What does it mean to be Protestant?

[Jimmy_B]

What does it mean to be Protestant?

What does the word “Protestant” mean? I ask this question, because I constantly read posts here at CAF, where people claim to be non-Catholic Christians but not Protestant. What, in your opinion is the true definition of “Protestant”?

Below, is a list of various definitions of the word “Protestant”, found on an internet search.

PROTESTANT -

· an adherent of Protestantism

· of or relating to Protestants or Protestantism; “Protestant churches”; “a Protestant denomination”

· protesting

· Any of several denominations of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation; Someone who is a member of such a denomination; A modern Christian denomination not belonging to the Catholic or Orthodox traditions

· noun: a. a member of any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth b. a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church

· Christian faith, denies the authority of the Pope, worship focused on the Bible

Here is the search result for “Protestantism” from the on-line, Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent.

Your thoughts?

 

[benidict]

brother Jimmy, i think they dont understand what they are saying. cause if you look at how they are posting. i would have to say, they are very much in protest of the Catholic Church. and if they were not protestant, they would be Catholic, or Orthodox. Peace

 

[Jimmy_B]

Conclusion****

Catholicism*** numbers some 270 millions of adherents, all professing the same Faith, using the same sacraments****, living under the same discipline; Protestantism claims roundly 100 millions of Christians, products of the Gospel and the fancies of a hundred reformers, people constantly bewailing their “unhappy divisions” and vainly crying for a union which is only possible under that very ****central authority, protestation against which is their only common denominator.*** ****

(Found here, at the bottom of the page)

 

[Glico]

What does it mean to be Protestant?

What does the word “Protestant” mean? I ask this question, because I constantly read posts here at CAF, where people claim to be non-Catholic Christians but not Protestant. What, in your opinion is the true definition of “Protestant”?

Below, is a list of various definitions of the word “Protestant”, found on an internet search.

PROTESTANT -

· an adherent of Protestantism

· of or relating to Protestants or Protestantism; “Protestant churches”; “a Protestant denomination”

· protesting

· Any of several denominations of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation; Someone who is a member of such a denomination; A modern Christian denomination not belonging to the Catholic or Orthodox traditions

· noun: a. a member of any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth b. a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church

· Christian faith, denies the authority of the Pope, worship focused on the Bible

Here is the search result for “Protestantism” from the on-line, Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent.

Your thoughts?

I would believe none of the non-catholics here would officially call themselves as PROTESTants because that is a terminology that came with the Reformation. “Protestants” do not see themselves as breaking away from anything. They see themselves as fully reliant on ONLY the Bible. Period.

To them, it is a going back to basics. Instead of relying on unverifiable claims of tradition & affiliation. To be a “protestant”, you just believe that God(Jesus) is your Savior and the Bible is His word…and you need nobody else. Yes, not even a priest.

 

[Jimmy_B]

I would believe none of the non-catholics here would officially call themselves as PROTESTants because that is a terminology that came with the Reformation. “Protestants” do not see themselves as breaking away from anything. They see themselves as fully reliant on ONLY the Bible. Period.

To them, it is a going back to basics. Instead of relying on unverifiable claims of tradition & affiliation. To be a “protestant”, you just believe that God(Jesus) is your Savior and the Bible is His word…and you need nobody else. Yes, not even a priest.

I don’t know about that, because I have met many non-Catholic Christians here at CAF who were Protestant and “proud of it”… I’ve also met many others here, who weren’t and that’s why I asked the question. Thank you for your post.

 

[diggerdomer]

What does it mean to be Protestant?

What does the word “Protestant” mean? I ask this question, because I constantly read posts here at CAF, where people claim to be non-Catholic Christians but not Protestant. What, in your opinion is the true definition of “Protestant”?

Below, is a list of various definitions of the word “Protestant”, found on an internet search.

PROTESTANT -

· an adherent of Protestantism

· of or relating to Protestants or Protestantism; “Protestant churches”; “a Protestant denomination”

· protesting

· Any of several denominations of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation; Someone who is a member of such a denomination; A modern Christian denomination not belonging to the Catholic or Orthodox traditions

· noun: a. a member of any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth b. a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church

· Christian faith, denies the authority of the Pope, worship focused on the Bible

Here is the search result for “Protestantism” from the on-line, Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent.

