Protestant directions. Features of the Protestant faith

Denomination or sect, church or...

PROTESTANTISM (from Latin protestans, gen. protestantis - publicly proving), one of the main trends in Christianity. Broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16th century. Unites many independent movements, churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglican Church, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists, etc.)

In society there is such a phenomenon as Protestant churches, or as they are often called in our country - “sects”. Some people are fine with it, others are very negative about it. You can often hear that Baptists, who are Protestants, sacrifice babies, and Pentecostals turn off the lights at meetings.

In this article we want to provide you with information about Protestantism: to reveal the history of the Protestant movement, the basic doctrinal principles of Protestantism, and to touch upon the reasons for the negative attitude towards it in society.

The Big Encyclopedic Dictionary reveals the meaning of the words “Sect”, “Sectarianism”, “Protestantism”:

SECT(from Latin secta - teaching, direction, school) – religious group, a community that broke away from the mainstream church. In a figurative sense, a group of people isolated in their own narrow interests.

SECTARIANISM- religious, the designation of religious associations that are in opposition to one or another dominant religious movement. In history, social and national liberation movements often took the form of sectarianism. Some sects acquired features of fanaticism and extremism. A number of sects cease to exist, some turn into churches. Known: Adventists, Baptists, Doukhobors, Molokans, Pentecostals, Khlysty, etc.

PROTESTANTISM (from Latin protestans, gen. protestantis - publicly proving), one of the main trends in Christianity. Broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16th century. Unites many independent movements, churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglican Church, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists, etc.). Protestantism is characterized by the absence of a fundamental opposition between the clergy and the laity, the rejection of a complex church hierarchy, a simplified cult, the absence of monasticism, and celibacy; in Protestantism there is no cult of the Mother of God, saints, angels, icons, the number of sacraments is reduced to two (baptism and communion).

The main source of doctrine is Holy Scripture. Protestantism is widespread mainly in the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Estonia. Thus, Protestants are Christians who belong to one of several independent Christian churches.

They are Christians, and together with Catholics and Orthodox Christians they share the fundamental principles of Christianity. For example, they all accept the Nicene Creed, accepted first Council of the Church in 325, as well as the Nicene Constantinople Creed, adopted by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 (See insert). They all believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in His divine essence and future coming. All three schools accept the Bible as the Word of God and agree that repentance and faith are necessary to have eternal life.

However, the views of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants on some issues differ. Protestants value the authority of the Bible above all else. Orthodox and Catholics value their traditions more highly and believe that only the leaders of these Churches can interpret the Bible correctly. Despite their differences, all Christians agree with the prayer of Christ recorded in the Gospel of John (17:20-21): “I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one...”

HISTORY OF PROTESTANTITY

One of the first Protestant reformers was a priest, professor of theology Jan Hus, a Slav who lived in the territory of modern Czech Republic and became a martyr for the faith in 1415. Jan Hus taught that Scripture is more important than tradition. The Protestant Reformation spread throughout Europe in 1517 when another Catholic priest and theology professor named Martin Luther called for renewal of the Catholic Church. He said that when the Bible conflicts with church traditions, the Bible must be obeyed. Luther said that the Church was doing wrong by selling the opportunity to go to heaven for money. He also believed that salvation came through faith in Christ and not through trying to “earn” eternal life through good works.

The Protestant Reformation is now spreading throughout the world. As a result, such Churches as Lutheran, Anglican, Dutch Reformed, and later Baptist, Pentecostal and others, including charismatic, were formed. According to Operation Peace, there are about 600 million Protestants, 900 million Catholics and 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

At first glance, it may seem that Protestants appeared on the territory of the CIS only with the collapse of the USSR and came from America. In fact, Protestants first came to Russia during the time of Ivan the Terrible and by 1590 they were already in Siberia. Over a nine-year period (from 1992 to 2000), 11,192 Christian communities were registered on the territory of Ukraine, of which 5,772 (51.6%) were Orthodox and 3,755 (33.5%) Protestant (According to State Committee Ukraine for Religious Affairs).

Thus, Protestantism in Ukraine has long gone beyond the boundaries of “a group of people secluded in their own narrow interests,” since more than a third of all churches in the country cannot be called a “sect.” Protestant churches are officially registered by the state, they are open to everyone and do not hide their activities. Their main goal remains to convey to people the Gospel of the Savior.

DOCTRINAL PRINCIPLES

CHURCH TRADITIONS

Protestants have nothing against church traditions, except when these traditions are contrary to Scripture. They base this primarily on Jesus' remark in Matthew (15:3, 6): “...Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?... Thus you have made void the commandment of God by your tradition.”

