Protestants: What ONE Protestant alternative to Catholicism is essential?

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I have never seen a question like this. I hope it is enlightening and fun.

The thought goes like this. I could very well imagine a world in which all Christian groups in existence today still in fact exist — minus the Methodist tradition.

Or, I could pretend Presbyterians didn’t exist. Or just the Presbyterian (USA) faction.

If Methodist or Presbyterian traditions didn’t exist, I’m sure members of those communities would still prefer another Protestant group over Catholicism. Right? Right.

So my question is this: What Protestant alternative is essential in order for Christians to be faithfully Christian, and yet not Catholic?

Most Protestants on here will think that the Protestant Reformation was necessary. That is, they would be Catholic if they didn’t think Protestantism was essential to Christianity. But they aren’t: They remain Protestant.

So here’s the exercise. If there were only ONE Protestant group that existed, what would it be? What alternative to Catholicism (and Orthodoxy) must there be in order for authentic Christianity to flourish?
 
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Or is the answer usually dependent on the personal religious affiliation of the Protestant?

For example, a Lutheran would say “Lutheranism!”

And the Pentecostal would say “Pentecostalism!”
 
The Protestants were solemnly condemned at the Council of Trent, and though they may claim to be Christian, the condemnation confirms otherwise. It’s Catholic or nothing.
 
Objectively speaking, there is no such thing as faithful Christian but not Catholic. None of the Protestant groups are objectively “faithful.”

Of course subjectively everyone will choose their own religion if they are serious enough about it to follow it out of conviction, not just because this is all they know.
 
Previous replies have misunderstood the OP.

I’m asking Protestants.

They think there are alternatives to Catholicism.
 
Eddie18 said:
The Protestants were solemnly condemned at the Council of Trent, and though they may claim to be Christian, the condemnation confirms otherwise. It’s Catholic or nothing.
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Protestants are Christian. If you are baptized in the Trinitarian Rite, you are Christian. Now, one may be a heretical or schismatic Christian, but they’re still Christian due to the indelible mark of regeneration.
 
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Is that because historically it was the first Protestant group?

Or do you think Lutheranism gets the job done as the essence of Christianity/Protestantism?

I’m asking about the latter.
 
The 5 Solas are key in differentiating Catholics and Protestants and they originated with Luther and his pals. I’m sure I might be forgetting other things.
 
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I think Protestants might be deliberately avoiding this thread for a specific reason…🤐
 
So essentially, there could be ONE Protestant alternative, so long as it maintained the five solas?

In other words, do most Protestants think that the large variety of Protestantism is quite unnecessary?
 
I pretty much agree, and not just bc I’m Lutheran.
I’d widen the scope and include the wider early Reformation churches - the various Lutherans and the Anglican/Episcopalian community, who together agree on the majority of points and are largely (but not everyone) in communion of some kind with each other.

I had reason to read an online of the BCP and it looked fine to me theologically. There’s also the Porvoo agreement.

I don’t know the Methodists well enough to know if they’d fit under the same umbrella, but possibly.
 
As a Protestant, I have no idea. Here in Canada the Anglican Church, so I’m told, is still quite similar to the Catholic liturgy but I’ve never been tempted to go. I’ve been to a funeral at a Lutheran church, but that was before I had begun attending Mass and I don’t remember what it was like. So back to the original question-
catholic1seeks said:
So here’s the exercise. If there were only ONE Protestant group that existed, what would it be?
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I guess it just doesn’t matter to me. I simply wouldn’t go. 🙂
 
I guess it just doesn’t matter to me. I simply wouldn’t go. 🙂
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I guess my point in this thread is getting at the inevitable conclusion with regard to the nature of the Church. Many Protestants are content with the diversity of denominations, because their theory of church isn’t focused on the visible element – visible communion, common leadership, bishops, etc.

And yet, because most of us can easily imagine a world without denomination A, or denomination B, etc., then we have to ultimately ask: What is the nature of Christianity that must exist for the authentic church to exist now?

Most Protestants will readily say they are not content with Catholicism (or E. Orthodoxy). They think there are major errors with Catholicism. And therefore, there must be some alternative. The original P Reformers thought they were recovering the original (Catholic) Church in some way.

But combine this with the fact that Protestantism as it now exists is not necessary. Even if a Protestant wants to maintain a fully “invisible church,” where all Christians are essentially equally members in the one Church, he or she will still have to admit that denominationalism is NOT endorsed by Scripture, that it is a wound to unity, and that it is not in itself necessary.
 
I think that honestly considering the above will have major implications for the nature of the Church and the ultimate realization that Catholicism, as it now exists in communion with the Bishop of Rome, is really the only necessary Christian expression. That all Western groups are basically non-essential.

Why do I say this? Because the Protestant will ultimately have to arbitrarily pick any group of Protestants: Lutherans, Anglicans, etc, and say that they represent the “true alternative.” Even if some groups are “in communion” with each other, there are still real differences, or else there would not be multiple groups making up said communion.
 
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catholic1seeks said:
So here’s the exercise. If there were only ONE Protestant group that existed, what would it be? What alternative to Catholicism (and Orthodoxy) must there be in order for authentic Christianity to flourish?
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How come you didn’t post this in non Catholic religions? Did you know that many non-Catholics won’t come over here to Apologetics?
 
@guanophore It seems like an apologetics question.

I suppose multiple threads on these forums could fit under multiple categories.

And I didn’t realize Protestants didn’t come here. One already replied above ^
 
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catholic1seeks said:
It seems like an apologetics question.
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Maybe I misunderstood you, I thought you were asking the question of Protestants? Or are you asking Catholic apologists to determine which Protestant denomination is the most essential?
catholic1seeks said:
Or is the answer usually dependent on the personal religious affiliation of the Protestant?
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Are not most people situated where they believe is most appropriate?
 
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