Religious currents of Christian Protestantism. John Calvin and his books. Major teachings and figures

Protestantism is one of the main directions of Christianity along with Orthodoxy and Catholicism, covering many independent confessions and churches. Features of the ideology and organization of modern Protestantism are largely due to the history of its emergence and subsequent development.

Reformation

Protestantism arose in the 16th century during the Reformation.

According to Engels, the Reformation was the first decisive battle in the struggle of the European bourgeoisie against feudalism, the first act of the bourgeois revolution in Europe.

It was no accident that the first act of the bourgeois revolution was played out in the form religious wars. The feelings and consciousness of the masses were wholly nourished by the spiritual food that the church offered them. Because of this, the historical movement, the content of which was the transition from feudalism to capitalism, had to take on a religious coloring. One of the first steps of the reformation movement in Germany was the speech of Martin Luther (1483-1546) against indulgences. Luther spoke out against the claims of the Catholic clergy to control faith and conscience as an intermediary between people and God. “God,” wrote Luther, “cannot and does not want to allow anyone to rule over the soul, unless you deprive yourself.” Man can save his soul only through faith, which is directly given by God, without the help of the church. This teaching of Luther about salvation, or justification by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, became one of the central tenets of Protestantism.

The Lutheran Reformation proclaimed the doctrine of the universal priesthood, of the equality of all believers before God. Under the slogan of restoring the traditions of the early Christian church, a demand was put forward for the abolition of a separate class of priests, the elimination of monks, prelates, the Roman curia, that is, the entire costly hierarchy. The demand for a cheap church was in the interests of the burghers. Along with the Catholic hierarchy, the authority of papal decrees and epistles, decisions of councils ("sacred tradition") was also rejected, "sacred scripture" was recognized as the only authority in matters of faith. "Each believer, according to Lutheran teaching, has the right to interpret it according to his own understanding. Translated Luther on German The Bible has become the reference book of adherents of reformed Christianity.

Luther's central teaching of "justification by faith" led to the secularization of religion. Rejecting the church hierarchy and special rites as a way "to the salvation of the soul", this doctrine considered the worldly activity of man as a service to God. Not in flight from the world, but in earthly life, a person had to seek salvation. Hence the condemnation of monasticism, celibacy of the clergy, etc. It followed from Luther's teaching that the secular life of a person and the social order, which should provide a person with the opportunity to devote himself to faith, constitute an important moment of the Christian religion.

Two camps in the Reformation

The reform movement was socially heterogeneous and very quickly divided into two camps, the burgher-moderate, led by Luther, and the plebeian-revolutionary, whose largest representative in Germany was Thomas Müntzer (c. 1490-1525). Engels pointed out that Müntzer's religious philosophy was in many ways close to atheism, pantheistically identifying the concepts of "God" and "world", and that Müntzer's teaching was directed "against all the basic dogmas not only of Catholicism, but of Christianity in general" (Marx K., Engels F. Soch., vol. 7, p. 370). Müntzer called for the search for paradise in earthly life, demanded the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth, meaning "nothing else but social order in which there will no longer be any class differences, no private property, no separate, opposing members of society and state power alien to them "(Marx K, Engels F Soch., vol. 7, p. 371). Luther's formula "justification by faith " Müntzer used to justify the need for active action by the masses in the name of the implementation of the socio-political program, which Engels described as a fantastic anticipation of communism. Müntzer's supporters, especially from the Anabaptist sect (re-baptizers), from the equality of the "sons of God" derived the demand for civil equality and the elimination of at least the most significant property differences.

The high point of the reform movement in Germany was the great peasant war of 1525, which ended in the defeat of the rebels and the death of its leader, Thomas Müntzer. In conditions of a sharp aggravation of class contradictions, Luther spoke out against the popular movement. The Lutheran Reformation, the basis of which was proclaimed unconditional obedience to the existing order and authorities, turned into a tool of the reactionary German princes and sanctioned princely omnipotence as the only pillar of "order" and the possibility of "Christian humility."

The document that expressed the essence of the burgher reform is the "Augsburg Confession", which Engels evaluates as "the constitution of the reformed burgher church finally negotiated" (Marx K., Engels F. Soch., vol. 7, p. 366). This document is a statement of the foundations of Lutheranism. In 1530 he was presented to Emperor Charles V, but rejected by him. Between the emperor and the princes, who accepted the Lutheran reformation, a war broke out, ending with the Augsburg Religious Peace of 1555. The princes were given the right to determine the religion of their subjects, according to the principle "Whose country, that is the faith."