Your thoughts?

Christians who are not Catholic or Orthodox.

 

[Jimmy_B]

brother Jimmy, i think they dont understand what they are saying. cause if you look at how they are posting. i would have to say, they are very much in protest of the Catholic Church. and if they were not protestant, they would be Catholic, or Orthodox. Peace

I believe that the problem arises because people, non-Catholic Christians, many of whom, don’t know where their beliefs originate…

For example, do they follow the beliefs of John Calvin, or Martin Luther, or any other, early Protestant reformer and so on?

They may deny “protesting” the Catholic Church but are in fact protesting the Catholic Church by their actions, or their lack of actions and by their beliefs and by rejecting those Christian truths found in Catholicism… the Church that preceded all other Protestant denominations.

For the first fifteen hundred years of Christianity, if you were Christian, you were Catholic and the Bible is a Catholic book, approved by the Roman Catholic Church and Roman Catholic Popes…a thousand years before any, non-Catholic or Protestant denomination

Right?

Thank you for your post.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Christians who are not Catholic or Orthodox.

 

[Izdaari]

Christians who are not Catholic or Orthodox.

That’s what it means to me: I’m Protestant because I’m a Christian who’s not Catholic or Orthodox. I’m neither proud of that nor ashamed of it, it’s just a fact.

It’s also true that I owe some of my theology to Luther, Calvin and Wesley, but I don’t stick exclusively to that side: I read Christian writers from all branches of the faith, and there are bits of theology that I think Catholics or Orthodox have more right than my own faith tradition.

 

[Bran_Stark]

I would say a Protestant is anyone belonging to a group that broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation of the 16th Century. Not older groups like the Orthodox, neither newer ones like the “Old Catholics”.

I think it’s quite possible to disbelieve the classic Protestant doctrines like *Sola Scriptura *and Sola Fide, as many in the liberal mainline churches likely do, and still be a Protestant.

 

[diggerdomer]

That’s what it means to me: I’m Protestant because I’m a Christian who’s not Catholic or Orthodox. I’m neither proud of that nor ashamed of it, it’s just a fact.

It’s also true that I owe some of my theology to Luther, Calvin and Wesley, but I don’t stick exclusively to that side: I read Christian writers from all branches of the faith, and there are bits of theology that I think Catholics or Orthodox have more right than my own faith tradition.

Glad we agree! Thanks!

 

[benidict]

I believe that the problem arises because people, non-Catholic Christians, many of whom, don’t know where their beliefs originate…

For example, do they follow the beliefs of John Calvin, or Martin Luther, or any other, early Protestant reformer and so on?

They may deny “protesting” the Catholic Church but are in fact protesting the Catholic Church by their actions, or their lack of actions and by their beliefs and by rejecting those Christian truths found in Catholicism… the Church that preceded all other Protestant denominations.

For the first fifteen hundred years of Christianity, if you were Christian, you were Catholic and the Bible is a Catholic book, approved by the Roman Catholic Church and Roman Catholic Popes…a thousand years before any, non-Catholic or Protestant denomination

Right?

Thank you for your post.

exactly. if you could go back in time, lets say to the year 952 (just pulling a year out of the air), and asked where the local Baptist church was, they wouldnt know what you were talking about… Peace

 

[Glico]

I believe that the problem arises because people, non-Catholic Christians, many of whom, don’t know where their beliefs originate…

For example, do they follow the beliefs of John Calvin, or Martin Luther, or any other, early Protestant reformer and so on?

They may deny “protesting” the Catholic Church but are in fact protesting the Catholic Church by their actions, or their lack of actions and by their beliefs and by rejecting those Christian truths found in Catholicism… the Church that preceded all other Protestant denominations.

For the first fifteen hundred years of Christianity, if you were Christian, you were Catholic and the Bible is a Catholic book, approved by the Roman Catholic Church and Roman Catholic Popes…a thousand years before any, non-Catholic or Protestant denomination

Right?

Thank you for your post.