BAPTISM

Protestants believe in the Bible's statement that baptism should follow only repentance (Acts 2:3) and believe that baptism without repentance is meaningless. Protestants do not support infant baptism because an infant cannot repent due to his ignorance of good and evil. Jesus said: “Suffer the little children and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). Protestants rely on the fact that the Bible does not describe a single case of infant baptism, especially since even Jesus waited until he was 30 years old for his baptism.

ICONS

Protestants believe that the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4) prohibit the use of images for worship: “You shall not make for yourself any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth.”. The Book of Leviticus (26:1) records: “You shall not make for yourselves idols or graven images, nor shall you erect pillars for yourself, nor shall you place stones with images on your land to bow down to them; for I am the Lord your God.” Therefore, Protestants do not use images for worship for fear that some people may worship these images instead of God.

PRAYERS TO THE SAINTS

Protestants prefer to follow the instructions of Jesus, where He taught us to pray saying: “Pray like this: Our Father who art in heaven!”(Matt. 6:9). Moreover, there are no examples in Scripture of anyone praying to Mary or the saints. They believe that the Bible forbids praying to people who have died, even to Christians in heaven, basing this on Deuteronomy 18:10-12, which says: “The one who inquires of the dead should not be with you.”. God condemned Saul for contacting Saint Samuel after his death (1 Chron. 10:13-14).

THE VIRGIN MARY

Protestants believe that Mary was a perfect example of Christian obedience to God, and that she remained a virgin until Jesus was born. The basis for this is the Gospel of Matthew (1:25), which says that Joseph, her husband, “I did not know Her when She finally gave birth to Her firstborn Son”, and other passages from the Bible that talk about the brothers and sisters of Jesus (Matt. 12:46, 13:55-56, Mark 3:31, John 2:12, 7:3). But they do not believe that Mary was sinless because in Luke 1:47 she called God her Savior; if Mary had been without sin, she would not have needed a Savior.

CHURCH

Protestants believe that there is only one true Church, but do not believe that it is part of any human-made organization. This true Church consists of all people who love God and serve Him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, regardless of what denomination they belong to.

CHURCH FATHERS

Protestants respect and value the teachings of the Church Fathers (church leaders who lived after the apostles) when these teachings are in agreement with Scripture. This is based on the fact that often the Church Fathers do not agree with each other.

RELICS OF SAINTS

Protestants do not believe that the relics of saints contain any special power because the Bible does not teach this. Protestants believe that the Bible does not indicate that Christians should honor the bodies of the dead.

SUTANES AND THE TITLE “FATHER”

Protestant ministers do not wear cassocks because neither Jesus nor the apostles wore any special clothing. There is also no indication in this regard in the New Testament. They are not usually called "father" because Jesus said in Matthew 23:9: “And don’t call anyone on earth your father...”, which according to them means that we should not claim anyone as our spiritual master.

SIGN OF THE CROSS AND CROSS

Protestants do not object to the sign of the cross, but since Scripture does not teach it, they do not teach it either. The Protestant and Catholic Churches, unlike the Orthodox Church, prefer to use a simple cross.

ICONOSTASES

Protestants and Catholics believe that the iconostasis symbolizes the veil separating people from the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem Temple. They believe that when God tore it in two at the death of Jesus (Matt. 27:51), He was saying that we are no longer separated from Him because of the blood He shed so that we could be forgiven.

WORSHIP PLACES

Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew (18:20): “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”. Protestants believe that worship is sanctified not by the place where the service is held, not by the building, but by the presence of Christ among the believers. The Bible also says that Christians are the temple of God, not buildings: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).

The Bible shows that the early Christians held services in many various places: in school (Acts 19:9), in Jewish synagogues (Acts 18:4, 26; 19:8), in the Jewish temple (Acts 3:1), and in private homes (Acts 2:46; 5:42; 18:7; Philip 1:2; Col. 4:15; 1 Cor. 16:19). Evangelism services, according to the Bible, took place near the river (Acts 16:13), in the street crowd (Acts 2:14) and in the public square (Acts 17:17). There is no evidence in the Bible that the first Christians held services in a church building.

REASONS FOR NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD PROTESTANTS

Orthodoxy officially came to the territory of present-day Ukraine in 988, when the rulers of Rus' introduced Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. Much earlier, the disciples of Christ came to the land of the Scythians in order to convey good news about the Savior for barbarian peoples. The most famous is the coming to Kyiv of Jesus’ disciple, Andrew, who was popularly called “The First Called.” At that time, there was no division of Christianity into Roman and Byzantine, that is, into Catholic and Orthodox, and Andrei represented completely Protestant views - he preached based only on the word of God; held meetings wherever possible (there were no churches yet); baptized only adults.