This result of Luther's reformation expressed its social entity. Luther, as K. Marx wrote, “overcame slavery out of piety only by putting slavery out of conviction in its place. He broke faith in authority, restoring the authority of faith. outward religiosity by making religiosity inner world person. He emancipated the flesh from the shackles, putting shackles on the human heart "(Marx K., Engels F. Soch., vol. 1, pp. 422-423).

Spread of Protestantism

In the first half of the XVI century. The reform movement began to spread rapidly outside of Germany. Lutheranism established itself in Austria, in the Scandinavian countries, in the Baltics. Separate Lutheran communities appeared in Poland, Hungary, and France. At the same time, new varieties of the Reformation movement arose in Switzerland - Zwinglianism and Calvinism.

The Reformation in Switzerland, led by Zwingli (d. 1531) and Calvin (1509-1564), expressed much more consistently than Lutheranism the bourgeois essence of the Reformation movement. Zwinglianism, in particular, broke more decisively with the ritual side of Catholicism, refusing to recognize a special magical power - grace behind the last two sacraments preserved by Lutheranism - baptism and communion; communion was seen as a simple rite to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ, in which bread and wine are only symbols of his body and blood. In the organization of the Zwinglian church, in contrast to the Lutheran one, the republican principle was consistently implemented: each community is independent and elects its own priest.

Much more widespread was Calvinism, which became, in the words of Engels, the ideology of "the most daring part of the then bourgeoisie." John Calvin, who renounced Catholicism, settled in Geneva in 1536, where he led the reform movement. He outlined the main ideas of his teaching in his works "Instruction in the Christian Faith" and "Church Ordinances", which became fundamental in the Calvinist church.

One of the main tenets of Calvinism is the doctrine of "absolute predestination": even before the "creation of the world", God allegedly predetermined the fate of people, one is destined for heaven, the other - hell, and no efforts of people, no "good deeds" can change what is destined supreme. This doctrine was, according to Engels, “a religious expression of the fact that in the world of trade and competition, success or bankruptcy does not depend on the activity or skill of individuals, but on circumstances beyond their control. It is not the will or action of any individual that determines man, but the mercy of powerful but unknown economic forces. In theological terms, this doctrine was associated with one of the main principles of the Reformation - justification by faith, and not good deeds".

From the very beginning, Calvinism was characterized by petty regulation of personal and public life believers in the spirit of sanctimonious decency, intolerance to any manifestation of dissent, which was suppressed by the most cruel measures.

In accordance with the dogmatic basis, Calvinism radically reformed the Christian cult and church organization. Almost all external attributes of the Catholic cult: icons, vestments, candles, etc. - were discarded. Reading and commenting on the Bible and singing psalms took the main place in the service. The church hierarchy was abolished. leadership role elders (presbyters) and preachers began to play in Calvinist communities. The presbyters and preachers made up the consistory, which was in charge of the religious life of the community. Dogmatic issues were the responsibility of special meetings of preachers - congregations, which later became local and national congresses of community representatives.

The Reformation in England was somewhat different in comparison with Germany or Switzerland. It began not as a popular movement, but on the initiative of the ruling elites. In 1534 English Parliament proclaimed the independence of the church from the pope and declared it head of King Henry VIII. In England, all the monasteries were closed, and their property was confiscated in favor of the royal treasury. But at the same time, the preservation of Catholic dogmas and rituals was announced. Over time, the influence of Protestantism on the Anglican Church increased and its demarcation with Catholicism deepened. In 1571, the Anglican "creed" was adopted by Parliament, which confirmed that "the king has supreme power in the church", although "he has no right to preach the word of God and perform the sacraments." The Anglican Church accepted the Protestant doctrines of justification by faith and of "Holy Scripture" as the only source of faith; rejected the teaching of Catholicism about indulgences, about the veneration of icons and relics. At the same time, the Catholic dogma about the saving power of the church was recognized, albeit with reservations. The liturgy and a number of other rituals characteristic of Catholicism were preserved, and the episcopate remained inviolable.

