Protestants

The Protestants separated from the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century. The break included considerable doctrinal and practical differences. For example, most of these Churches accept only two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper (the Eucharist with significant variations).

These Churches have divided and subdivided considerably. We can speak of three groups:

• The Lutheran Churches, from which the Anabaptists and Mennonites broke away.
• The Calvinist or Reformed Protestant Churches, from which the Presbyterians and the Puritans or Congregationalists derive; and in large part the Anglican Churches.
• The Anglican Churches have given rise to the Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Quakers, etc. However, the Anglicans occupy an intermediate position between Catholics and Protestants. Their doctrine has Calvinist elements while their organization and liturgy are similar to the Catholic. There are two Anglican branches: the High Church, closer to Catholicism, and the Low Church, with stronger Calvinist traces.

One explanation is this: Protestants admit only Scripture as a theological source, rejecting Tradition and the Magisterium. But without the Pope, without Tradition and without the Magisterium, there are many ways of interpreting the Bible. So various groups separated from one another, each claiming to achieve a greater fidelity to the Scriptures according to its own interpretation.

Beyond certain enmities and the question of union with Peter, the problem is also doctrinal — a matter of faith — since there are several topics with differing approaches. For example, regarding the Sacraments, morality, and the old Protestant premises: "sola scriptura," "sola fides," "solus Christus," which we now consider.

It is usually said that Protestants admit only the Bible, rejecting Tradition and the Magisterium. In reality, however, no one accepts the principle of "sola scriptura," and Protestants follow the Bible with the interpretation of Luther, Calvin, or the founders and pastors of their Churches.

The Protestant assertion that faith alone without works suffices for salvation is well known. However, this position is not so radical, since, as is only natural, Protestant pastors preach correct conduct and desire that the life — the works — of their faithful be exemplary.

This Protestant idea invites one to seek holiness by following Christ without need of the Church. But obviously this too is not so radical, and Protestant pastors care for their community and desire that their faithful gather together and attend their sermons.

Here too there are important differences, but we will not dwell on what separates us. Let us remember what unites us: faith in Christ and many centuries of common doctrine.

It began with Luther in 1517. Until that moment, the Christians of the West remained united. Only the Orthodox had separated from the Pope. But before that date there were several precedents.

Years before, an atmosphere had formed that facilitated the spread of Protestant ideas. Let us look at some reasons:

• The decline of papal authority. The stay in Avignon, the Western Schism, and Conciliarism had weakened the prestige of the papacy. Moreover, the popes of the fifteenth century and early sixteenth century were more concerned with temporal and political affairs than spiritual ones; for example, they allied with certain nations against others.
• The decline of theology and the appearance of nominalism and Wycliffe. Wycliffe's ideas were condemned by a London synod in 1382 and by the Council of Constance in 1415. A hundred years later, Luther adopted these ideas.
• The abuses of the clergy and the Roman Curia, which created an atmosphere of resentment and desire for reform.
• German political nationalism and ecclesiastical nationalism.

Martin Luther was an Augustinian friar of great, contradictory, and domineering personality. Tormented by his weaknesses and his longing for salvation, he gradually developed a doctrine that would quieten his agitated conscience. He first found the text of Saint Paul: the just man lives by faith. He reinterpreted it to mean that faith alone suffices for salvation, without need of works or observance of the commandments.

As he elaborated his ideas, he saw that they opposed the Church's teachings. He then reaffirmed his positions: he rejected the Pope and Tradition, asserting that the Bible alone suffices, interpreted as one pleases. He thus went on to abolish sacraments, vows, celibacy, etc. Faith alone.

The public beginning took place in 1517 when Luther set out in writing 97 theses at Wittenberg and sent another 95 to the Archbishop of Mainz. From this point, the fame of Luther and his doctrine spread with great speed, partly due to the great sense of propaganda Luther possessed: he flooded Germany with his writings. When he died in 1546, half of Germany was already Protestant. His doctrine then spread easily through the Scandinavian countries.

John Calvin was a Frenchman settled in Geneva, where he came to govern with a firm hand. He was enterprising, cold, domineering, more practical and rigorous than Luther. He spread Protestant ideas widely, reaching Switzerland, Holland, Scotland, and part of France. Later, Calvinism passed to England and from there to the United States, etc.

Anglicanism began with a schism. In 1534, King Henry VIII proclaimed himself supreme head of the Church of England and made everyone swear to this recognition. After his death, Calvinism was introduced, especially during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603).

Several people have asked me for more ideas to help convince Protestant family members. I believe a conversion is achieved through prayer and affection more than through great arguments. Nevertheless, here are two ideas that give pause for thought:

• Protestants arose in the sixteenth century. They claim to be the Church of Christ, but they break with the teachings transmitted over sixteen centuries. Is it possible that the Church taught false doctrines for so many centuries? And that God permitted this? Could it not be that Protestants need to correct their doctrines?
• The legacy of Jesus. Simplifying greatly, we can say that through his time among us, the Lord provided us with three great gifts: the sacraments, Mary, and the Pope. Before Christ's coming we already had the commandments, prayers, and a large part of the Bible. The three things that come exclusively from Jesus are the sacraments, Mary, and the Pope. These are the great Christian treasures. And they are precisely three things that Protestants reject.