Some Protestants Believe the Strangest things.

[Anna_Scott]

Hiya Jo-Artist…

I’m not sure which specific beliefs or groups you are talking about, since you don’t specify…but I do assume that it is common knowledge to everyone here that there were many different Christian groups that developed soon after Jesus died, each one differing a little in their beliefs, each one basing their beliefs on what was considered holy teachings and scripture from disciples at the time…the Ebonite Christains and Marcion Christains, for example.
There are many, many books out there on this topic–Lost Christianities is one of them.

Is this what you are talking about?

These groups were around until that council in the 4th Century, when all the details of “Christianity” were decided upon by that group of Bishops–I believed it took them many decades to do this–and the books of the bible were put together.
From what I’ve read, the books that would espouse the beliefs of these other groups were left out, of course…and banned, etc.
But from what I’ve read many continued to follow these Christian beliefs long afterward in secret, because they were not allowed to do so in public.

I don’t know if these early Christian groups are related belief-wise to any Protestant religions of today, though.

DaddyGirl,

Sounds like you’ve been reading Bart Ehrman’s books. I’ve read a number of his books and his bias overpowers his scholarship, IMHO. Ehrman attempts to lead his readers to believe Christian orthodoxy prevails, simply because they (“proto-orthodox”) were the victors in a battle over Christian beliefs and the Biblical Canon.

If you continue your studies past Ehrman’s books, you will find that Christian orthodoxy prevails, because it is the true Gospel of Christ, handed down orally and then in written form. If you spend some time reading the Ante-Nicene fathers, you will see this is true. We all owe a great debt to the Catholic Church for preserving the Gospel and guarding the Canon from heretical works.

Keep studying. Just widen your scope to other scholars.

Peace,
Anna