Protestants: What are the "Basics" that all Non-Catholic Christians agree on? And who determines what the "basics" are?

[ComeHome2Rome]

I am inspired to ask this question after listening to Dr. Ray Guarendi speak.

**What are these “basics” that it’s claimed that all Protestants agree on?

Who determines what these “basics” are? **

 

[Cat]

I am inspired to ask this question after listening to Dr. Ray Guarendi speak.

**What are these “basics” that it’s claimed that all Protestants agree on?

Who determines what these “basics” are? **

Never say “all” when it comes to Protestants. There are always exceptions, always.

That being said, most Protestants agree, along with Catholics, on the "Five Fundamentals of the Christian Faith, which are:

1. Inerrancy of the Scriptures
2. Virgin birth and Deity of Jesus Christ
3. Substitutionary Atonement by God’s Grace through faith.
4. Bodily Resurrection of Jesus
5. Authenticity of the Miracles of Jesus, OR The Second Coming of Jesus (depends on which denomination–Catholics believe in both, and most but not all Protestant, denominations believe in both, but some only believe in one of these).

The Five Fundamentals of the Christian Faith were hammered out in the early 20th Century in response to modernist/liberal teachings that were creeping into the churches. When you hear the term “fundamentalist,” this is what they are referring to.

Hope this helps.

 

[ANNE_2]

The way things are today, it appears that ALL Protestant denominations agree on very little.

Each individual Protestant Faith leaders determine what their particular denomination believes, sometimes some have their leaders vote on it.

Many don’t follow the Bible, and that is why some can approve homosexual acts, and homosexual ministers.

 

[JonNC]

=ANNE 2;8452034]The way things are today, it appears that ALL Protestant denominations agree on very little.

Actually, we agree on much, and Lutherans agree with Catholics on much.

Each individual Protestant Faith leaders determine what their particular denomination believes, sometimes some have their leaders vote on it.

And Lutherans rely on the Book of Concord.

Many don’t follow the Bible, and that is why some can approve homosexual acts, and homosexual ministers.

Agreed, and Lutherans who allow this also do not follow the confessions.

Jon

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

I am inspired to ask this question after listening to Dr. Ray Guarendi speak.

**What are these “basics” that it’s claimed that all Protestants agree on?

Who determines what these “basics” are? **

I am in a Protestant forum and sometimes I put questions that they do not understand. They state: “That is a Catholic question. Your problem, not mine”.

I tell you the same. That is a Catholic way to put a question about a Protestant subject. There is no common ground. with 33 000 denominations and 200 added each month, you may set any common ground that it will be overridden.

That is not a Protestant Problem…

 

[ANNE_2]

Actually, we agree on much, and Lutherans agree with Catholics on much.
And Lutherans rely on the Book of Concord.
Agreed, and Lutherans who allow this also do not follow the confessions.
Jon

The OP’s question was what do ALL Protestants agree on.

 

[RaymondJensen]

well i guess the more obvious one is that the pope doesn’t have any real authority (not true in my opinion but still I don’t dictate to others what to believe but my beliefs themselves).

 

[Cat]

I am in a Protestant forum and sometimes I put questions that they do not understand. They state: “That is a Catholic question. Your problem, not mine”.

I tell you the same. That is a Catholic way to put a question about a Protestant subject. There is no common ground. with 33 000 denominations and 200 added each month, you may set any common ground that it will be overridden.

That is not a Protestant Problem…

I am a convert from evangelical Protestantism.

I disagree with the statement that there is no common ground. Yes, there is.

Earlier in the thread, I listed Five Fundamentals that almost all Protestants, as well as Catholics, agree on.

Some of the Mainline Protestant sects, especially the modern ones, would disagree with the statement about the Virgin Birth, the Deity of Christ, the Literal resurrection of Jesus, and the authenticity of His miracles. I would ask, is it really correct to call these mainline churches “Protestant,” since Protestants historically believe in Jesus as God. IMO, there comes a point where you are no longer a “Christian” church, but merely a community of people gathered together for the sake of seeking spirituality.

However, as much as they don’t want to admit it, HISTORICALLY, all of the mainline churches agreed with the five fundamentals, and if the modernists in their churches would bring out the original confessions, creeds, and catechisms of their respective denominations, they would find that they have moved quite a ways away from their original church beliefs…

All of the other Protestant groups, for the most part, agree with the Five Fundamentals.

