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Christianity
Autor desconhecido · Domínio público, Wikimedia CommonsChristianity (Protestant)
801 millionFollowers worldwide (2010)
11.6%Of world population
United StatesWhere most live
345Unreached
Sacred bookThe Bible (66 books, without the additional books of the Catholic Bible known as the deuterocanonical books, following the principle of sola scriptura, that is, Scripture alone)
OriginThe Protestant Reformation, which began in Germany in the 16th century when Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses in Wittenberg in 1517, and was soon carried further by other reformers such as John Calvin in Geneva and Huldrych Zwingli in Zurich, until it spread across much of Europe
FounderMartin Luther, followed by other reformers such as John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, with no single founder: it is a movement with several regional leaders
What it is
Protestant Christianity was born in the 16th century out of the Reformation in Germany led by Martin Luther, who challenged practices of the church of Rome and championed principles such as salvation by faith and the central authority of the Scriptures. From that first movement came many traditions, such as Lutherans, Calvinists, Baptists, Pentecostals and evangelicals in general, all with an emphasis on reading the Bible directly and on a personal relationship with God.
Today Protestantism includes Lutherans, Reformed churches, Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals and many independent churches. Estimates of their number vary widely, because each survey counts different groups as Protestant. According to the Pew Research Center (a 2011 report using 2010 data), there were about 801 million Protestants in 2010, 37% of all Christians and 11.6% of the world’s population; some more recent estimates put the figure above 1 billion. In that data, the United States had the largest Protestant community, followed by Nigeria and China, where Protestant churches have grown remarkably in recent decades, and then by Brazil.
As the evangelical tradition this site itself comes from, Protestantism carries the conviction that faith is personal and that the Bible is open to everyone, with no required intermediaries. It is also a tradition marked by great internal diversity, with churches of very different styles, cultures and emphases around the world.
It is a fast-growing faith, especially in Africa and Asia, and it keeps adapting to new cultural settings without letting go of the center of its message: Jesus Christ.
Pillars and practices
1
Sunday worship centered on preaching
The high point of the gathering is the exposition of the Bible in a sermon, usually longer than the Catholic homily, with the service arranged to prepare the congregation to hear and apply the Word.
2
Personal, devotional Bible reading
Every believer is encouraged to read and study the Bible on their own, often with a daily reading plan, since direct access to the Scriptures is considered essential for spiritual growth.
3
Baptism: two practices
Baptists, most Pentecostals and many evangelical churches baptize only those who can already profess faith consciously, usually by immersion (the person is fully dipped in water), as a public witness to the decision to follow Christ. Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists and Reformed churches (Presbyterians) also baptize infants, usually by sprinkling or pouring water on the head.
4
The Lord's Supper
The bread and wine (or grape juice) recall the death of Christ on the cross, but Protestant traditions understand the Supper in different ways: Lutherans believe Christ is truly present in the bread and wine; Reformed Christians (Presbyterians), that He is present spiritually; Baptists and many evangelicals see it as a memorial. All of them reject the Catholic view of the Mass as a sacrifice offered for sins.
5
The priesthood of all believers
Every Christian has direct access to God in prayer and does not depend on an ordained priest to mediate their relationship with Him, which lessens the distinction between clergy and laity found in other traditions.
6
Discipleship in small groups
Besides the main service, church life is often organized into cell groups, Bible study groups or Sunday school classes, where Sunday's preaching is explored more deeply and applied to everyday life.
What is believed
The five solas of the Reformation
A summary of the reformers' great emphases, which came to be presented as a list of five in the 20th century: sola scriptura (Scripture alone as infallible authority), sola fide (faith alone saves), sola gratia (grace alone, without human merit), solus Christus (Christ alone as mediator) and soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone).
Sola scriptura
The Bible is the only infallible authority for faith and practice, unlike the Catholic tradition, which also recognizes the Tradition of the Church, as interpreted by the magisterium (the official teaching of the pope and bishops), as an authority alongside the Scriptures.
Justification by grace alone through faith
Salvation is God's free gift, received by faith in Christ, with no good works contributing to earn it: works are the fruit of saving faith, not its cause.
The priesthood of all believers
Protestants do not see the pastor as a priest who mediates between God and the people: pastors and elders carry out teaching and leadership roles, but every believer has the same access to God.
Rejection of papal authority
The reformers denied that the bishop of Rome had supreme authority over the whole church, holding that Christ is the only head of the church and that each local community answers to Him through Scripture.
The Lord's Supper without transubstantiation
Unlike the Catholic dogma of transubstantiation (the belief that the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the body and blood of Christ), Protestant traditions reject this change, but they differ among themselves: Lutherans affirm the real presence of Christ in the Supper, Reformed Christians speak of a spiritual presence, and Baptists and many evangelicals understand it as a memorial.
