Chapter 13 Protestant Christianity - Teaching Tips
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Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) Chapter 13 Protestant Christianity - Teaching Tips Chapters 11-13 could be taught in a comparative sense, since the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Protestants wrestled with some of the same issues. They obviously did not agree on a number of the issues and hence the division. The student however could be best served by looking at the similarities and differences. For this reason the same comparative grid that was used in Chapter 12 is also useful for this chapter. Here is a suggested outline to get your started: Doctrinal or Practical Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Protestants Emphasis Apostolic Succession All Popes must have They believe that this Most protestants focus some direct line to doctrine ensures an on continuity with the either Peter or Paul, unbroken line from teachings of the the early apostles Christ to church apostles as opposed to leaders direct succession from the apostles Clergy A very patriarchal Priests and Bishops Most Protestants do system where all must be male, but not require celibacy as clergies are males. deacons can be a condition to become They must also be women. This order a minister. Some celibate. however is dormant. churches practice Priests and deacons female ordination, may marry before including some ordination but not Anglicans. after. Bishops, on the other hand, must be celibate. The Eucharist Catholics believe In the Orthodox For most protestants similar to Orthodox church the Eucharist the Eucharist is seen on the Eucharist. The takes on heightened as an ordinance. This Eucharist is known as mystery. In fact it is is something that the 'Holy sacrifice of called the 'Mystic requires obedience to the Mass'. It is usually Supper' or 'Divine an ordinance as taken weekly Liturgy' - It borders opposed to conferring on a concept known grace as a sacrament. as transubstantiation In most Protestant in which the elements traditions the are believed to sacrificial nature of Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) become the body of the Eucharist is Christ. In this act rejected. people find forgiveness and encounter Christ The Holy Spirit Catholics view is The Holy Spirit is The Holy Spirit similar to the believed to proceed proceeds from both Protestants. They only from the Father. the Father and the believe that the Holy This was one of the Son. The Nicene Spirit came from both chief reasons the East creed affirmed this Father and Son- a started breaking from position in the middle process that is the west. In the and late fourth sometimes called original Nicene Creed century. The double procession. of 325 AD this procession of the position was upheld. Holy Spirit from the The Father sends the Father and son came Spirit at the to be known as the intercession of the filioque clause. (Latin: Son. The Son is 'and the son'). therefore an agent only in the procession of the Spirit. Marriage and Divorce Marriage is an Marriage is a union Most protestants see unbreakable contract between a man and a marriage as a that should not be woman. It is seen as a covenant. If the broken. Divorce, in sacrament, similar to covenant is broken general is not the Catholics. Divorce divorce is permitted. permitted except is only permitted on There is much through annulment. the ground of variation among This is a process that adultery. protestants as to the can last up to seven acceptable reasons for years. divorce. Immaculate Catholics believe in Immaculate Only Christ is Conception immaculate conception is rejected. considered sinless conception. Orthodox churches According to this hold that the guilt of doctrine Mary, was at original sin is not conception 'preserved transmitted from one Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) immaculate from all generation to the next. stain of original sin' Hence there is no and should not be need to claim that confused with the Mary was sinless. virgin birth. Pope Catholics see the Pope The Pope is the Protestants do not as both have orthodox Bishop of Rome and accept the Pope as the leadership over the has primacy of honor leader of the church. church and full when Orthodox, not Each church and jurisdiction. of jurisdiction. This denominations have is an important their leader. These distinction. This might come in the means each local form of Pastors, Priest and Bishops Priest, Bishops, or have authority over District the local churches, not Superintendents. the Pope. Furthermore Orthodox believe that, at present, the Pope’s primacy is not effective since the papacy needs to be reformed. Purgatory Purgatory is seen as a Orthodox accepts the Protestants do not place of cleansing and belief in purgatory. believe in the concept preparation for Cleansing however of purgatory. heaven. His is also needs to take place in where punishment is this life not in meted out for venial Purgatory. Purgatory sins. is seen as an in between place between heaven and hell where a person goes once dead to await judgment. Sacraments Catholics believe in Orthodox also Typically Protestants seven sacraments. believes in seven only accept one Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) These are the same as sacraments. sacrament- the in the Orthodox Sacraments are beliefs sacrifice of Christ. Church, with the to be practices that exception of impart grace to the Chrismation. This is person. These called confirmation in sacraments are called Roman Catholicism. “Mysteries”. They are; Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Holy Orders, Holy Unction, Marriage and Penance Liturgy For Catholics the The 'Divine Liturgy' is There are a wide focal point of worship the centre of variety of worship is Mass. Following Orthodox spirituality. styles. These range the Vatican II council Worship is usually in from contemporary to (1962-5), greater the language of the traditional and emphasis was placed people, though Greek spontaneous to on worship in the is also used. planned. vernacular, though the traditional Latin ('Tridentine') Mass is also used. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3804718987651172007 The Politics of Belief is a four-part documentary series in which historian Tristram Hunt looks at the cultural, economic and scientific dimensions of the Protestant revolution. It explores how German Theologian, Martin Luther challenged the Pope and the Catholic system. This challenge resulted in the Protestant Reformation, a movement that attracted a number of other reformers, such as Zwingli, Calvin and even King Henry VIII. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RirSyr5wYn4&feature=related PBS- Frontline produces the film _From Jesus to Christ. This film examines the life of Jesus and the movement that was later called The Way. It is an unconventional look at Jesus. It is resourced from information drawn from much challenge historical evidence about Christianity. It features New Testament Scholars from the Quest for the Historical Jesus Tradition. The film is primarily concerned with the first three hundred years of Christianity. Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) http://www.educationalvideos.com/martin-luther-and-the-protestant-reformation/ This film makes the case that Protestantism was not started in a vacuum. In fact Martin Luther tapped into much of the frustration that practitioners of Christianity had with the Roman Catholic Church in the sixteen century. Issues such as simony, selling of indulgences and the misuse of power were among some of the issues that sparked the Reformation. Martin Luther came along and catalogued these frustrations in his Ninety Five Thesis, which he nailed on the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This led to Martin Luther being excommunicated from the Catholic Church and the launching of the Protestant Reformation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWUXoj6kACk German Sociologist, Max Weber wrote extensively about the link between capitalism and Protestantism. In his first, and arguably most important, work he argued for the link between capitalism and the Protestant spirit. This video features his thoughts on the short- comings of modernization. In this video the student will be exposed to Weber’s thoughts about how Martin Luther’s and John Calvin’s belief about predestination resulted in the rise of the Protestant Spirit. http://www.history.com/topics/martin-luther-and-the-95-theses This resource features a number of great videos on the early Protestant Reformers. The student will get insights into Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry the VIII. Martin Luther inspired the Reformation of the sixteen century through the writing of his Ninety Five Thesis. He capitalized on the invention of the printing press to popularize his thinking. The Catholic Church was exposed for practices and beliefs that were not seen as biblical. The convergence of such feelings and beliefs led to a major break with the Catholic Church. The Protestant movement was formed. Luther’s Ninety-Five Thesis advanced two major beliefs— the centrality of the bible as sole authority for life and that of salvation by Faith through grace. Articles http://www.history.com/topics/reformation The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. In northern and central Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church's ability to define Christian practice. They argued for a religious and political redistribution of power into the hands of Bible- and pamphlet- reading pastors and princes. The disruption triggered wars, persecutions and the so-called Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church's delayed but forcefully responded to the Protestants. http://www.oodegr.com/english/protestantism/protestantism.htm Sullivan, Religions of the World (Fortress Press, 2013) Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Inquiry is a site with many scholarly articles on Protestantism.