acquaintance of mine who used to be Catholic and left to join, what I thought was ok to call a Protestant Church. When I used the term, she sort of ‘let me have it’. I honestly did not mean to say anything wrong. I don’t think the name “Protestant” is derogatory. If she had joined a Baptist, Lutheran, etc., the term would be acceptable…wouldn’t it? Or am I wrong on this, too?

I did ask her what term was correct. Not Non-Denominational, not Pentecostal. So I asked what is it? She mentioned the name of her Church, which I cannot recall…I only remember that it was the same an the name of one of the Church communities in the New Testament, so I’ll say Ephesians. Not sure if that was it, and I don’t want to ask again and upset her.

I’m asking because I’m truly curious. I asked another friend this evening, who is Protestant by her own words, and she thought the same way I thought, but she wasn’t positive. Help. We’re both wondering now, and I said I’d try to find out.

 

[jmcrae]

For a lot of non-Catholics, the term “Protestant” only refers to Lutherans, Calvinists and their various off-shoots.

Churches that came later in rebellion against Protestantism (such as the Anabaptists, which include Hutterites, Amish, Mennonites, etc.) or without reference to the Reformation (Salvation Army, Baptists, Quakers, etc.) tend to refer to themselves more generically as “Christian.”

I think part of what you encountered was someone’s pride being wounded though - I think the unspoken subtext to your conversation may have been, "What, you mean Catholics don’t agonize every day about what we members of the Church of the Ephesians (or whatever) think of them? WHADYA MEAN, THEY NEVER EVEN HEARD OF US?!! "



Just fwiw, I’ve never heard of whatever this organization is, either. Maybe your friend is under the impression that they’re actually the original Ephesians, or whomever.

 

[Baptista]

For a lot of non-Catholics, the term “Protestant” only refers to Lutherans, Calvinists and their various off-shoots.

I didn’t realize that.

Churches that came later in rebellion against Protestantism (such as the Anabaptists, which include Hutterites, Amish, Mennonites, etc.) or without reference to the Reformation (Salvation Army, Baptists, Quakers, etc.) tend to refer to themselves more generically as “Christian.”

Ok. I never think of Quakers or Amish as “Protestant”, although I know they’re Christian, so that makes sense.

I think part of what you encountered was someone’s pride being wounded though - I think the unspoken subtext to your conversation may have been, "What, you mean Catholics don’t agonize every day about what we members of the Church of the Ephesians (or whatever) think of them? WHADYA MEAN, THEY NEVER EVEN HEARD OF US?!! "

:bigyikes:

Just fwiw, I’ve never heard of whatever this organization is, either. Maybe your friend is under the impression that they’re actually the original Ephesians, or whomever.

You know, you actually could be right. I didn’t think of this, but I do have another friend who could believe this if told it was true. She’s very naive. Hmmmm.

But thanks much! I can now tell the friend I was talking with earlier…the one who does refer to herself as “Protestant” …that not all non-Catholic Christians term themselves that. And hopefully I’ll remember this so I don’t make that mistake again. I really do not want to insult anyone.

 

[JonNC]

I may be showing my ignorance here, and that’s ok because I am obviously ignorant of the answer to this question…

Aren’t all non-Catholic Christian religions referred to collectively as Protestant?

I inadvertently upset an acquaintance of mine who used to be Catholic and left to join, what I thought was ok to call a Protestant Church. When I used the term, she sort of ‘let me have it’. I honestly did not mean to say anything wrong. I don’t think the name “Protestant” is derogatory. If she had joined a Baptist, Lutheran, etc., the term would be acceptable…wouldn’t it? Or am I wrong on this, too?

Noncatholics include Eastern Orthodox who would, I believe, not take kindly to being called protestant. Some Anglicans say they are not protestant, as they are not directly linked to the Reformation.

As a Lutheran, protestant is a dated term, in that I’m not protesting the Catholic Church, but it isn’t to me offensive, per se.
Like the term “Roman Catholic”, some Catholics of the Latin Rite don’t like it, some don’t mind it. Same thing. If your friend takes umbrage at being called protestant, don’t call her that. Call her what she wants. But I think its being a bit too sensitive, as the term is generally used, and not as a pejorative.

Jon

 

[Baptista]

Noncatholics include Eastern Orthodox who would, I believe, not take kindly to being called protestant. Some Anglicans say they are not protestant, as they are not directly linked to the Reformation.

As a Lutheran, protestant is a dated term, in that I’m not protesting the Catholic Church, but it isn’t to me offensive, per se.
Like the term “Roman Catholic”, some Catholics of the Latin Rite don’t like it, some don’t mind it. Same thing. If your friend takes umbrage at being called protestant, don’t call her that. Call her what she wants. But I think its being a bit too sensitive, as the term is generally used, and not as a pejorative.

Jon

Thanks for your reply, Jon. Believe me, I will never again mention “Protestant” when talking to my friend who was so offended. I did not mean anything derogatory. As I said, I have another friend who calls herself “Protestant”. I came here to ask because she and I were both curious. I thought this would be a good place to find out.