And as for the 33,000 denominations statement, I disagree with that, too. Rather than defining each Protestant church as a different denomination, it is more logical and conducive to dialogue and friendship to group the various Protestant sects. E.g., there are Mainlines, Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Pentecostals, and Non-denoms. That’s FIVE “groups” of Protestants, not 33,000. There are others that I haven’t attempted to group, but most of the Protestants fit into one of those five “groups.”

Or you could group them into Lutheran, Calvinist, or Baptist. Most Protestants fit into one of these three groups.

It is divisive and rather useless to think in terms of “33,000 and still growing.” That statement is so easily disproven by Protestants, and then the Catholic ends up looking foolish and untrustworthy and hyperbolic, and what good is that? Protestants will distrust Catholics even more if they do not tell the truth or if they attempt to exagerrate the truth.

Rather than making a rather wild claim about tens of thousands of denominations, it is much better to attempt to find common ground, and attempt to fit the Protestant sect into one of the known groups. E.g., yes, there are many thousands of non-denomational Protestants sects, but most of them are evangelical, fundamental, or pentecostal, or a mix of these three. Very few non-denominational churches are Mainlines.

And again, almost all of the non-denoms accept the five fundamentals of the Christian faith, which are also accepted by Catholics. THAT is common ground, and that’s a starting place, and that’s what we need–starting places, not walls.

 

[jericho777]

I am a convert from evangelical Protestantism.

I disagree with the statement that there is no common ground. Yes, there is.

Earlier in the thread, I listed Five Fundamentals that almost all Protestants, as well as Catholics, agree on.

Some of the Mainline Protestant sects, especially the modern ones, would disagree with the statement about the Virgin Birth, the Deity of Christ, the Literal resurrection of Jesus, and the authenticity of His miracles. I would ask, is it really correct to call these mainline churches “Protestant,” since Protestants historically believe in Jesus as God. IMO, there comes a point where you are no longer a “Christian” church, but merely a community of people gathered together for the sake of seeking spirituality.

However, as much as they don’t want to admit it, HISTORICALLY, all of the mainline churches agreed with the five fundamentals, and if the modernists in their churches would bring out the original confessions, creeds, and catechisms of their respective denominations, they would find that they have moved quite a ways away from their original church beliefs…

All of the other Protestant groups, for the most part, agree with the Five Fundamentals.

And as for the 33,000 denominations statement, I disagree with that, too. Rather than defining each Protestant church as a different denomination, it is more logical and conducive to dialogue and friendship to group the various Protestant sects. E.g., there are Mainlines, Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Pentecostals, and Non-denoms. That’s FIVE “groups” of Protestants, not 33,000. There are others that I haven’t attempted to group, but most of the Protestants fit into one of those five “groups.”

Or you could group them into Lutheran, Calvinist, or Baptist. Most Protestants fit into one of these three groups.

It is divisive and rather useless to think in terms of “33,000 and still growing.” That statement is so easily disproven by Protestants, and then the Catholic ends up looking foolish and untrustworthy and hyperbolic, and what good is that? Protestants will distrust Catholics even more if they do not tell the truth or if they attempt to exagerrate the truth.

Rather than making a rather wild claim about tens of thousands of denominations, it is much better to attempt to find common ground, and attempt to fit the Protestant sect into one of the known groups. E.g., yes, there are many thousands of non-denomational Protestants sects, but most of them are evangelical, fundamental, or pentecostal, or a mix of these three. Very few non-denominational churches are Mainlines.

And again, almost all of the non-denoms accept the five fundamentals of the Christian faith, which are also accepted by Catholics. THAT is common ground, and that’s a starting place, and that’s what we need–starting places, not walls.

Very well said. On the essentials we do agree. I find the 33,000 denominations claim played often when people can’t make an argument for their position and have to obfuscate. It adds nothing to the debate.

 

[AbideWithMe]

Yes, Cat, well done and thank you! I’m glad for the conversion to Catholicism of people such as yourself and TrueLight who make some effort to build bridges with Protestants by speaking with some accuracy about Protestants .

The everyday reality is that the majority of Protestant churches hold much in common, and daily work together very well with each other --and with Catholics and Orthodox–on serving their communities and the world.

 

[AbideWithMe]

JonNC, I also appreciate the good modeling you’ve done in your efforts to dialogue here over the years without becoming inflammatory. I’ve been reading at CAF for about a year, and found good models of genuine, mature charity among Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants among all the rest of us who have a long way to go in that regard. (Not that I’m going to able to follow the good models myself all the time and avoid getting annoyed .)