With strengthening positions Orthodox Church in Rus', and then in Tsarist Russia, everything non-Orthodox has become anti-state. At first this was due to wars in which Catholics fought against Orthodox Christians, and then to the strengthening of the power of the sovereign, since it is much easier to manage one religion than several. Protestants or “non-believers” were expelled to remote regions, and everyone who remained hid from persecution. The authorities and leadership of the Orthodox Church in every possible way encouraged the humiliation of the rights of other religions.

After 1917, the new government tried to completely get rid of the “opium of the people” by destroying churches and physically exterminating believers. But after certain difficulties and discontent of the population, the power of the councils left only one church to exist - the Orthodox. And Protestants, along with Catholics, Greek Catholics, and representatives of other denominations, are either serving time in camps or hiding from the authorities. In such conditions, the only way to hold Protestant meetings was in houses and basements, and to protect them from the eyes of “well-wishers,” the lights were turned off. At the same time, to discriminate against anti-state religions, stories about the sacrifices of Baptists, the low cultural and educational level of Pentecostals, the witchcraft of charismatics, and more are spread in the press and among the people. Thus, for decades, society has subconsciously cultivated a negative attitude towards everything non-Orthodox. And now it is very difficult for people to overcome these negative stereotypes and accept Protestants as Christians.

Now that you know the history of the Protestant movement, its basic doctrinal principles, and understand the reasons for the negative attitude towards Protestantism in society, you can decide for yourself whether to accept Protestants as Christians. But today says the following: Protestants are 3755 churches in Ukraine in 9 years!

Yes, they differ from the usual Orthodox Church in some matters, but the goal of both the Orthodox, Catholics, and Protestants is the same - to preach the Gospel and lead people to Salvation. And Protestants cope with it in Lately everything is better. It is Protestants who conduct mass evangelism and meetings in which more and more people come to Jesus Christ. It is the Protestants, through all kinds of means mass media tell people about the Savior.

By basing their ministry directly on the Bible, Protestants provide people with another path to Christ, a path to salvation. By fulfilling the instructions of Jesus Christ, Protestants bring His Salvation closer!

Roman CAT

newspaper "Word of Awakening"»

Materials used when writing this article:

One of the three, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy, main directions of Christianity. Protestantism is a collection of numerous and independent churches and sects, connected only by their origin.

The emergence of Protestantism is associated with the Reformation, a powerful anti-church movement in the 16th century in Europe. In 1526, the Speyer Reichstag, at the request of the German Lutheran princes, adopted a resolution on the right of everyone to choose a religion for themselves and their subjects. The Second Reichstag of Speyr in 1529 overturned this decree. In response, there was a protest from the five princes and a number of imperial cities, from which the term “Protestantism” comes. Protestantism shares common Christian ideas about the existence of God, his trinity, the immortality of the soul, hell and heaven, however, rejecting the Catholic idea of ​​purgatory. At the same time, Protestantism put forward three new principles: salvation by personal faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the exclusive authority of the Holy Scriptures.

Protestantism categorically rejects the Holy Tradition as unreliable and concentrates all dogma in the Holy Scriptures, which is considered the only holy book in the world. Protestantism requires believers to read the Bible daily. In Protestantism, the fundamental difference between priest and layman has been removed, and the church hierarchy has been abolished. The clergyman is deprived of the right to confess and absolve sins; he is accountable to the Protestant community.

In Protestantism, many sacraments have been abolished (with the exception of baptism and communion), and celibacy is absent. Prayer for the dead, worship of saints and holidays in honor of saints, veneration of relics and icons are rejected. Houses of worship have been cleared of altars, icons, statues, and bells. There are no monasteries or monasticism.
Worship in Protestantism is simplified as much as possible and reduced to preaching, prayer and singing psalms and hymns. native language. The Bible is recognized as the only source of doctrine, and sacred tradition is rejected.

The formation of most movements of Protestantism took place under the idea of ​​religious revival in the form of revivalism.

Protestantism is divided into early, including:

Anabaptism
- Anglicanism
- Calvinism
- Lutheranism
- Mennonism
- Socinianism
- Unitarianism
- Zwinglianism

And the later one, including:

Adventism
- Salvation Army
- baptism
- Quakerism
- methodism
- Mormonism
- Pentecostalism
- Jehovah witnesses

Christian Science

Currently, Protestantism is most widespread in Scandinavian countries, USA, Canada, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Switzerland. Modern Protestant churches created the World Council of Churches in 1948.

Protestants, who are they? Protestants are Christians who belong to one of several branches of Christian teaching. Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians adhere to the fundamental principles of Christianity. For example, they all accept the Nicene Creed, adopted by the first Council of the Church in 325.

Symbol of faith.

