Changes

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.  

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.

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==

==Missions==

== Protestantism in the United States ==

== 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.

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 terms are often used casually and inconsistently.

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

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

* 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]

* 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]

*  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   

*''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/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/encyc02.toc.html Vol. 2: Basilica - Chambers]

* 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. ''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

* 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

* 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)

* 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]

*  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]