In Scotland, the church reform movement took place under the banner of Calvinism. This movement was led by the Anglican theologian John Knox (1505-1572). The reform movement in Scotland was associated with the struggle against the Stuart dynasty. At the end of the 60s of the XVI century. Mary Stuart, relying on the Catholic nobility and support from the papacy, was defeated. In Scotland, the Presbyterian Church, which grew out of Calvinism, was established. It proceeded from the recognition of the autocracy of Christ in the community of believers and the equality of all its members. In this regard, unlike the Anglican Church, the bishopric was abolished and only Presbyterianism in the spirit of Calvinism was preserved. Hence the name of this church.

In connection with the aggravation of social contradictions in England at the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries. there is a bourgeois opposition to the absolutist regime, which is not satisfied by the royal reformation. Among the English bourgeoisie, Calvinism, whose adherents were called Puritans, was gaining ground. The moderate Puritans limited themselves to demanding the establishment of a Presbyterian church, while the radical wing, the Independents, completely rejected the principle of a state church; every religious community must be completely free to choose its religion.

The activation of democratic elements led to the emergence of religious sects of Congregationalists, Baptists, Quakers, etc. In most cases, the formation of these sects in a religious form reflected the disappointment of the lower classes in the results of the bourgeois revolution

Thus, during the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland, and then during the bourgeois revolutions, primarily in England, formed the main currents that represent Protestantism at the present time. The main varieties of Christianity reformed in the bourgeois spirit were and remain Lutheranism and Calvinism, which arose immediately during the Reformation. All other Protestant formations only vary the basic principles of these currents.

Organizations of Modern Protestantism

The organizational forms of modern Protestantism are very diverse - from the church as a state institution (in Sweden, for example) and to the almost complete absence of any unifying organization (for example, among the Quakers); from large confessional (for example, the World Union of Baptists) and even interfaith associations (ecumenical movement) to small isolated sects.

Lutheranism in the modern world

Lutheranism is the largest Protestant movement. Evangelical Lutheran churches exist in many countries. In Europe, they are most influential in the Scandinavian countries - Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Germany. There are many Lutheran churches in North America. AT South America the positions of the Lutheran churches are weak. The largest is the Lutheran Church of Brazil. There are few Lutherans in Asian countries, their influence is felt more strongly in Africa, where there are Lutheran churches in such countries as Ethiopia, Sudan, Cameroon, Liberia and others.

The main doctrinal documents of Lutheranism are the "Augsburg Confession" and "Apology", written by Luther and another prominent Protestant preacher - Melanchthon. The central point of the Lutheran doctrine is the doctrine of justification by faith. The relationship of the church to the world characterizes Luther's doctrine of two kingdoms. Luther clearly distinguished two spheres: religious and social life. The content of the first is faith, Christian preaching, the activities of the church; the second is worldly activity, civic morality, the state and reason.

After the First World War and up to the present time, the most influential trend in evangelical theology is "dialectical theology" (or "crisis theology"), the largest representatives of which are K. Barth, E. Brunner, R. Bultmann. The beginning of this movement was laid by the work of the Swiss theologian K. Barth "Epistle to the Romans" (1921). The main idea of ​​"dialectical theology" is that the Christian faith cannot be justified from the outside, by arguments of reason, philosophical arguments or scientific data. It arises from an "internal direct encounter" with God, when God meets "me" in "my existence." "Faith is always a gift from God." True religion is the religion of revelation. Supporters of "dialectical theology" appeal to the gospel as the only source of the Christian faith.

The vagueness and indefiniteness of the Protestant ideology, with its subjective interpretation and perception of the gospel, makes it possible to widely demarcate political positions within Protestantism, and in particular within the Lutheran-Evangelical trend, from those who are progressive, take an active part in the struggle for peace and even support socialism or accept practical participation in his building circles of believers and theologians to the most reactionary servants of imperialism, apologists nuclear war and preachers of anti-communism. Although the leadership of many Lutheran-Evangelical churches is pursuing a reactionary pro-imperialist line, the majority of ordinary believers and many members of the clergy not only do not share it, but actively oppose fascism and the nuclear arms race.

Lutheranism in our country is spread mainly in the Baltic States - in the Latvian and Estonian SSR. The most influential Lutheran organization in our country is the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, headed by an archbishop.