We believe in One God, Almighty Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible. And in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things came into being; for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man; crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures; and entered into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and again coming with glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the life-giving one, who proceeds from the Father, together with the Father and the Son, worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets. To the One, Holy, Universal and Apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

They all believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in His Divine essence and future Coming. All three schools accept the Bible as the Word of God and agree that repentance and faith are necessary to have eternal life and escape hell. Together, these three groups make up the largest religion in the world - Christianity. There are about 400 million Protestants, 1.15 billion Catholics and 240 million Orthodox Christians worldwide (Wikipedia encyclopedia).

However, the views of Orthodox Catholics and Protestants on some issues differ. Protestants, or evangelical Christians, believe that the Bible is the most authoritative source of teaching for Christians. Orthodox Christians and Catholics generally believe that church traditions carry great weight and believe that the Bible can only be understood in the context of church tradition. The main differences between the three faiths are rooted in this underlying palette of opinions. However, despite their differences, all Christians agree with Christ's prayer recorded in John 17:21, “That they may all be one...”.

Who are Protestants from a historical point of view?

Strictly speaking, the very term “Protestants” was applied to five German princes who protested against the sanctions adopted by the Catholic Church against Martin Luther, a doctor of theology, a monk who, while studying the Bible, came to the conclusion that the Church had departed from the teachings of Christ and the Apostles. Martin Luther called on Christians to return to the Bible (which few people had read in the 16th century) and believe as the ancient Christian Church believed. Later, the name “Protestants” was assigned to all followers of the German reformer. And also for all Christians who, in one way or another, proclaimed their fidelity to Scripture and evangelical simplicity, the image of which they saw in the chief apostolic church. Historically, Protestantism is believed to have originated in Europe in the 16th century. It spread across the planet, covering different countries and continents, giving rise to outwardly different, but internally united Christian denominations and denominations. The “first wave” of Protestantism, which arose in the 16th century, usually includes Lutherans and Calvinists (Reformed churches). In the 17th and 18th centuries, such movements as Baptists and Methodists appeared in the “second wave” Protestant movement. The “third wave” of Protestantism, which arose in the 19th and 20th centuries, usually includes evangelical Christians (evangelists), the Salvation Army, Pentecostals and charismatics. Fiery preachers of ideas that would later be called Protestant were the early church teachers Tertullian and St. Augustine, preachers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus (who was burned at the stake for his beliefs), and many others.

However, this raises another question: Who are Protestants from a theological point of view?

What do Protestants consider the basis of their faith? This is, first of all, the Bible - the Books of Holy Scripture. It is the infallible written Word of God. It is uniquely, verbally and entirely inspired by the Holy Spirit and is unmistakably recorded in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the highest and final authority on all matters it deals with. In addition to the Bible, Protestants recognize the symbols of faith generally accepted by all Christians: the Apostolic, Chalcedonian, Nicene-Constantinograd, Athanasiev. Protestant theology does not contradict theological decisions Ecumenical Councils.

The whole world knows the famous five theses of Protestantism:

1. Sola Scriptura - “By Scripture Alone” “We believe, teach, confess, that the only and absolute rule and standard by which all dogmas and all teachers are to be judged are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Testaments.”

2. Sola fide - “By faith alone” This is the doctrine of justification by faith alone, regardless of the performance of good works and any external sacred rites. Protestants do not devalue good deeds; but they deny their significance as the source or condition of the salvation of the soul, considering them the inevitable fruits of faith and evidence of forgiveness.

3. Sola gratia - “By grace alone” This is the doctrine that salvation is grace, i.e. a good gift from God to man. A person cannot earn salvation or somehow participate in his own salvation. Although a person accepts God's salvation by faith, all the glory for a person's salvation should be given to God alone.

4. Solus Christus - “Only Christ” From the point of view of Protestants, Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and salvation is possible only through faith in Him. Protestants traditionally deny the mediation of the Virgin Mary and other saints in the matter of salvation, and also teach that the church hierarchy cannot be a mediator between God and people. All believers constitute the “Universal Priesthood” and are in equal rights and standing before God.

5. Soli Deo Gloria - “Glory to God Alone” This is the doctrine that man should honor and adore God alone, since salvation is granted only and only through His will and actions. No man has the right to equal glory and honor with God.

And although Protestant theology is not exhausted by this, nevertheless, on these grounds it is customary to distinguish Protestants from among other Christians.

What are Protestants protesting against?

The word "Protestant" has come into use since the time of Martin Luther, when German princes protested at a church council in Spirea in 1529 against formal confession of religion, the sale of indulgences and the purchase of church offices. Now all evangelical Christian organizations are called Protestant. Modern Protestants in Russia protest against abortion, alcoholism, drug addiction - against sin and against formal religion.

How do Protestants interpret the Bible?

Protestants believe that every Christian is responsible for the quality of his spiritual life. Everyone can understand the basic doctrines of the Bible for themselves with God's help by meditating on the Scriptures and studying them carefully.

