General Protestant Forum

[Albion]

Thank you, Hank. I just took the OP at what looked to be the idea there, having forgotten all about the existing forum.

 

[Barney2.0]

In discussions about church unity, catholics like to lump all protestants together into one church, saying the protestant church is divided.

Well it is divided, Protestantism wasn’t even united from the beginning.

 

[Barney2.0]

Could be somewhat cumbersome to do that, but it would be more accurate. Oddly enough, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and some others are not lumped together as "Catholic," yet the same logic that causes "Protestant" to be used as it is today holds true for them, too.

Well Catholic is a title that’s claimed by all Christian denominations including certain sacramental Protestant denominations like Lutheranism or the Church of England. Because the one of the marks of the Church is to be Catholic which is universal and diverse, though only one Church can really claim the title with confidence.

PS: I don’t want to cause a titanic Catholic/Protestant debate on the true Church here.

 

[FireDragon76]

Well it is divided, Protestantism wasn’t even united from the beginning.

There was an attempt but it failed at Marburg in 1529. Luther and Zwingli couldn't see eye to eye on the Lord's Supper. In fact it degenerated into a heated exchange. As Luther said, "Those people are not of the same spirit as us".

 

[W2L]

Well it is divided, Protestantism wasn’t even united from the beginning.

You failed to see my point.

 

[mark kennedy]

I think it might be a challenge just to define 'Protestantism', we have such messy theologies. Someone would have to write the purpose statement and rules for posting, I know I wouldn't want the task, it sounds tedious. Protestant implies the notion of a call for reform, the early Protestants were not trying to leave the Roman Catholic church but trying to reform it, Martin Luther comes to mind.

An interesting thought but are we going to exclude our Catholic and Orthodox friends from the discussion, I know of few Protestant posters who would want that. I don't see much in Protestant forum that isn't covered elsewhere, if you could get a good statement of purpose and guideline set up I know I would enjoy participating. I just wonder how much interest it would generate.

 

[Albion]

Well it is divided, Protestantism wasn’t even united from the beginning.

Of course it wasn't. "It" wasn't a single church or faith, so why would anyone expect that "it" would have been "united" with some other faith???? Or should have?

 

[Jonaitis]

So can we get one? Yes or no?

 

[Albion]

Well Catholic is a title that’s claimed by all Christian denominations including certain sacramental Protestant denominations like Lutheranism or the Church of England.

That's true, but we have been speaking of classifying different Christian denominations according to general similarities. That's to use the word Catholic in a different sense, one that is parallel to Protestant.

If Baptists and Lutherans can be put in the same category because they share certain beliefs although the are unlike each other in many respects, the same can be expected of the Catholic churches which share the key beliefs that the Protestants disavow.

 

[Barney2.0]

Of course it wasn't. "It" wasn't a single church or faith, so why would anyone expect that "it" would have been "united" with some other faith???? Or should have?

It was supposed to be a single reformation aimed at the Catholic Church, this never happened and what we got was many regional reformations and lots of death and wars going on all over Europe.

 

[Barney2.0]

That's true, but we have been speaking of classifying different Christian denominations according to general similarities. That's to use the word Catholic in a different sense, one that is parallel to Protestant.

If Baptists and Lutherans can be put in the same category because they share certain beliefs although the are unlike each other in many respects, the same can be expected of the Catholic churches which share the key beliefs that the Protestants disavow.

Well many people such as the many Muslims that I’ve talked to think that Protestantism is one single sect that was founded by the reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin.

 

[Albion]

It was supposed to be a single reformation aimed at the Catholic Church

I don't know where you got that idea. Its not accurate. Different Reformers in different lands promoted different reforms, beliefs, and practices. They certainly never were united in organization or in theology.

 

[Albion]

Well many people such as the many Muslims that I’ve talked to think that Protestantism is one single sect that was founded by the reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin.

So Muslims do not understand Christian history particularly well. What a surprise.

 

[Barney2.0]

I don't know where you got that idea. Its not accurate. Different Reformers in different lands promoted different reforms, beliefs, and practices. They certainly never were united in organization or in theology.

That was the idea that never happened as I was saying.

 

[Barney2.0]

So Muslims do not understand Christian history particularly well. What a surprise.

Well I’ve started to realize that it’s not just Muslims, but many other people are starting to use the term Protestant as a term for one huge sect of Christianity like the Catholic Church or Eastern Orthodox Church.

 

[Albion]

Well I’ve started to realize that it’s not just Muslims, but many other people are starting to use the term Protestant as a term for one huge sect of Christianity like the Catholic Church or Eastern Orthodox Church.

Yes, they do. Mainly, I think, that's because it is the standard Roman Catholic line.

They like to say that "Protestantism" cannot be true because "it" is so divided, and in order to make that claim be at all credible it is necessary also to claim or insinuate, however wrongly, that there once was a unified Protestant church/faith that then broke apart.

 

[W2L]

So can we get one? Yes or no?

Good question.

 

[Jonaitis]

Good question.

I know right? All these objections, but can't we at least try? I would prefer to post there than each individual Protestant faith group for a general discussion.

 

[Albion]

I do not know if this is helpful or not, but although I have read the OP several times I still cannot get what the problem is.

 

[Jonaitis]

I do not know if this is helpful or not, but although I have read the OP several times I still cannot get what the problem is.

How about a forum for the general consensus/agreement as to the basic defining 'five solas' that are agreed upon by many Protestants, if we will claim some groups fall out of this category? One Bread, One Body (Catholic), Ancient Way (Orthodox), Five Solae (Protestant).

Sure, there are definitely a divisiveness in doctrine in many areas, but in the end of the day what makes a Baptist, (some) Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and others 'Protestant,' whether directly related to the Reformation or not? Even if some differ to the solas, this is historically what Protestants protested for.