In the past, Lutheranism in the Baltics, when it was part of the Russian Empire, faithfully served the Russian autocracy, and subsequently supported the nationalist policy of the bourgeois governments of Latvia and Estonia. A significant part of the Lutheran clergy took up anti-Soviet positions and compromised itself by collaborating with the Nazis during the Patriotic War. In 1944, many clergymen emigrated abroad. AT post-war years Many believers left the Lutheran Church. In an effort to maintain its influence, the Lutheran Church is now persistently emphasizing its loyal attitude to the Soviet government, making attempts to adapt to Soviet reality, to meet the spirit of the times. The main emphasis in preaching is now on the interpretation of issues of public life and especially on moral and ethical problems.

If in the recent past Lutheran clergy did not attempt to bring Christianity closer to communism, then in recent years the situation has changed. There is a clear tendency to interpret communism as a society that realizes Christian ideals.

Despite the efforts made by churchmen, the influence of Lutheranism in the Soviet Baltic states is on the wane.

Current State of Calvinism

At present, Calvinism is represented by the so-called Reformed (in a number of European countries) and Presbyterian (in England and the USA) churches, the total number of believers in which slightly exceeds 40 million people, as well as by Congregationalism, the number of adherents of which is approximately 5 million people. The World Presbyterian Union includes 125 independent Calvinist churches from different countries. In the territory Soviet Union these varieties of Protestantism never had any wide circulation. A small number of followers of the Reformation is found only in the regions of Western Ukraine. Congregationalism (from the Latin word for "union") was formed during the time of the reform movement in England as a movement opposed to the Anglican Church. Its distinctive feature is the principle of the independence of the communities of believers from the secular authorities and their complete independence, the autonomy of each community - the congregation. Calling for a revival of the early Christian order of religious life, the Congregationalists initially rejected hierarchy outright. However, in the XIX century. The Congregational Union of England and Wales was formed. Congregationalism was most developed in North America.

Congregationalists are active in preaching and missionary activities, take part in the ecumenical movement with a program whose main slogan is the revival of early Christianity, that is, "pure", "true" Christianity. Since 1891, the Information Congregational Cathedral has been functioning as a world center for Congregationalism.

Modern Anglicanism

The Anglican Episcopal Church is currently the state church of England.

Anglican churches also exist in the USA, in India, etc., in a total of 16 countries. Since 1867, the Anglican churches, while maintaining their independence, have been united by the Anglican Union of Churches. The so-called Lambeth Conferences, convened once every 10 years, have served as an advisory body since the middle of the last century. In total, there are about 30 million Anglicans in the world. The head of the church is the English king. A hierarchy reminiscent of the Catholic one has been preserved. Bishops are appointed by the King through the Prime Minister. At the head of the clergy of the two counties - Canterbury and York - are the archbishops. The Primate is the Archbishop of Canterbury. The external ritual side of Catholicism in the Anglican Church was hardly reformed. The main place in worship was preserved for the liturgy, which is distinguished by complex rituals and solemnity. In the United States, Anglicanism is represented by the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. It is headed by a head elected for life from among the bishops; the governing synodal body includes representatives of the clergy and parishioners. The Episcopal Church of the USA conducts a large missionary activity in the countries of Asia and Africa, in Latin America.

Old Catholics

The Protestants also include the Old Catholics - supporters of directions that broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Church was formed on the basis of opposition to the decision of the Vatican Council, which in 1870 proclaimed the dogma of papal infallibility. It included the so-called previously created in Holland. Utrecht church. At present, Old Catholicism is represented by several independent churches. Its main centers are the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The Old Catholic Churches are united in the International Old Catholic Congress and are members of the World Council of Churches. The dogma of the Old Catholics occupies an intermediate position between Catholicism and Protestantism. On the one hand, the Old Catholics retain a number of elements from the Catholic cult, on the other hand, they do not recognize the supremacy of the Pope, reject the veneration of icons, church relics, obligatory celibacy for the clergy, etc. In everything, the Old Catholics are especially close to the Anglicans, with with whom they maintain constant contact.

Mennonites

The Mennonite sect belongs to the number of varieties of Protestantism that developed back in the time of the Reformation. It arose in Northern Germany shortly after the defeat of the Peasants' War of 1524-1525. Its founder was the Dutchman Menno Simone, who called for non-resistance and rejected active struggle against the evil that exists in the world. The source of the Mennonite doctrine is Menno Simons' Foundation of the True Christian Faith. The dogmatics and rituals of the Mennonites are largely borrowed from the Anabaptists.