What do Protestants think about church traditions?

Protestants have nothing against church traditions, except when these traditions contradict Scripture. They base this primarily on Jesus’ remarks in Mark 7:8, “For having abandoned the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men...” thus you have made void the commandment of God by your tradition.”

Why don't most Protestants baptize babies?

Protestants believe that all children go to heaven after death. The Bible says that children do not know good and evil. Romans 5:13 says, “...But sin is not counted when there is no law.” The Bible does not record a single instance of infant baptism.

Why do Protestants get baptized in water again when they become adults?

In Acts of the Apostles 19:1-7, the Apostle Paul baptized 12 people who had been baptized before. Many Protestants believe that baptism without repentance is meaningless, and since an infant cannot repent due to his ignorance of good and evil, adults are often recommended to be baptized again after they have repented. Most Protestants follow biblical examples in which baptism occurs after repentance, rather than the other way around (Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5, 16:16; Luke 3:7-8; Acts 2:38,41,8 :12,16:15,33,18:8,19:5,22:16).

Why are there no icons in Protestant churches and homes?

Protestants believe that the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4) prohibit the use of images for worship: “You shall not make for yourself any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” Leviticus 26:1 says: “You shall not make idols or graven images for yourselves, neither shall you set up pillars for yourselves, nor shall you place gravestones with images on your land to bow down to them; for I am the Lord your God.” In Deuteronomy 4:15-16 the Lord says, “Take it firmly into your hands that you did not see any image in the day that the Lord spoke to you... lest you become corrupt and make for yourselves graven images, the likeness of any graven image...” . Therefore, Protestants do not use images for worship for fear that some people may worship this image instead of God.

Why don't Protestants pray to saints or the Virgin Mary?

Protestants say there are no examples in Scripture of anyone praying to Mary or the saints. They believe that the Bible forbids praying to people who have died, even to Christians in heaven. They base this on Deuteronomy 18:10-12, which says, “You shall not have anyone who inquires of the dead.” “Inquirer of the dead” means one who communicates with the dead (from the Hebrew “darash” - to consult, inquire, seek or pray to the dead). God condemned Saul for contacting Saint Samuel after his death (1 Chronicles 10:13-14). 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.”

Who are Protestants from the point of view of public opinion?

Soviet religious scholars give Protestantism very calm and non-flashy assessments: “Protestantism is one of the three, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy, main directions of Christianity. It is a collection of numerous independent Churches and faiths associated in their origin with the Reformation... Sharing common Christian ideas about the existence of God, His trinity, the immortality of the soul, Protestantism put forward three new principles: salvation by personal faith, priesthood for believers, the exclusive authority of the Bible as the only source of doctrine " The Around the World Encyclopedia gives Protestantism the following definition: “Protestantism, a religious movement that includes all those Western faiths that do not go beyond the Christian tradition.” encyclopedic Dictionary“History of the Fatherland from Ancient Times to the Present Day” calls Protestantism one of the main trends in Christianity. People who are not alien to Russian Christian spirituality even tend to speak very differently about Protestantism. A.S. Pushkin in a letter to P.Ya. Chaadaev wrote that the unity of the Christian Church is in Christ and this is exactly what Protestants believe! Pushkin recognized Protestantism as a truly Christian Church. F.I. Tyutchev highly valued Protestantism, which was reflected in his poem “I am a Lutheran, I love worship,” where the poet admires the faith that leads people to God and encourages prayer.

Protestantism, like any religious movement, is very diverse. Protestantism is the faith of composers I.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, writers D. Defoe, K.S. Lewis, scientists I. Newton and R. Boyle, religious leaders M. Luther and J. Calvin, human rights fighter M.L. King and the first laureate of the competition. Tchaikovsky Van Cliburn. And our contemporary, leading researcher at IMEMO RAS, Doctor of Science, orientalist I.V. Podberezsky writes: “Protestant Russia – what nonsense?” - they asked ironically at the end of the last - beginning of this century, at the height of the persecution of Protestants. And then an answer was given, the essence of which can be repeated now: “Protestant Russia is a God-fearing Russia, hard-working, non-drinker, not lying or stealing.” And this is not nonsense at all. And really, it’s worth getting to know her better.” And although public opinion- is not a criterion of truth, nor is the opinion of the majority (there was a time in the history of mankind when the majority considered the Earth to be flat, but this did not change the truth about the sphericity of our planet), nevertheless, many Russians find Protestantism a positive phenomenon in Russian spiritual life.

And, although people’s opinions are very interesting and important, many probably want to know: Who are Protestants from God’s point of view?