 

[ComeHome2Rome]

The OP’s question was what do ALL Protestants agree on.

Thank you Anne.

I have family members & friends who are Protestant who I commonly hear them say, “It doesn’t matter which church we attend because all Christians agree on the basics.” Of course, they mean non-Catholic Christian churches because none of them would consider attending a Catholic Church.

After hearing Dr. Ray Guarendi on the DVD “Why Be Catholic” I decided to try to find out what Protestants consider the “basics”.

 

[Ginger2]

I am inspired to ask this question after listening to Dr. Ray Guarendi speak.

**What are these “basics” that it’s claimed that all Protestants agree on?

Who determines what these “basics” are? **

Your question is flawed. Catholics tend to lump all non-catholics together under the heading “Protestant.” But that is an inaccurate assessment. To many Catholics, at least as expressed in this forum, Jonestown and the Branch Davidian are Protestant denominations.

 

[JonNC]

The OP’s question was what do ALL Protestants agree on.

Well, as Ginger2 states, the question is really kind of flawed, particluarly the last part,
*“Who determines what these “basics” are?” * Simply put, there isn’t anyone who determines. This is why I answered the way I did. In the areas where others agree with the Lutheran Confessions, then we agree on that. For us, the Augsburg Confession, the three ancient creeds, etc., these are the basics.

Jon

 

[ComeHome2Rome]

What do Protestants mean by the word “basics” when they say: **"Christians **“non-Catholics”, all believe the same when it comes to the basics."?

What are these “basics” they’re talking about? Is there a list somewhere? If there is, where did that list come from?

Only come to this next question if the above questions can be answered: how can the average non-Catholic Christian be certain that the basics are the basics?

btw - I’ve never met a non-Catholic who believes in any creeds. A creed is considered way “too Catholic” by the non-Catholics I’ve met.

 

[ComeHome2Rome]

Catholics tend to lump all non-catholics together under the heading “Protestant.” But that is an inaccurate assessment. To many Catholics, at least as expressed in this forum, Jonestown and the Branch Davidian are Protestant denominations.

Protestants are Christians that are not Catholic.

The religion of Jonestown and the Branch Davidian said they were Christians, but were not Catholic. Baptists and Lutherans say they’re Christians, but are not Catholic. Jehovah’s Witnesses and LDS say they’re Christians, but are not Catholic. Anglicans and Orthodox say they’re Christians, but are not Catholic; although they are very close.

Being a Protestant Christian simply means that you’re a christian, but reject or ‘protest’ the Teachings of the Catholic Church.

I hope that there are not any Catholics that think that Baptists believe what was taught by the Branch Davidians or that LDS believe the same as the Lutherans.

I think it’s safe to say that each protestant church teaches it’s own theology which can either be nearly identical to, or the exact opposite of, other protestant churches. Maybe the only thing some protestant churches have in common with other protestant churches is that they are not Catholic?

 

[JonNC]

What do Protestants mean by the word “basics” when they say: **"Christians **“non-Catholics”, all believe the same when it comes to the basics."?

What are these “basics” they’re talking about? Is there a list somewhere? If there is, where did that list come from?

Only come to this next question if the above questions can be answered: how can the average non-Catholic Christian be certain that the basics are the basics?

btw - I’ve never met a non-Catholic who believes in any creeds. A creed is considered way “too Catholic” by the non-Catholics I’ve met.

The first section of the Lutheran Confessions is the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. If you are looking for the basics of the Christian faith, look to the three creeds.

Jon

 

[cooterhein]

Non-Catholic Christians covers every Christian who’s not a Catholic, and this could conceivably include every type of marginal Christian or cult that no one wants to agree with. However, speaking for Evangelical Protestantism, you can start with the Nicene Creed and the Five Solas for your basic doctrinal framework. Of course, there are some theologically liberal people that are Protestants in name only but not in belief or practice. In that regard, they are just like theologically liberal Catholics that are Catholic in name only but not in belief or practice.

Beyond that, there is a common heritage of spiritual freedom and equality. While this is certainly not exclusive to Protestantism, it is something that unites us and it’s a little different from what Catholics have.