Like Anabaptists, Mennonites do not believe in predestination. They attach great importance to personal faith, which, according to their teaching, takes precedence even over "holy scripture." Messianic and chiliastic ideas are common among Mennonites.

Currently, the Mennonite sect is represented in many countries, mainly in North America and Europe. Although the sect is relatively small, it is well organized and very active in almost all countries of the world. As a rule, Mennonite organizations lead nationally central committees; they are united in the World Conference (USA). Mennonites in foreign countries have a network of schools and seminaries for the training of propagandists and missionaries. The sect has been engaged in missionary activity for a long time and attaches great importance to it; Mennonite missions can be found in almost every country in the world. Mennonites publish mass editions of religious literature in many languages, publish the newspaper "Mennonite Bulletin" and the magazine "Misnonite Life". For Menno-Nite communities in our country, see the Modern Religions section.

Baptism

According to its doctrine, Baptism in me is connected with other Protestant organizations. While sharing common Christian dogmas about the Trinity, the divine origin of Christ, etc., the Baptists at the same time deny the role of the church as a mediator between God and people and preach the principle of "justification by faith." Like the Calvinists, they believe in predestination, but they do not take this principle to the extreme. Elements of Arminianism are clearly distinguished in their doctrine. recognizing the free will of man.

The cult of the Baptists has been greatly simplified. They renounced the veneration of icons, the cross, and faith in saints. Divine services were replaced by urinating meetings with them. Baptism is performed on adults and is not considered a sacrament, but a rite symbolizing the initiation of a person into a member of the church.

Baptist "democratism" concerns only church organization. In a relationship social problems batistes basically remain on positions of protection of private property ideology.

Founded at the beginning of the 17th century. as a petty-bourgeois trend in its social content, Baptism evolved chagem in its doctrine and social principles in the direction of adapting to the interests and needs of the big bourgeoisie. As a result, from the 19th century the influence of Baptism begins to grow along with the growth of capitalism. At the present time, the position of Baptism is especially strong in the USA. There are more than 20 independent groups in American Baptism. In addition to the USA, Baptism is represented in Great Britain, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Burma, India, South Africa, Australia and other countries of the world.

In 1905, as a result of efforts to unite various currents of Baptism, the World Baptist Union was created. Batista publish dozens of newspapers and magazines, have 25 universities and higher schools. The international center that manages the activities of the Baptist congregations is located in Washington (USA).

Among the Baptists one can meet people of various political orientations, but the official governing bodies of Baptism in capitalist countries pursue a policy aimed at supporting the bourgeois system, neo-colonialism. The 1955 Baptist Jubilee Congress passed a rather vague resolution that called for the preservation of peace.

Such religious movements and organizations as "brothers in Christ", "young Christians", etc. are closely connected with Baptism. For information about Baptists in our country, see the "Modern Religions" section.

Quakers

In the 40s of the 17th century, after the Society of Friends of the "Inner Light" was founded by G. Fox in England, many Baptist groups and prominent religious figures joined it. Members of this society began to be called Quakers (shaking). Since the sect boldly defended the principle of equality of all people, opposed military service, etc., it was subjected to persecution, which stopped only in the 18th century. Already in the 60s, Quakers appeared in North America.

The basis of Quaker doctrine is the idea of that God is in the hearts of men; the truth should be sought in the "inner light", illuminating a person and testifying to the presence of the divine principle in him. "Inner light" can light up in every person, regardless of his race or social position. Illumination by the "inner light" means at the same time victory over sin, over the forces of darkness. In order to find the "inner light", one must follow the "right path", first of all, silent prayer is needed. Accordingly, Quakers completely reject external rituals and church hierarchy, they do not have a strictly regulated ceremonial of worship, they do not recognize the sacraments, they do not baptize and do not take communion. The preacher is that one of the participants in the prayer meeting who feels that he has been illuminated by an "inner light."

Quakers derive a number of ethical and social demands from their creed. These include the demand for unconditional truthfulness and honesty in everything, unpretentiousness, simplicity, the rejection of luxury and entertainment. Setting high personal independence, the Quakers do not recognize titles, they address everyone equally as "you", etc. The social views of the Quakers are essentially bourgeois and, in general, reactionary in their meaning and significance: they oppose the path of moral self-improvement of the individual to the revolutionary transformation of society. Accordingly, they widely practice charity. In the past, they opposed slavery and the slave trade by petitioning Parliament. At present, part of the Quaker organizations is actively involved in the struggle for peace and in the fight against racism in the United States. The basic principles and forms of organization that took shape in the 17th century have remained almost unchanged to this day. In addition to community meetings, which are held regularly to discuss the most diverse aspects of the life of its members, there are also quarterly meetings of several communities in a certain area and once a year - a meeting of the congregation nationwide. There are also worldwide Quaker conferences.

