Why don't we say "protestor" instead of "protestant?"

[robwar]

Maybe because the word came into being in Germany at the Diet of Speyer used by those German princes who “protested”…“made public declaration” and denounced the Reformation.

It was used originally as “one who publically declares”…or “one who witnesses publically”…to “pro” = for, “test”= testify/witness". It wasn’t originally used as “protesting the Catholic church”, but to those who “publically declared” their support of the Reformation. “Protest” has taken on a totally differen meaning in modern speach.

show you the evolution from one language to another and the meaning or meanings behind it.
Now it is used to describe non-Catholic, non-orthodox Christianity and even in Protestantism there is such a wide variety between fundamentalist, evangelicals to “mainline” denominations to quakers. It would be better to look at how the word is used now than split hairs over what it meant at the time of the reformation.

 

[Publisher]

show you the evolution from one language to another and the meaning or meanings behind it.
Now it is used to describe non-Catholic, non-orthodox Christianity and even in Protestantism there is such a wide variety between fundamentalist, evangelicals to “mainline” denominations to quakers. It would be better to look at how the word is used now than split hairs over what it meant at the time of the reformation.

Not to “split hairs”…“Protestant” does not mean “protesting against the Catholic church” as the OP suggests…and other Catholics on this fourm at various times have suggested…most Protestants give the Catholic church no thought whatsoever when they claim they are Protestant…it is just understood to be another ‘branch’…“tradition” within the larger Christian faith…not to “split hairs”.

 

[robwar]

Not to “split hairs”…“Protestant” does not mean “protesting against the Catholic church” as the OP suggests…and other Catholics on this fourm at various times have suggested…most Protestants give the Catholic church no thought whatsoever when they claim they are Protestant…it is just understood to be another ‘branch’…“tradition” within the larger Christian faith…not to “split hairs”.

I agree with you. To try and go back on the current use of the word and call all Protestants protestors is probably more inflammatory than anything. It draws battle lines between people and as you pointed out was not necessarily the original use anyway. When I was in college (many moons ago), I took a course on Christianity which spend time exploring the 3 main branches from each of their own points of view. From the Orthodox view, the Catholic church split off from them and they (this was a Russian Orthodox author) claimed that he viewed the Roman Catholic church and protestantism as 2 sides of the same coin. That was his view.
Just an interesting side.

 

[O.S.Luke]

Maybe because the word came into being in Germany at the Diet of Speyer used by those German princes who “protested”…“made public declaration” and denounced the Reformation.

It was used originally as “one who publically declares”…or “one who witnesses publically”…to “pro” = for, “test”= testify/witness". It wasn’t originally used as “protesting the Catholic church”, but to those who “publically declared” their support of the Reformation. “Protest” has taken on a totally differen meaning in modern speach.

Correct. And well said.

O+

 

[jrtrent]

I took a course on Christianity which spend time exploring the 3 main branches from each of their own points of view. From the Orthodox view, the Catholic church split off from them and they (this was a Russian Orthodox author) claimed that he viewed the Roman Catholic church and protestantism as 2 sides of the same coin. That was his view.
Just an interesting side.

I don’t know if it’s the same author you’re referring to, but Clark Carlton made that point in the epilogue to his book The Truth: What Every Roman Catholic Should Know About the Orthodox Church. The epilogue is entitled “A Note for Evangelicals Considering Rome.” That epilogue appears to be available online at this link:

orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/tca_carltonrome.aspx

 

[Izdaari]

Not to “split hairs”…“Protestant” does not mean “protesting against the Catholic church” as the OP suggests…and other Catholics on this fourm at various times have suggested…most Protestants give the Catholic church no thought whatsoever when they claim they are Protestant…it is just understood to be another ‘branch’…“tradition” within the larger Christian faith…not to “split hairs”.

Just so. I am not Catholic (not in communion with Rome) and not Orthodox, and so by definition I’m Protestant, since that’s the catch-all category for that. My native tradition is the Protestant one, and Catholicism never really came up as an option. It was Christian, but like Orthodoxy, kind of exotic and foreign.

But now, as a member of a TEC/ELCA Anglo-Catholic, Benedictine-influenced church, I guess I’m a lot closer to Catholic than I’ve ever been. I don’t think I’ll be coming any closer, but never say never.

 

[Dale_M]

As others have pointed out, the word “protestant” is 450 years old.
etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=protestant&searchmode=none

The word “protester,” however, is only 50 years old.
etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=protester&searchmode=none

Protestants have long used that word to describe themselves, and it refers to their established faith. The word has become a label separate from its original meaning. Protestants do not describe themselves as protesters, because, as someone pointed out, they are no longer protesting.

 

[Dale_M]

As others have pointed out, the word “protestant” is 450 years old.
etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=protestant&searchmode=none

The word “protester,” however, is only 50 years old.
etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=protester&searchmode=none

Protestants have long used that word to describe themselves, and it refers to their established faith. The word has become a label separate from its original meaning. Protestants do not describe themselves as protesters, because, as someone pointed out, they are no longer protesting.

 

[mgteich]

The term “Protestant” implies that this branch of the Christian family is defined by its opposition to Rome. The East seems to have done better in the English speaking world. They are called “Orthodox”, although many Catholics call them protestant.

Certainly, the Reformed churches were formed in response to perceived additions to doctrine by Rome (infallibility, supremacy, immaculate conception, assumption). They were also formed in response to the excesses of the Church at the time. The selling of indulgences was much more important than supposed debates about whether the Holy father is primary or supreme and infallible.

Some would say that the Orthodox churches broke away earlier over the addition of filioque and the supposed doctrinal additions noted above. Others would say that Rome separated itself from the rest of Christendom when its dogmatized the theological positions mentioned above. Of course, the using of the changed Creed in the Mass was the last straw.

Of course, members of these churches consider themselves Christian and many do understand that we are all separated brethren from the universal Church, however defined.​

My bottom line is that the Church is fractured. The differences among the sacramental churches are relatively small. Yet, we on the ark of life continue to fight among ourselves. The lost see this and reject us. One can only recall Gandhi’s assessment that he would have have surely joined a Christian Church if he could have found any that followed Jesus. It has been over 50 years. The Church has changed some, but we are still not known for our love and we cannot be distinguished from non-Christians by our spirituality or our actions.

 

[JonNC]

As others have pointed out, the word “protestant” is 450 years old.
etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=protestant&searchmode=none

The word “protester,” however, is only 50 years old.
etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=protester&searchmode=none

Protestants have long used that word to describe themselves, and it refers to their established faith. The word has become a label separate from its original meaning. Protestants do not describe themselves as protesters, because, as someone pointed out, they are no longer protesting.

And that’s because the source of the protest, the Second Diet at Speyer, in 1529, is irrelevent to us. However, it seems Catholics have rightly joined a similar protest against the limiting of religious liberty, called the HHS mandate.

Jon

 

[SilverCamellia]

Also, why do we pronounce it PROD-astant instead of protest-ent?

It might be pronounced ‘Prodastant’ in the USA, but in the UK at least, it is pronounced as it is written. From the pronunciation of words I have heard in American films, Americans are more likely to pronounce the ‘t’ in the middle of a word as a ‘d’, while the ‘t’ is pronounced in the UK (unless a glottal stop is used instead).