Another area of non-doctrinal agreement includes the 66-book canon. I know you’re about to tell me there are some old Lutheran bibles that have the apocryphal books lifted from their place in the order of the Septuagint and placed between the Testaments in a section that is appropriately entitled “Apocrypha,” and I’m about to remind you of the difference between “Apocryphal” and “Deutero-canonical.” And then I’m going to ask you to take a look inside a Greek Catholic Bible and see if you count an extra 3 books plus an extra psalm. (You will). Lest I misrepresent Greek Catholics by omission, they affirm the same canon as you but they include all the material that’s in the Greek canon without calling all of it canonical.

These are some of the basic beliefs and principles of Evangelical Protestantism. You either have them or you don’t. I know this is kind of a short post, but the Nicene Creed and the Five Solas covers a lot of ground.

 

[cooterhein]

Being a Protestant Christian simply means that you’re a christian, but reject or ‘protest’ the Teachings of the Catholic Church.

You are mistaken. “To protest” used to mean assert or claim in a positive way. That was the meaning behind “Protestant.” It’s an easy mistake to make, though. We don’t use the word that way anymore. However, the same thing the Reformers protested (in the sense that they asserted them as core doctrine of the Reformation) are the same things believed by Protestants today. We still assert them to be true. What they protested, we now assert. This looks like a contradiction according to the current range of what protest can mean, but an understanding of what it used to mean really helps here.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

I am a convert from evangelical Protestantism.

I disagree with the statement that there is no common ground. Yes, there is.

Earlier in the thread, I listed Five Fundamentals that almost all Protestants, as well as Catholics, agree on.

Some of the Mainline Protestant sects, especially the modern ones, would disagree with the statement about the Virgin Birth, the Deity of Christ, the Literal resurrection of Jesus, and the authenticity of His miracles. I would ask, is it really correct to call these mainline churches “Protestant,” since Protestants historically believe in Jesus as God. IMO, there comes a point where you are no longer a “Christian” church, but merely a community of people gathered together for the sake of seeking spirituality.

However, as much as they don’t want to admit it, HISTORICALLY, all of the mainline churches agreed with the five fundamentals, and if the modernists in their churches would bring out the original confessions, creeds, and catechisms of their respective denominations, they would find that they have moved quite a ways away from their original church beliefs…

All of the other Protestant groups, for the most part, agree with the Five Fundamentals.

And as for the 33,000 denominations statement, I disagree with that, too. Rather than defining each Protestant church as a different denomination, it is more logical and conducive to dialogue and friendship to group the various Protestant sects. E.g., there are Mainlines, Evangelicals, Fundamentalists, Pentecostals, and Non-denoms. That’s FIVE “groups” of Protestants, not 33,000. There are others that I haven’t attempted to group, but most of the Protestants fit into one of those five “groups.”

Or you could group them into Lutheran, Calvinist, or Baptist. Most Protestants fit into one of these three groups.

It is divisive and rather useless to think in terms of “33,000 and still growing.” That statement is so easily disproven by Protestants, and then the Catholic ends up looking foolish and untrustworthy and hyperbolic, and what good is that? Protestants will distrust Catholics even more if they do not tell the truth or if they attempt to exagerrate the truth.

Rather than making a rather wild claim about tens of thousands of denominations, it is much better to attempt to find common ground, and attempt to fit the Protestant sect into one of the known groups. E.g., yes, there are many thousands of non-denomational Protestants sects, but most of them are evangelical, fundamental, or pentecostal, or a mix of these three. Very few non-denominational churches are Mainlines.

And again, almost all of the non-denoms accept the five fundamentals of the Christian faith, which are also accepted by Catholics. THAT is common ground, and that’s a starting place, and that’s what we need–starting places, not walls.

I started a thread in the Protestant Forum which stated: "There are 200 Protestant churches: dont you think that it is too many?. And somebody said that there were 33 000 and that with Internet (I do not know what is that: Internet Churces?) it is growing at the rate of 200 a month.
As you guess, I have no intention of making wils claims. I am there to LEARN about Protestantis and they have taught me a lit. Now, the number is up and running, just click here and see

the question is quite confusing, Churches, Denominations, and so on but I want to study them for I want to know.

Listen to the basic argument: with the idea that each one may interpret the Scripture, the Protestant will splinter totally and in 500 years there will be no more Protestants or each person will be a Church.

Am I gla? NO, I am not glad, in the Protestant Forum I am asking, why do not accept the Pope’s authority I am defending a common ground, ecumenism and Unity, but with the principle of private interpretation you are rowing against the tide.

You are trying to unite also them in common grounds but I think it is a Catholic Thinking: Unity. I do not think they feel that way. Some have told me: “But why do we need unity?”