Methodism

One of the major church formations within the framework of Protestantism is Methodism, which took shape in the first half of the 18th century. on the basis of Anglicanism and associated with it by origin. In addition to the traditional centers - England and the USA, Methodist churches also exist at present in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and South Africa. Ghana, Korea, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavian countries, Austria, France, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and a number of other countries. The largest is the US Methodist Church, one of the largest religious organizations in the country.

In doctrine and cult, Methodism is very close to Anglicanism. This trend is characterized by the adoption of the Arminian doctrine. The cult of the Methodists is extremely simplified. Of the rites, baptism and communion are preserved. Considering communion as a sacrament, Methodists deny the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the elements of communion. The Catholic doctrine of purgatory is completely rejected, the need for confession is denied. The hallmark of Methodist organizations is strict centralism. The Methodist community is divided into "classes" - groups of 12 people. Communities are united in districts headed by superintendents (in some Methodist Churches in the USA - by bishops). District conferences are held annually and are the highest body for the believers in that district. The World Methodist Council includes most of the Methodist organizations in many countries; the largest of these is the American Episcopal Methodist Church.

Mormons

In 1830, a sect of Mormons was organized, who call themselves "doomsday saints." It was founded by Joseph Smith, who had "visions" since childhood and on this basis declared himself a prophet. He published the "Book of Mormon" in 1830, which became the "Bible" of his followers. According to J. Smith in his sermons, he found, through divine revelation, a brass plate inscribed with mysterious ancient writings - the revelation and testament of the last Israelite prophet Mormon, who allegedly moved to America with the remnants of the Israelites several centuries BC Smith allegedly translated this document into English language and published as the Book of Mormon. The Mormon doctrine is based on the "Book of Mormon" and those revelations that, they say, the prophet directly receives from God. It includes, along with elements of Christianity, elements of Islam. In 1843, on the basis of a revelation, J. Smith proclaimed polygamy and the need to create a theocratic organization. One of the important points in the appeals of the preachers of the new doctrine was the idea of ​​the need for labor, which should give a person well-being in earthly life. As a rule, Mormon communities achieved economic prosperity. The number of Mormons grew quite noticeably also due to the activities of missionaries sent to many countries of the world.

one of distinctive features The religious views of the Mormons are the expectation of the imminent onset of the millennial kingdom of God on earth, as well as the belief in the existence, in addition to the single god, of lower gods, spirits. In order to be able to become one of them, the human soul must be freed from the fetters of the flesh. The Mormons have a peculiar hierarchy, including high priests ("general authorities"), a "college of 12 apostles" subordinate to them, patriarchs, bishops, priests, teachers and deacons.

Adventism

In the 30s of the 19th century, the Adventist sect arose in the United States (from the Latin "adventus" - coming, advent). The founder of the sect was V. Miller (d. 1849), who predicted the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth in 1844. Belief in the imminent coming of Christ, who will have to establish the millennial kingdom and execute the last judgment on sinners, is the basis of the sect's doctrine. Adventists claim to deny the immortality of the soul. They believe that after death, the soul of a person, as it were, plunges into a dream in order to wake up on the Day of Judgment and either find eternal bliss or be completely destroyed. Of course, eternal bliss will be granted only to those elect who have found the true faith, i.e. Adventists.

Adventists reject much of the Christian cult. They retain the rites of communion and baptism (performed on adults). It is obligatory for members of the sect to pay tithes, i.e. a tenth of their earnings, to the cashier of the community. Characteristic of this sect is active missionary activity, as well as "health reform", which requires taking care of one's health, for the body, according to Adventist ideas, is "God's vessel".