Since God left us His opinion in the Bible, we can be bold and say that God likes people who protest! But they are not protesting in the general sense of the word... Their protest is not a manifestation of a quarrelsome character. It is directed against sin, pride, sectarian disgust, ignorance, and religious obscurantism. The first Christians were called “world-wide troublemakers” because they dared to study Scripture and prove their faith on the basis of Scripture. And the troublemakers are rebels, Protestants. The Apostle Paul believed that the Cross of Christ is a scandal for the unbelieving world. The unbelieving world is put in an awkward position, God, the very thought of existence, Who makes the life of millions of sinners uncomfortable, suddenly showed his love for this world...

God became Man and died for their sins on the cross, and then rose again and conquered sin and death. God suddenly clearly showed His Love for them. Love, like the first spring downpour, is ready to fall on the heads of ordinary people, washing away sins, carrying with it garbage and fragments of a broken and worthless life.

Yes, Protestants are people who are against it. Against sluggish religious life, against evil deeds, against sin, against living contrary to Scripture! Protestants cannot imagine life without fidelity to Christ, without a heart flaming in prayer! They protest against an empty life without meaning and God!

___ Maybe it's time for us all to join this protest?____

Let's start with the fact that the word PROTESTANTISM does not come from the word PROTEST. It's just a coincidence in the Russian language. Protestantism or Protestantism (from Latin protestans, gen. protestantis - publicly proving).

Among world religions, Protestantism can be briefly described as one of the three, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy, main directions of Christianity, which is a collection of numerous and independent Churches and denominations. We need to dwell in more detail on the question: who are Protestants from a theological point of view?

There is a lot to be said here. And we need to start with what Protestants consider the basis of their faith. This is, first of all, the Bible - the Books of Holy Scripture. It is the infallible written Word of God. It is uniquely, verbally and completely, inspired by the Holy Spirit and unerringly recorded in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the highest and final authority on all matters it deals with.

In addition to the Bible, Protestants recognize the creeds generally accepted by all Christians:

Protestant theology does not contradict the theological decisions of the Ecumenical Councils. The whole world knows the famous five theses of Protestantism:

1. Sola Scriptura - “Only Scripture”

“We believe, teach and confess that the only and absolute rule and standard by which all doctrines and all teachers are to be judged are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.”

2. Sola fide - “Only by faith”

This is the doctrine of justification by faith alone, regardless of the performance of good works and any external sacred rites. Protestants do not devalue good deeds; but they deny their significance as the source or condition of the salvation of the soul, considering them the inevitable fruits of faith and evidence of forgiveness.

3. Sola gratia - “Only by grace”

This is the doctrine that salvation is grace, i.e. a good gift from God to man. A person cannot earn salvation or somehow participate in his own salvation. Although a person accepts God's salvation by faith, all the glory for a person's salvation should be given to God alone.

The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved, through faith; and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8,9).

4. Solus Christus - “Only Christ”

From the point of view of Protestants, Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and salvation is possible only through faith in Him.

Scripture states: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

Protestants traditionally deny the mediation of the Virgin Mary and other saints in the matter of salvation, and also teach that the church hierarchy cannot be a mediator between God and people. All believers constitute the “universal priesthood” and have equal rights and standing before God.

5. Soli Deo gloria - “Only God be the glory”

The Internet project “Wikipedia” very accurately defines the features of theology, which is traditionally shared by Protestants: “Scripture is declared to be the only source of doctrine. The Bible has been translated into national languages, its study and application in one’s own life has become an important task for every believer. The attitude towards the Holy Tradition is ambiguous - from rejection, on the one hand, to acceptance and veneration, but, in any case, with a reservation - Tradition (as, indeed, any other doctrinal opinions, including your own) is authoritative, since it is based on Scripture , and to the extent that it is based on Scripture. It is this reservation (and not the desire to simplify and cheapen the cult) that is the key to the refusal of a number of Protestant churches and denominations from this or that teaching or practice.

Protestants teach that original sin corrupted human nature. Therefore, a person, although he remains fully capable of good deeds, cannot be saved by his own merits, but only by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”

And although Protestant theology is not exhausted by this, nevertheless, on these grounds it is customary to distinguish Protestants from among other Christians.

(from Latin protestantis - publicly proving) - one of the three main directions in Christianity.

Broke away from Catholicism at the time of the Reformation in the 16th century. Unites many independent movements, churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglican Church, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists, more than 200 movements and sects in total).

Protestantism was started by the monk Martin Luther, who taught theology at the university of the German city of Wittenberg. In 1517, to the doors of a small church of a local castle, he nailed sheets containing 95 theses, which later became world famous. In them, Luther sharply opposed the fundamental dogmas of the Roman catholic church. He condemned the practice of trading in indulgences - written certificates of remission of sins, denied the doctrine of the salvation of the soul through the intercession of saints, about purgatory, and expressed doubt about the special rights of the clergy. Soon Luther completely broke off his relations with Rome when in 1520 he publicly burned the papal...

