Difference between revisions of "Protestantism"

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{{Christianity}}
 
{{Christianity}}
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'''Protestantism''' is one of the three major divisions in [[Christendom]] that traces their heritage back to the [[Western Church]]. Other divisions include [[Catholicism]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]].   
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'''Protestantism''' is one of the three major divisions in [[Christendom]]; the others are [[Catholicism]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox]] Churches.   
  
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The founding of Protestantism has its origins in the [[European]] [[Reformation]] and its rejection of the [[doctrine]]s and [[malpractice]]s within the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Those included the teaching and sale of [[indulgences]], the buying and selling of church positions and the systemic [[corruption]], devotion to [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]] and the [[saint]]s rather than inward devotion to [[faith]] and [[God]], and rejection of the [[authority]] of the [[Pope]] on the basis that the only true authority is the [[Bible]].
+
Protestantism began in Europe with the [[Reformation]] of the 16th century. Early leaders were [[Jan Hus]],[[Martin Luther]] and [[John Calvin]]. [[King Henry VIII]] in England led the church in his country out of communion with the Church of Rome. Although he opposed Protestant doctrines, his action in ending the Pope's role in England contributed to the advance of Protestantism under Henry's successors.  
  
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Protestants made the Bible available to all by publication of the Bible in the common language and universal education. The mandatory [[celibacy]] of the [[clergy]] (including monasticism) was also rejected.
+
Protestant Christianity rejects the Roman Catholic belief that Christ founded the Catholic Church as his sole representative and rejects the notion that priests or saints have special access to the divine. Protestantism greatly reduced the role of Mary, Christ's mother, as an object of devotion.  
  
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Notable events:
+
Most Protestants stress their belief that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, although Quakers and Pentecostals believe in personal revelation as a factor in God's connection to believers. Protestants reject the Catholic concept that Tradition—beliefs held consistently by the people of God since the time of the Apostles—is a second means (alongside Scripture) by which God reveals his will to the Church. With few exceptions, Protestant churches observe two sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), and not the seven sacraments that the Catholic Church accepts.
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:[[Martin Luther]]'s nailing of [[The 95 Theses]] to the church doors in [[Wittenberg]] on October 31, 1517
+
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:In [[England]], by decree of King [[Henry VIII]] in 1533.  
+
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:[[John Knox]], inspired by [[John Calvin]] and aided by many [[Martyrs' Monument|martyr]]s, liberated [[Scotland]] from the yoke of [[Roman Catholic Church|Rome]] in 1560.
+
  
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Protestants are the largest [[Christian]] division in the [[United States of America]].
+
==Politics==
 +
Europe was polarized by the Reformation, with most of northern Europe becoming Protestant while most of the Mediterranean regions remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church. In the mid-sixteenth century, the Catholic Church struck back with a [[Counter-Reformation]] that is considered to be responsible for keeping such areas as Italy, France and Poland in the Catholic fold.  
  
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In the United States, denominations in the Protestant division include:
+
Religious wars broke out, the worst being the [[Thirty Years War]] (1618-1648) that devastated much of Germany and neighboring areas. By 1648 a compromise was reached such that, in the Holy Roman Empire, the religion of the Prince determined the official religion of the people.  Nevertheless religious strife continued in Germany as late as the 1870s in the [[Kulturkampf]], and in [[Ireland]] into the late 20th century.
−
*[[Anglican]]
+
 
 +
==Missions==
 +
Each Protestant denomination launched missionary activity to spread the gospel, and they competed with each other and with Catholic missions.
 +
 
 +
The greatest successes came in the United States, where a series of revivals called the first and second [[Great Awakening]]s resulted in many converts to various Protestant churches by 1860, and in Africa and South Korea, where Protestantism grew rapidly throughout the 20th century.
 +
 
 +
==Numbers and Distribution in 1900==
 +
 
 +
In terms of Europe, Due to the history of the Protestant [[Reformation]], significant Protestant populations can be found in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the northern part of Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the east, north and west of Switzerland.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/adh_predom.html Predominant religions], Adherence.com</ref>
 +
 