Adventists are divided into several factions, the most influential being the Seventh-day Adventist sect. It is guided by the "revelations" of the American preacher Ellen White (1827-1915) about the seventh day of the week - Saturday as a day of rest, about the fall of all churches, except for the Adventist one, about the assignment of Adventists to preach the commandments of God, etc. According to the regulation on the internal structure of the church, a group of Adventist communities "On the seventh day, it forms compounds that unite into unions; 12 "divisions" are formed from the unions, each of them, as a rule, represents an association of believers in several states. The "divisions" are distributed into three divisions: European, American and Asian. At the head of all Adventists On the seventh day stands the General Conference, whose elected executive committee is located in Washington, USA Adventists in our country are not officially members of the World Union of Seventh-day Adventists, but the latter considers the members of the sect in the USSR as an independent division.

Conducting energetic missionary work, Adventists have dozens of publishing houses, issue newspapers and magazines, maintain schools, hospitals, etc.

Along with the Seventh-day Adventists, there are other movements: Reform Adventists, Christian Adventists, Next Age Adventists, the Second Coming Society, etc.

Jehovah witnesses

This sect arose in the second half of the last century in the United States. Its founder, C. Roussel, foreshadowed the immediate proximity of the coming of Christ and the death of all, with the exception of the Jehovists, in the last war between Christ and Satan - Armageddon. Jehovah's Witnesses are characterized by the denial of faith in afterlife into the divinity of Christ. Christ, according to them, is "a glorified spiritual being" who fulfills the will of the god Jehovah. The leadership of the sect is strictly centralized. Its center is located in Brooklyn (USA). The main bureau from Brooklyn runs an extensive network of local groups through the county bureaus. The sect has a well-organized propaganda apparatus. The magazine is published twice a month Watch tower", published in several million copies and distributed in dozens of countries in many languages. The sect has a printing house, a publishing house, a radio station, and training centers in Brooklyn.

Salvation Army

In 1865, the Methodist preacher W. Boots launched a movement in London for the moral revival of society. In 1870, this movement was called the "Christian Mission", and since 1878, when it took on specific organizational forms, it was called the Salvation Army. Superintendent W. Boots, who was at the head of it, became a general, members of his organization became officers and soldiers of the Salvation Army, dressed in uniform. Within a few years, the movement became widespread in many countries of the world. In 1959, the Salvation Army operated in 86 countries, uniting about 2 million people in its ranks. According to organizational structure The Salvation Army is led by a general elected by the High Council. On the scale of a given country, an "army" consists of "divisions", "corps" and "outposts".

The Salvation Army trains "officer" cadres in special "cadet schools". Its weekly organ has a circulation of 2 million copies. The main stronghold of the Salvation Army is currently the United States.

Born out of Methodism, the Salvation Army shares the basic principles of its doctrine, and in particular the doctrine of salvation. Baptism and communion are not considered necessary conditions for attaining eternal blessedness. Dual membership - in the Salvation Army and some other church - occasionally occurs, but is generally not accepted. The Salvation Army was created by W. Boots as a religious and philanthropic organization. Its founder argued that care should be taken not only about the salvation of the soul and otherworldly existence, but also about how to make life easier for the lower strata of society. In accordance with this, public canteens were created with free meals, teams to help alcoholics, prisoners, a campaign against prostitution was organized, etc. In sermons and press appearances, W. Boots denounced the most glaring social vices in the life of England at the end of the 19th century. However, W. Boots saw the only means of counteracting social evil, want, and suffering of the masses in philanthropic activity. Objectively, the Salvation Army in capitalist society plays a reactionary role, since it sows illusions about the possibility of achieving universal justice on the basis of this social system.

"Christian Science"

In 1866 a certain Mary Becker founded a "Christian Science" church. Its adherents are also called scientists. Mary Becker was able to allegedly discover "Christ's method of healing", which is based on the assertion that, apart from the spirit, there is nothing in the world. Everything else is just an appearance. Therefore, the path to healing from ailments, to deliverance from sin and death is only to get rid of thoughts about these ailments, about sin, about death. All evil, all troubles, say the followers of the sect, are the product of the human imagination.

There are currently approximately 1,600 Scientist Church Communities. At their worship services, excerpts from the Bible and the "Book of Texts" (the main work of Mary Becker) are read. The leadership of the communities is carried out by the "Mother Church" in Boston (USA), which is headed by the board and the president. The sect publishes its own daily newspaper.

"Christian Fellowship"

This sect, founded by Rudolf Steiner (d. 1925) and Friedrich Rittelmeyer (d. 1938), is widespread in Europe and America. The head office is located in Stuttgart (Germany).

