Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 89:354 (Apr 1932)
Article: Protestantism; A Comment On Its Origin And Its Present Status
Author: William Crowe

BSac 89:354 (April 1932) p. 143

Protestantism; A Comment On Its Origin And Its Present Status

William Crowe, D.D.

In this paper I am undertaking to deal with the subject, Protestantism, in rather a general way. Doubtless the paper will deserve the judgment of its readers that it is the discussion of a most important theme in a fashion entirely too haphazard. Nevertheless the theme is the common property of the readers of Bibliotheca Sacra, Protestantism is the name of a group to which, regardless of secondary divisions, we all belong. There is therefore a common interest in the subject, which may beget a charitable consideration of the article.

We propose at the outset to consider the meaning of the term. Protestantism is derived from the word, “protest.” Here we have a verb traveling alongside a noun spelled without the change of a letter. The verb means to express opposition to an action already taken. Therefore, the noun, “protest”, means a solemn declaration of opinion, commonly a form of objection, as in writing, against some action. From that we get the word protestant, meaning one who protests, and protestantism, meaning an organized opposition to an action affecting a body of people.

Specifically, the word, when spelled with a capital, is applied to the act of the German princes who, professing the reformed doctrine, protested against the action of the Diet of Spires of 1529. This protest was against the annulment of the decree of a former Diet (1526), which had been unanimously passed, calling upon the Emperor to permit each prince to manage the religious affairs of his territory as he saw fit. That is, Protestantism originally was an organized opposition to the curtailment of the liberty of self-determination, religiously speaking, in the German provinces. Popularly, the word has come to apply to that body of Christians not of the Roman Catholic Church.

BSac 89:354 (April 1932) p. 144

Thereby a word was added to our ecclesiastical vocabulary. By that word it was indicated that closure action should not be taken in such way as to become a permanent injunction upon any body of believing people. It is an unhappy word. From the day of the Diet of Spires until this day, exactly 402 years, this body of believers has labored under a handicap, in so far as a name means anything. The word “protest” is suggestive of defeat. It is lacking of any inspirational quality. It proposes a struggle for defense, rather than a campaign for conquest. Pity it is, therefore, that for these four centuries the Church has been hampered by an encumbrance in the form of a name that has added to the difficulty of achievement. More particularly is it to be deplored that the name fell upon it by accident and in no sense indicates its broader purpose or...