 +
In addition, one of the most striking facts in the history of Protestantism during the 19th century was its great expansion in North America.<ref>This section is based on [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc09.protestantism.html?highlight=schleiermacher#highlight F. Kattenbusch and Arthur C. A. Hall, "Protestantism" in ''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge,'' (1911) Vol. IX]</ref> The United States by 1910 had the largest Protestant population of any land—from 65,000,000 to 66,000,000 (out of a total population of 79,000,000),<ref>According to the estimate of H. K. Carroll in W. D. Grant, ed. ''Christendom Anno Domini 1901'', (1902), i. 530–531</ref> which is based upon the census of 1900. Britain probably comes next with 38,000,000 Protestants (total population 42,500,000) and Germany third with somewhat more than 35,000,000 (total population 56,000,000).<ref>H. Zeller's figures for the Eastern Church are 106,480,000, Orthodox; 8,130,000 "other [Eastern] Christians."; H. A. Krose, gives Greek Orthodox 109,000,000l schismatic Orientals, 6,554,913; Raskolniks (Russian dissenters), 2,173,371.  Roman Catholics 265,000,000; Eastern Church 117,000,000.</ref>
 +
 
 +
According to ''Slate'', "Protestant Christianity has been the fastest growing religion in [[China]]."<ref>[http://www.slate.com/bigideas/what-is-the-future-of-religion/essays-and-opinions/fenggang-yang-opinion When Will China Become the World’s Largest Christian Country?], Slate</ref>  [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical Christianity]] is especially growing sharply in China.<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2015/0111/In-China-a-church-state-showdown-of-biblical-proportions In China, a church-state showdown of biblical proportions]</ref>  See: [[Growth of Christianity in China]]
 +
 
 +
'''Reformed Protestantism in 1900:'''   
 +
* Great Britain  20,500,000 
 +
**see [[Church of Scotland]]
 +
* Germany  3,000,000 
 +
* Switzerland  2,000,000 
 +
* Netherlands  3,000,000 
 +
* Hungary  2,500,000 
 +
* France  500,000 
 +
* United States  65,000,000 
 +
* Canada  2,000,000 
 +
* Australia and New Zealand  1,500,000 
 +
* India  1,500,000 
 +
* South Africa  1,000,000 
 +
* Elsewhere 2,000,000 
 +
**Total Reformed    104,500,000
 +
 
 +
'''Lutheran: in 1900'''
 +
*Germany  32,000,000 
 +
* Norway and Sweden  7,500,000 
 +
* Denmark  2,500,000 
 +
* Finland and the Baltic Provinces  6,000,000 
 +
* Hungary 1,250,000 
 +
* United States  6,000,000 
 +
* Elsewhere  750,000 
 +
**Total Lutheran    56,000,000 
 +
 
 +
'''Anglican: in 1900'''
 +
* England  10,750,000 
 +
* Scotland and Ireland  750,000 
 +
* British Empire  4,000,000 
 +
* United States  2,500,000 
 +
** Total Anglican    24,000,000
 +
 
 +
'''Protestant missions'''    5,500,000
 +
 
 +
'''Grand Total  in 1900:  182,000,000'''
 +
 
 +
== Impact ==
 +
 
 +
Protestants made the Bible available to all persons through publication of the Scriptures in the common language and by promoting universal education. The mandatory [[celibacy]] of the [[clergy]] (including monasticism) was rejected, resulting in married clergy becoming the norm in Protestant churches. Unordained persons were permitted more voice in church affairs and in the worship services themselves. Some historians have also contended that Protestantism played an important factor in the growth of Democracy and Capitalism.
 +
 
 +
==Notable events==
 +
* [[Martin Luther]]'s nailing of [[The 95 Theses]] to the church door in [[Wittenberg]] on October 31, 1517. Luther became the spiritual leader of the Evangelical movement later called [[Lutheranism]], which came to dominate much of Germany and all of Scandinavia
 +
 
 +
* [[King Henry VIII]]'s asserting the independence of the English church from Papal control in 1533. Under Henry's successors, Edward VI and Elizabeth I, the English Church became Protestant, although it retained the Catholic system of governance by bishops.
 +
 
 +
* [[John Knox]]'s leading of [[Scotland]] into the [[Presbyterian]] faith in 1560. He was a follower of [[John Calvin]] (and was aided by many [[Martyrs' Monument|martyr]]s). 
 +
 