Jimmy, how could there be any non-catholics then when anybody who dared challenge the clergy was burned at the stake and labeled either as heretics, sorcerers, idolaters, witches or wizards? Back then, it was Catholicism or Stake Burning. Take your pick.

 

[diggerdomer]

Jimmy, how could there be any non-catholics then when anybody who dared challenge the clergy was burned at the stake and labeled either as heretics, sorcerers, idolaters, witches or wizards? Back then, it was Catholicism or Stake Burning. Take your pick.

No, in the early Church (let’s say, e.g. the first 5 centuries or so) there were plenty of divisions in the Christian Church and the choice was not either faith or death. Any examples of anyone burned at the stake in the first 500 years of Christianity? Or the first 1000 years for that matter?

 

[JonNC]

What does it mean to be Protestant?

What does the word “Protestant” mean? I ask this question, because I constantly read posts here at CAF, where people claim to be non-Catholic Christians but not Protestant. What, in your opinion is the true definition of “Protestant”?

Below, is a list of various definitions of the word “Protestant”, found on an internet search.

PROTESTANT -

· an adherent of Protestantism

· of or relating to Protestants or Protestantism; “Protestant churches”; “a Protestant denomination”

· protesting

· Any of several denominations of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation; Someone who is a member of such a denomination; A modern Christian denomination not belonging to the Catholic or Orthodox traditions

· noun: a. a member of any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth b. a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church

· Christian faith, denies the authority of the Pope, worship focused on the Bible

Here is the search result for “Protestantism” from the on-line, Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent.

Your thoughts?

The term protestant comes from the second Diet at Speyer, and was a protest against political authorities, not the Catholic Church, per se. I’m no expert, but it appears more a protest against the restriction of religious freedom. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestation_at_Speyer

In modern terms, I personally see “protestant” as a term which implies a postion of comfort with the current division of the Church. I do not share that sentiment, and believe that all efforts toward true reconciliation are imperative, in compliance with Christ’s call that we “all may be one.” To that extent, I do not consider myself “Protestant.”

That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize the common use of the term to mean, generally, western non-Catholic Christian faith communions that are not currently in communion with the Bishop of Rome. However, I certainly don’t see most Protestants viewing their membership in these communions as being a “protest” of the Catholic Church, anymore than being Lutheran as being a protest against, say, Calvinism.

Jon

 

[AmateurPianist]

An adherent of Protestantism

What pray tell is 'Protestantism"??

of or relating to Protestants or Protestantism; “Protestant churches”; “a Protestant denomination”

I seem to recall learning in grade school that you can’t define a term using the same term. Something about circularity.

protesting

Sounds too hippyish for my tastes. I once protested at an abortion clinic though. But protesting other Christian organizations seems silly.

Any of several denominations of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation;

Mine came along later.

Someone who is a member of such a denomination; A modern Christian denomination not belonging to the Catholic or Orthodox traditions

This works I suppose

a member of any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth b. a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church

Works for me I suppose, depending on how you define these terms of course. However, there are groups commonly classified as Portestant that do not hold to some of these.

Christian faith, denies the authority of the Pope, worship focused on the Bible

Well the Orthodox deny the authority of the Pope too. Are they Protestant? However my worship is focused on Jesus Christ, not the Bible.

 

[Wesley7]

What does it mean to be Protestant?

Basically, it means you follow your own interpretation of the Bible.

 

[JonNC]

Basically, it means you follow your own interpretation of the Bible.

Then I am not Protestant, as I am bound as a Lutheran to hold to the Lutheran Confessions, not my own interpretation.

Jon

 

[Publisher]

Then I am not Protestant, as I am bound as a Lutheran to hold to the Lutheran Confessions, not my own interpretation.

Jon

Neither as all scripture is to be interpreted in the Light of the revelation of God in Christ.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Then I am not Protestant, as I am bound as a Lutheran to hold to the Lutheran Confessions, not my own interpretation…

Neither as all scripture is to be interpreted in the Light of the revelation of God in Christ.

Excellent points, as usual from both JonNC and Publisher… It is posters like you two who give me… and I’m sure, other Catholics here, hope for true ecumenicalism one day. You are both always a “class act” in always insightful. Thank you for your posts.