Dates and practices
Easter
The celebration of the resurrection of Christ, regarded as the high point of the Christian calendar among Protestants too, though with fewer liturgical elements and processions than in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Christmas
The celebration of the birth of Christ, marked by special services, cantatas and community outreach. The Protestant liturgical calendar is generally much simpler than the Catholic or Orthodox one, without the long calendar of saints.
Reformation Day
Celebrated on October 31 in several Protestant traditions, especially Lutheran, in memory of Luther's posting of the 95 Theses in Wittenberg in 1517, the symbolic start of the Reformation.
How they live
Sunday worship at the heart of community life
The Sunday gathering shapes the week of the evangelical family, bringing together preaching, congregational worship and fellowship among the members of the local church.
Bible study at home and in groups
Besides the service, many believers take part in weekly Bible studies in small groups or have a daily personal time of Bible reading and prayer, known as a devotional or quiet time.
Spontaneous, personal prayer
Unlike fixed liturgies with written prayers, Protestant prayer is usually free and spoken in one's own words, both in public and in private, although liturgical traditions such as the Lutheran and Anglican keep formal prayers.
Great diversity of expression
Protestantism ranges from more formal, liturgical traditions, such as Lutherans and Reformed churches, to more spontaneous and emotional expressions, such as Pentecostals and charismatics, each with its own style of worship and music.
Active involvement in evangelism
Sharing the faith with others and seeking conversions is an expected part of ordinary Christian life, not a task reserved for specialists, reflecting the Protestant emphasis on each believer's personal responsibility.
Many denominations within the same family
Protestantism is estimated to be divided into thousands of denominations, with Pentecostals and charismatics standing out in numbers (the branch that has grown most in recent decades), along with Baptists, Reformed/Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Anglicans.
Brief history
- 1517 Martin Luther posts the 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, challenging the sale of indulgences and launching the Protestant Reformation.
- 1521 Luther is summoned to the Diet of Worms, where he refuses to recant his writings before Emperor Charles V. Already excommunicated by the pope earlier that year, he is declared an outlaw in the Empire by the Edict of Worms.
- 1519 to 1560 The movement branches out: Huldrych Zwingli leads the Reformation in Zurich, Switzerland, from 1519; John Calvin develops his theology in Geneva; and Anglicanism emerges in England as Henry VIII breaks with Rome in 1534.
- 17th century The first Baptist groups appear among English exiles in the Netherlands (1609) and later in England, advocating baptism for professing believers only and a greater separation of church and state. In the same period the Puritans, a movement that arose in England in the second half of the 16th century, gain strength.
- 18th century In the American colonies, the Great Awakening, with preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, brings revival; in England, John Wesley (founder of Methodism) and Whitefield himself lead the Evangelical Revival.
- 1906 The Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles gives rise to the modern Pentecostal movement, which would become the fastest-growing branch of Protestantism in the following century.
- 20th century Evangelical and Pentecostal expansion on a global scale, with especially strong growth in Brazil and Latin America, where Protestantism goes from a minority to a significant share of the population.
How to engage in dialogue
Point of contact
Protestants and Catholics share faith in the same Christ, in the Trinity and in the authority of the Bible as the Word of God, a common starting point for any respectful conversation about their differences.
Recognizing that Protestantism was born from a desire to reform the church from within, not from a rejection of historic Christianity, helps explain where they differ without hostility.
What to avoid
Reducing Catholicism to a caricature, as if Catholics worshipped Mary or the saints in the same way they worship God, when Catholic doctrine itself distinguishes veneration from worship.
Treating the enormous internal diversity of Protestantism (from Lutherans to Pentecostals) as if it were a single, uniform doctrinal bloc.
What to ask
Instead of making assertions, ask how your Catholic or Orthodox conversation partner understands the authority of Tradition in relation to Scripture, and why the Supper or the Mass holds the place it does in their faith, before presenting the Protestant view.
Where most live
Estimate: the religion's percentage in each country multiplied by the country's population.
Unreached peoples of this religion 345 in total
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What to pray for
- For the Protestants of the United States, the largest community of this tradition, for unity and authentic witness amid the diversity of churches.
- For Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Protestantism is growing amid social challenges and conflict.
- For China, where Protestant churches are growing even under restrictions, for perseverance and wisdom.
- For Brazil, India, Indonesia and Kenya, for Protestant churches that live out their faith with integrity and love for their neighbors.
- For unity among the many Protestant denominations, overcoming divisions that weaken Christian witness.
- For Protestant leaders, for humility and faithfulness to the Scriptures in settings of rapid growth.
- Pray that the Protestant emphasis on a Bible open to all may keep transforming lives around the world.