 +
== Protestantism in the United States ==
 +
 
 +
Protestants represent the largest Christian division in the United States.  There are two main groupings, the more conservative [[Evangelical Christians]] and the more liberal [[Mainline]] denominations. Many of the Evangelicals incline to [[Fundamentalism]], but the the terms are often used casually and inconsistently.
 +
 
 +
There are over 200 major denominations in the United States. Among the larger groupings are:
 +
 
 +
*[[Baptist]]
 +
**[[American Baptist Churches]] (liberal)
 +
**[[Southern Baptist Convention]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
*[[Methodist]]
 +
**[[Free Methodist Church]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[United Methodist Church]] (liberal)
 
*[[Lutheran]]
 
*[[Lutheran]]
 +
**Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ([[ELCA]]) (liberal)
 +
**[[Lutheran Church Missouri Synod]]
 +
**[[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]]
 
*[[Presbyterian]]
 
*[[Presbyterian]]
 +
**[[Presbyterian Church (USA)]] (liberal)
 +
**[[Presbyterian Church in America]]
 
*[[Reformed]]
 
*[[Reformed]]
 +
**[[Christian Reformed Church]]
 +
**[[Reformed Church in America]]
 +
*[[Episcopal]] (liberal)
 +
*[[Restorationist]]
 +
**[[Churches of Christ]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[Disciples of Christ]] (liberal)
 +
*[[Pentecostal]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[Assemblies of God]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[Church of God (Cleveland, TN)]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
*[[Holiness Movement]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[Church of the Nazarene]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[Church of God (Anderson, IN)]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
**[[Salvation Army]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
*[[Seventh Day Adventist]] (Evangelical/fundamentalist)
 +
*[[United Church of Christ]] (liberal)
 +
 +
 +
Smaller groups include:
 
*[[Anabaptist]]
 
*[[Anabaptist]]
−
*[[Baptist]]
+
**[[Mennonite]]
−
*[[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]]
+
**[[Amish]]
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*[[Mennonite]]
+
*[[Continuing Anglican]]  
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*[[Amish]]
+
−
*[[Methodist]]
+
 
*[[Brethren]]
 
*[[Brethren]]
−
*[[Pentecostal]]
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*[[Religious Society of Friends|Quaker]]
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*[[Society of Friends]] ("Quakers")
+
 
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*[[Holiness]]
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== See also ==
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*[[Restoration Movement]]
+
 
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*[[Adventist]]
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*[[Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism]]
 +
*[[Protestant cultural legacies|Irreligious countries with Protestant cultural legacies]]
 +
*[[Christian Union]]
 +
 