Let's start with the fact that the word PROTESTANTISM does not come from the word PROTEST. It's just a coincidence in the Russian language. Protestanti zm or protest ntstvo (from lat. protestans, gen. p. protestantis - publicly proving).

Among world religions, Protestantism can be briefly described as one of the three, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy, main directions of Christianity, which is a collection of numerous and independent Churches and denominations. We need to dwell in more detail on the question: who are Protestants from a theological point of view?

There is a lot to be said here. And we need to start with what Protestants consider the basis of their faith. This is, first of all, the Bible - the Books of Holy Scripture. It is the infallible written Word of God. It is uniquely, verbally and completely, inspired by the Holy Spirit and unerringly recorded in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the highest and final authority on all matters it deals with.

In addition to the Bible, Protestants...

Protestantism. Brief information

Protestantism (from Latin protestatio, onis f - proclamation, assurance; in some cases - objection, disagreement) is a set of denominations based on attempts to independently understand the Bible and honor Christ, outside His Church, using its experience (including and her Holy Bible) according to your own understanding. Protestantism arose during the schism in Catholicism during the Reformation of the 16th century. The founders of Protestant teaching were: Martin Luther, J. Calvin, W. Zwingli, F. Melanchthon.

Protestantism is very heterogeneous and includes thousands of directions. In general, he still shares common Christian dogmatic ideas about the Trinity Consubstantiality, the God-Man Jesus Christ (Incarnation, Atonement, Resurrection), the immortality of the soul, heaven and hell (while rejecting the Catholic doctrine of purgatory), the Last Judgment, etc. Together with Thus, Protestantism revises the doctrine of the Church, which is what it consists of...

Culture was somewhat deceitful when it gave us the word Protestants instead of Reformed. Probably because this word was reserved for the followers of Zwingli and Calvin. Well, that's how it happened.

So Protestants do not “protest,” although there was such a historical moment associated with the Lutherans, and that’s where things went from there. Just as the Eastern Church began to be called orthodox (Orthodox), although who of their churches does not think so about themselves? And Lutherans even have the theological concept of an orthodox church, regardless of the name. And why not develop it, although the head could be cut off, but not 100%?

The essence of the reformation, or reform of the church, was the cleansing of faith and liturgical practice from false and pagan layers picked up by the Church over millennia of development.

The ideological roots of the Reformation are European humanism. Humanists, fascinated by antiquities, paid attention to ancient languages ​​- ancient Greek and Hebrew. Ancient languages ​​and their study gradually dispelled the myth of “dogmatism”...

How do Protestants differ from Orthodox Christians?

The traditional date of the “birth” of Protestantism is considered to be October 31, 1517, when the German priest Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg, the Saxon capital, in which he outlined his disagreement with the tenets of Catholicism. These theses became the basis of Lutheranism - the first major direction in Protestantism. Later, Luther found imitators who believed that their way of honoring God would be more faithful - this is how the teachings of Jacques Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli, and later some others, appeared. Well, let’s look at how Protestants differ from Orthodox and Catholics below.

From the history of Protestant teachings

The first shoots of Protestantism emerged in the 12th century. These were the religious communities of the Waldensians and Albigensians. Later, Lollards and followers of the Czech reformer Jan Hus appeared - the Hussites. All of them came into sharp conflict with the Catholic Church and were destroyed...

Features of Protestantism, main directions

The basis of Protestantism is M. Luther’s concept of “Justification by faith alone.” This means that every Christian's connection with God can be achieved directly through personal faith in the redemptive role of Jesus Christ. Thus, Protestant doctrine establishes that for salvation the mediation of the church between man and God is not necessary. Protestants see the church as a community of “justified by faith” people who are equally endowed with grace. Hence the absence of division into priests and laity in Protestantism. Each member of the church, by virtue of his faith, has the right to perform divine services, preach sermons, read and interpret the Bible.

The only source of doctrine, the holy book of Protestants is the Bible, and therefore the decrees of church councils, the works of the Fathers of the Church, etc. do not have sacred status. However, reading such sources is not prohibited and is considered...

Today there is a return to spirituality. More and more people are thinking about the intangible component of our lives. In the article we will talk about who Protestants are. This is a separate direction of Christianity, or a sect, as some believe.

We will also touch on the issue of different trends in Protestantism. Information about the situation of supporters of this movement in modern Russia will be of interest.
Read on and you will find out the answers to these and many other questions.

Who are Protestants

In the sixteenth century Western Europe There was a separation of a significant part of believers from the Roman Catholic Church. This event in historiography is called “reformation”. Thus, Protestants are a part of Christians who disagree with Catholic principles of worship and some issues of theology.

