What’s All the Protesting About?

A look at Protestant Denominations

Table of Contents

• Background and Denomination by the #s
• Martin Luther
• Sola Fida
• Sola Scriptura
• Beliefs on Salvation

Denomination by the #s

David B. Barrett editor of “World Christian Encyclopdia”

Defines denomination- an organized Christian Church or tradition or religious group or community of believers or aggregate of worship centers or congregations, usually within a specific country, whose component congregations and members are called by the same name in different areas, regarding themselves as an autonomous Christian church distinct from other denominations, churches and traditions.“

• 1982 Publication – 20,800 Christian Denominations
• 2001 Publication- 33,820 Christian Denominations (includes 242 Catholic Denominations)
• US Breakdown (2001)
  • Catholic           1
  • Orthodox       60
  • Protestant  6,161
• Breakdown of Protestant #
  • Protestant         660
  • Anglican               1
  • Independent  5,100
  • Marginal           400

Background – click image below for details

Background- continued - click image below for details

Martin Luther

“ Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen”

Sola Fida

• Latin- Faith Alone
• Salvation is obtained through faith alone to the exclusion of human efforts and works
• The first and chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification (Romans 3:24-25).
• He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), and God has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
• All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works and merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood (Romans 3:23-25). This is necessary to believe.
• This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law or merit. Therefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us ... Nothing of this article can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth and everything else falls (Mark 13:31).

Sola Scriptura

• Latin- by Scripture Alone
• The doctrine that the Bible is the only infallible and inerrant authority for Christian faith, and that it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness.
• Supporting Scripture Passages
• 2 Timothy 3:16
• Sometimes necessary interpretation
• Hebrews 5: 12

Beliefs on Salvation