 +
==Further reading==
 +
* Bell, James S.,  and Tracy Macon Sumner. ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Reformation and Protestantism'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Reformation-Protestantism/dp/0028642708/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200807603&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
 +
* Gonzalez, Justo L. ''A History of Christian Thought: Volume 3: From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century'' (1987) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Thought-Protestant-Reformation/dp/0687171849/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-12 excerpt and text search]
 +
* Hillerbrand, Hans J. ed. ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation.''  ([[OUP]] 1996); the book is online at many academic libraries; [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-encyclopedia-Reformation/dp/0195103645/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201162350&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
 +
*   Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''A History of Christianity'' (2 vol 1975) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Christianity-Beginnings-1500-Revised/dp/0060649526/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823548&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search vol 1, to 1500]
 +
*  Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''Christianity in a Revolutionary Age: A History of Christianity in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries'' (1958) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/christianity-in-a-revolutionary-age-a-history-of-christianity-in-the-nineteenth-and-twentieth-centuries-vol-1-by-kenneth-scott-latourette.jsp vol 1 online edition]
 +
*  Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''A history of the expansion of Christianity'' (7 vol 1939-1970), monumental history of missionary work worldwide [http://www.questia.com/library/book/a-history-of-the-expansion-of-christianity-vol-7-by-kenneth-scott-latourette.jsp online edition]
 +
* MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''The Reformation'' (2005), influential recent survey [http://www.amazon.com/Reformation-Diarmaid-MacCulloch/dp/014303538X/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
 +
*  McGonigle, Thomas D.,  and James F. Quigley. ''A History of the Christian Tradition, Vol. II: From the Reformation to the Present'' (1996) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Christian-Tradition-Vol-Reformation/dp/0809136481/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-15 excerpt and text search]
 +
*''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge'' (1911), ), major sources of older scholarly articles; mainline Protestant perspective 
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc01.toc.html Vol. 1: Aachen - Basilians]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc02.toc.html Vol. 2: Basilica - Chambers]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc03.toc.html Vol. 3: Chamier - Draendorf]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc04.toc.html Vol. 4: Draeseke - Goa]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc05.toc.html Vol. 5: Goar - Innocent]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc06.toc.html Vol. 6: Innocents - Liudger]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc07.toc.html Vol. 7: Liutprand - Moralities]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc08.toc.html Vol. 8: Morality - Petersen]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc09.toc.html Vol. 9: Petri - Reuchlin]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc10.toc.html Vol. 10: Reutsch - Son]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc11.toc.html Vol. 11: Son of Man - Tremellius]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc12.toc.html Vol. 12: Trench - Zwingli]
 +
**[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc13.toc.html Vol. 13: Index]
 +
===United States===
 +
* Ahlstrom,  Sydney E. ''A religious history of the American people‎'' (1979) 1192 pages; classic history from broad perspective [http://books.google.com/books?id=5kFF6a1viGcC&dq=inauthor:ahlstrom&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpt and text search]
 +
* Balmer, Randall. ''Protestantism in America'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Protestantism-Columbia-Contemporary-American-Religion/dp/0231111312/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200807603&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]
 +
* Balmer, Randall. ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism'' (2nd ed.  2004), 655pp
 +
* Balmer, Randall. ''Grant Us Courage: Travels along the Mainline of American Protestantism'' (1996) [http://www.questia.com/read/106364823?title=Grant%20Us%20Courage%3a%20%20Travels%20along%20the%20Mainline%20of%20American%20Protestantism online edition]
 +
* Hutchison, William R. ed. ''Between the Times: The Travail of the Protestant Establishment in America, 1900-1960'' (1990) [http://books.google.com/books?id=wMH7PRqQDGkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22neo+orthodoxy%22+barth+OR+niebuhr&lr=&num=30&as_brr=3&as_pt=ALLTYPES&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 excerpt and text search]
 +
* Lippy,  Charles H. and Peter W. Williams, eds. ''Encyclopedia of the American religious experience: studies of traditions and movements'' (3 vol 1988) 1872 pages; standard reference work; long essays by scholars
 +
* Noll, Mark A. ''The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Old-Religion-New-World-Christianity/dp/0802849482/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200823548&sr=8-11 excerpt and text search], by a leading evangelical scholar
 +
* Noll, Mark A. '' A history of Christianity in the United States and Canada‎'' (1992), by leading Evangelical historian [http://books.google.com/books?id=VGF3wbzzy9QC&dq=intitle:christianity+inauthor:noll&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES excerpt and text search], by a leading evangelical scholar
 +
* Queen, Edward L. et al, eds. Encyclopedia of American Religious History'' (3rd ed. 2 vol. 2009) 1200pp
 +
* Reid, Daniel G. et al. eds., ''Dictionary of Christianity in America'' (199)
 +
*  Roof, Wade Clark, and William McKinney. '' American Mainline Religion: Its Changing Shape and Future'' (1990) [http://www.amazon.com/American-Mainline-Religion-Changing-Future/dp/0813512166/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243520093&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]
 +
*  Wooley,  Davis C. ed. '' Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists‎'' (5 vol 1958-1982); 2565 pages
 +
* Wuthnow, Robert,  and John H. Evans, eds. ''The Quiet Hand of God:  Faith-Based Activism and the Public Role of Mainline Protestantism,'' (2002), 430 pp.; essays by scholars
  
−
==Web links==
+
===Primary sources===
 +
* Placher, William C. ''Readings in the History of Christian Theology, Volume 2: From the Reformation to the Present'' (1988) [http://www.amazon.com/Readings-History-Christian-Theology-Reformation/dp/0664240585/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200809912&sr=8-24 excerpt and text search]
 +
====Notes====
 +
<references/>
  