The word “Protestantism” itself comes from the Latin “protestans”, which translates as “publicly proving.” This Christian faith is famous for its liberality. According to its ideologists, a person should look for the meaning of his existence not only in prayers, but also in serving the world around him - and do it in the way he sees fit.

History of the schism

The Protestant movement took root in the 16th century during the reformation of the Catholic Church. The first ideologists of Protestantism felt that Catholicism paid too much attention to the observance of dogma, while at the same time forgetting about the living, original spirit of Christianity. In 1517, Martin Luther nailed papers to the church doors with theses in which he condemned the trade in indulgences and called for reform of the church charter. This gave impetus to the formation of the Protestant movement in Europe.

Today, there are many independent movements within Protestantism - from Lutheranism to...

The emergence of Protestantism

Protestantism is the third type of Christianity after Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which arose as a result of the Reformation - a broad religious and political movement that began in Germany, spread throughout Western Europe and aimed at transforming the Christian Church.

The term "Protestantism" comes from a protest declared by German princes and a number of imperial cities against the repeal of an earlier ruling on the right of local rulers to choose a faith for themselves and their subjects. However, in a broader sense, Protestantism is associated with the socio-political and moral protest of the rising, but still powerless third estate against the outdated medieval order and the Catholic Church standing guard over them.

See also: Reformation, Counter-Reformation.

Protestant creed

The difference between Protestantism and Orthodoxy and Catholicism

Protestants share common Christian...

The dogmas of Protestantism were set out by 16th century theologians M. Luther, J. Calvin, and W. Zwingli. One of the main dogmatic provisions that distinguishes Protestantism from Catholicism and Orthodoxy is the doctrine of the direct “connection” of man with God. “Divine grace” is given to man directly by God, without the mediation of the church or clergy, and man’s salvation is achieved only through his personal faith (the principle of “justification by faith”) in the atoning sacrifice of Christ and according to the will of God. Therefore, in Protestantism (with the exception of Anglicanism) there is no fundamental opposition between the clergy and the laity, and every believer has the right to interpret and present the “word of God” - the principle of the “priesthood” of all believers. This justified the Protestants’ rejection of the church hierarchy characteristic of Catholicism and the non-recognition of the Pope as its head, opening the way to the demands of democratic freedoms and the development of individualism, to the creation of national churches independent of the papacy. In accordance with…

PROTESTANTISM: WHAT WAS IT? FROM PAN-EUROPEAN CONTEXT TO UKRAINIAN REALITIES

Protestantism, Protestantism (English), is one of the 3 main, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy, movements in Christianity, covering numerous religious practices and beliefs that go back to the ideological and religious movement of the Reformation, which unfolded in Europe in the 16th century. Initially, the concept of “Protestantism” was associated with a statement (protestatio lat.) dated April 19, 1529, with which the German princes (6 electors) and the imperial free cities (14 cities), supporting Martin Luther, opposed the resolution of the II Speyer Reichstag (March 1 - April 25, 1579) on the universal restoration of Catholic worship, declaring that in matters of faith and conscience it is impossible to obey the decision of the majority. Subsequently, all those who disobeyed the Vatican began to be called Protestants.

Protestantism is one of the movements in Christianity, along with Orthodoxy and Catholicism, that arose...

Protestantism

Dictionary “What is what in world politics”

Protestantism

Protestantism is the youngest direction in Christianity, born in the wake of the widespread anti-Catholic movement in Europe in the 16th century. Its roots lie in primitive and especially medieval Christianity, where it had famous predecessors - the Waldenses in France in the 12th century, the Lollards, the Hussites (followers of the Czech Jan Hus, who were the first to refuse to recognize the supremacy of the pope back in the 15th century) and Anglicanism (more often referred to as semi-Protestantism, since it coincides with Catholicism in almost everything except the recognition of the supremacy of the pope). The concept of Protestantism covers all Western denominations that do not go beyond the Christian tradition, but differ from its Roman Catholic version, all who came out of obedience to the Pope during and as a result of the spiritual revolution in the West, known as the Reformation. During this movement, the new form of religion almost immediately divided into...

The concept of "Protestantism" refers to Christian churches, the emergence of which is associated with the process of the Reformation. From the beginning of the 16th century to the present, about two thousand varieties of Protestant churches have emerged, adapted to the conditions of specific countries and regions.

The main reason for the emergence of Protestantism was the development of bourgeois relations in Western Europe. Catholicism, which defended feudal hierarchical structures, was seen as an obstacle to the formation of new public relations, as a result of which the Reformation was directed primarily against the Roman Catholic Church.

Protestantism also arose as a result of the formation of specific trends in socio-religious thought, which began to take shape in Catholicism. Many thinkers of that time opposed the political dominance of the papacy in life European countries, as well as demanding reform of the Catholic Church itself.

Two Catholic reformers - the Englishman John Wycliffe...