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[http://www.ianpaisley.org/main.asp The European Institute of Protestant Studies]
+
[[Category:Protestantism|*]]
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[[Category:Protestantism|Protestantism]]
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[[Category:Christian History]]
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[[Category:Reformation]]
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[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

Revision as of 21:37, July 12, 2016

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Christianity

Foundations
Jesus Christ
The Gospel

Bible
Old Testament
New Testament
Ten Commandments

Christian Theology
Trinity: Father,
Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit
Atonement
Nicene Creed
Creation
Defense of Christianity
Salvation

History and Traditions
Messianic Judaism
Roman Catholic Church
Arianism
Orthodox Church
Crusades
Protestant Reformation
Counter Reformation
Protestantism
Missions
Great Awakening
Social Gospel
Mainline
Liberal Christians
Evangelical Christians
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Important Figures
Saint Paul
Saint Athanasius
Saint Augustine
Thomas Aquinas
Martin Luther
John Calvin
Jonathan Edwards
John Wesley
Pope

Protestantism is one of the three major divisions in Christendom; the others are Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

Protestantism began in Europe with the Reformation of the 16th century. Early leaders were Jan Hus,Martin Luther and John Calvin. King Henry VIII in England led the church in his country out of communion with the Church of Rome. Although he opposed Protestant doctrines, his action in ending the Pope's role in England contributed to the advance of Protestantism under Henry's successors.

Protestant Christianity rejects the Roman Catholic belief that Christ founded the Catholic Church as his sole representative and rejects the notion that priests or saints have special access to the divine. Protestantism greatly reduced the role of Mary, Christ's mother, as an object of devotion.

Most Protestants stress their belief that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, although Quakers and Pentecostals believe in personal revelation as a factor in God's connection to believers. Protestants reject the Catholic concept that Tradition—beliefs held consistently by the people of God since the time of the Apostles—is a second means (alongside Scripture) by which God reveals his will to the Church. With few exceptions, Protestant churches observe two sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper), and not the seven sacraments that the Catholic Church accepts.

Politics

Europe was polarized by the Reformation, with most of northern Europe becoming Protestant while most of the Mediterranean regions remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church. In the mid-sixteenth century, the Catholic Church struck back with a Counter-Reformation that is considered to be responsible for keeping such areas as Italy, France and Poland in the Catholic fold.

Religious wars broke out, the worst being the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) that devastated much of Germany and neighboring areas. By 1648 a compromise was reached such that, in the Holy Roman Empire, the religion of the Prince determined the official religion of the people. Nevertheless religious strife continued in Germany as late as the 1870s in the Kulturkampf, and in Ireland into the late 20th century.

Missions

Each Protestant denomination launched missionary activity to spread the gospel, and they competed with each other and with Catholic missions.

The greatest successes came in the United States, where a series of revivals called the first and second Great Awakenings resulted in many converts to various Protestant churches by 1860, and in Africa and South Korea, where Protestantism grew rapidly throughout the 20th century.

Numbers and Distribution in 1900

In terms of Europe, Due to the history of the Protestant Reformation, significant Protestant populations can be found in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the northern part of Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the east, north and west of Switzerland.[1]

In addition, one of the most striking facts in the history of Protestantism during the 19th century was its great expansion in North America.[2] The United States by 1910 had the largest Protestant population of any land—from 65,000,000 to 66,000,000 (out of a total population of 79,000,000),[3] which is based upon the census of 1900. Britain probably comes next with 38,000,000 Protestants (total population 42,500,000) and Germany third with somewhat more than 35,000,000 (total population 56,000,000).[4]

According to Slate, "Protestant Christianity has been the fastest growing religion in China."[5] Evangelical Christianity is especially growing sharply in China.[6] See: Growth of Christianity in China

Reformed Protestantism in 1900:

  • Great Britain 20,500,000
  • Germany 3,000,000
  • Switzerland 2,000,000
  • Netherlands 3,000,000
  • Hungary 2,500,000
  • France 500,000
  • United States 65,000,000
  • Canada 2,000,000
  • Australia and New Zealand 1,500,000
  • India 1,500,000
  • South Africa 1,000,000
  • Elsewhere 2,000,000
    • Total Reformed 104,500,000

Lutheran: in 1900

  • Germany 32,000,000
  • Norway and Sweden 7,500,000
  • Denmark 2,500,000
  • Finland and the Baltic Provinces 6,000,000
  • Hungary 1,250,000
  • United States 6,000,000
  • Elsewhere 750,000
    • Total Lutheran 56,000,000

Anglican: in 1900

  • England 10,750,000
  • Scotland and Ireland 750,000
  • British Empire 4,000,000
  • United States 2,500,000
    • Total Anglican 24,000,000

Protestant missions 5,500,000

Grand Total in 1900: 182,000,000

Impact

Protestants made the Bible available to all persons through publication of the Scriptures in the common language and by promoting universal education. The mandatory celibacy of the clergy (including monasticism) was rejected, resulting in married clergy becoming the norm in Protestant churches. Unordained persons were permitted more voice in church affairs and in the worship services themselves. Some historians have also contended that Protestantism played an important factor in the growth of Democracy and Capitalism.

Notable events

  • Martin Luther's nailing of The 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. Luther became the spiritual leader of the Evangelical movement later called Lutheranism, which came to dominate much of Germany and all of Scandinavia
  • King Henry VIII's asserting the independence of the English church from Papal control in 1533. Under Henry's successors, Edward VI and Elizabeth I, the English Church became Protestant, although it retained the Catholic system of governance by bishops.

Protestantism in the United States

Protestants represent the largest Christian division in the United States. There are two main groupings, the more conservative Evangelical Christians and the more liberal Mainline denominations. Many of the Evangelicals incline to Fundamentalism, but the the terms are often used casually and inconsistently.

There are over 200 major denominations in the United States. Among the larger groupings are:


Smaller groups include:

See also

Further reading

United States

  • Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A religious history of the American people‎ (1979) 1192 pages; classic history from broad perspective excerpt and text search
  • Balmer, Randall. Protestantism in America (2005) excerpt and text search
  • Balmer, Randall. Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism (2nd ed. 2004), 655pp
  • Balmer, Randall. Grant Us Courage: Travels along the Mainline of American Protestantism (1996) online edition
  • Hutchison, William R. ed. Between the Times: The Travail of the Protestant Establishment in America, 1900-1960 (1990) excerpt and text search
  • Lippy, Charles H. and Peter W. Williams, eds. Encyclopedia of the American religious experience: studies of traditions and movements (3 vol 1988) 1872 pages; standard reference work; long essays by scholars
  • Noll, Mark A. The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity (2001) excerpt and text search, by a leading evangelical scholar
  • Noll, Mark A. A history of Christianity in the United States and Canada‎ (1992), by leading Evangelical historian excerpt and text search, by a leading evangelical scholar
  • Queen, Edward L. et al, eds. Encyclopedia of American Religious History (3rd ed. 2 vol. 2009) 1200pp
  • Reid, Daniel G. et al. eds., Dictionary of Christianity in America (199)
  • Roof, Wade Clark, and William McKinney. American Mainline Religion: Its Changing Shape and Future (1990) excerpt and text search
  • Wooley, Davis C. ed. Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists‎ (5 vol 1958-1982); 2565 pages
  • Wuthnow, Robert, and John H. Evans, eds. The Quiet Hand of God: Faith-Based Activism and the Public Role of Mainline Protestantism, (2002), 430 pp.; essays by scholars

Primary sources

  • Placher, William C. Readings in the History of Christian Theology, Volume 2: From the Reformation to the Present (1988) excerpt and text search

Notes

  1. ↑ Predominant religions, Adherence.com
  2. ↑ This section is based on F. Kattenbusch and Arthur C. A. Hall, "Protestantism" in New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, (1911) Vol. IX
  3. ↑ According to the estimate of H. K. Carroll in W. D. Grant, ed. Christendom Anno Domini 1901, (1902), i. 530–531
  4. ↑ H. Zeller's figures for the Eastern Church are 106,480,000, Orthodox; 8,130,000 "other [Eastern] Christians."; H. A. Krose, gives Greek Orthodox 109,000,000l schismatic Orientals, 6,554,913; Raskolniks (Russian dissenters), 2,173,371. Roman Catholics 265,000,000; Eastern Church 117,000,000.
  5. ↑ When Will China Become the World’s Largest Christian Country?, Slate
  6. ↑ In China, a church-state showdown of biblical proportions
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