Pentecostals

This Protestant sect arose in the United States at the beginning of this century and spread to many countries of the world within a relatively short period of time. Like other Protestant currents, Pentecostals deny the need for the existence of the church as an intermediary between God and people. However, they maintain a certain organization, maintain discipline in the sect, and do everything possible to completely subordinate the believers to the influence of the leaders of the sect. A feature of Pentecostals is the belief in the possibility of the incarnation of the holy spirit in any believer. At the same time, members of the sect believe that a person who has been infused with the holy spirit acquires the gift of prophecy, begins to speak in "other tongues", like the apostles of Christ, as described in the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles. The rite of baptism in the spirit, as a result of which people allegedly receive the gift of speaking in other tongues, often leads to a violation of the psyche of believers, for they drive themselves into a frenzy during prayers.

Like other Protestants, Pentecostals do not venerate icons, the cross, they deny church rituals. They perform baptism on adults "out of conviction." Preachers who enjoy influence and authority among believers play a large role in the sect.

The Pentecostal sect is heterogeneous. It has several currents. In our country, there are independent Pentecostal movements: Voronaevites, Smorodintsy, Shakers, Zionists, etc. Abroad, many adherents have Assemblies of God, Churches of God, etc.

Perfectionists

Pentecostals are flanked by perfectionists. Like Pentecostals, perfectionists consider it possible to achieve and maintain a state of personal holiness, they believe in the second coming. Unlike Pentecostals, they do not recognize speaking in other tongues - glossolalia. In general, perfectionists can be called moderate Pentecostals (sometimes perfectionists and Pentecostals are united under the name "holiness churches"). The largest organization of perfectionists is the Church of the Nazarenes. The vast majority of perfectionists are concentrated in the United States.

Waldenses

Somewhat apart from the three main currents of Protestantism stands the Waldensian sect, which appeared long before the Reformation - in the 12th century. It arose in the south of France among the urban lower classes and had a pronounced anti-feudal and anti-papist character. Like the Protestants, the Waldensians demanded a return to the principles of early Christianity. They established the principle of the election of the clergy, refused to baptize children, opposed private property. Despite repeated pogroms of the Waldensians, perpetrated by both secular and ecclesiastical authorities, their sect, unlike most other early (pre-reformation) Protestant sects, survived and exists abroad up to the present time (Italy, Uruguay, Argentina).

Moravian brothers

In the pre-reformation period (in the 15th century), a sect of Moravian (Bohemian) brothers appeared. It originated among the urban and rural poor of medieval Bohemia. The most important provisions of the sect went back to early Christian principles. Being at first anti-feudal, the sect gradually assumed a more moderate character. This did not free her from persecution. Fleeing from persecution, some adherents of the sect fled to Germany, where they settled in the town of Gerngut. Here in 1727 they created religious society"Hernguters". Under the influence of the German aristocrat N. Zinzendorf, who provided them with shelter, the Moravian brothers recognized the Augsburg confession.

The Moravian brothers see the main content of Christianity in faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Great importance is attached to the ritual side of religious life - liturgy, hymns and prayers, foot washing, etc. The Moravian brothers retain a church hierarchy, local church organizations are headed by bishops. Strict discipline is maintained in the communities, the life of ordinary members of the sect is under the control of special overseers.

Active missionary activity contributed to the spread of the sect throughout the globe. At present, there are communities in the USA, Nicaragua, a number of Antilles, Suriname, South Africa, Tanzania, Germany, Czechoslovakia and some other countries. The organizations of the Moravian Brethren are in close alliance with the Lutherans.

Features of the ideology of modern Protestantism

The ideology of Protestantism was formed in the process of adapting Christianity to bourgeois social relations that were replacing the feudal system. Naturally, the content of the Protestant ideology corresponded to capitalist relations and acted as their ideological justification. This was clearly revealed in the close ties established between the Protestant churches and the bourgeois states.

With the transition of capitalism to its last, imperialist stage of development, the bourgeoisie renounces its former progressive aspirations and humanistic ideals, it strives to oppose socialism with a solid front of all forces of reaction. Protestantism does not immediately find its place in the changed conditions. He is going through a crisis and is forced to look for a new ideological program and new forms of organization.

At the end of XIX and beginning of XX century. the most influential in Protestantism was the so-called "liberal theology" (Harnack, Troeltsch). Representatives of this trend saw an opportunity to reconcile Christianity with reason and scientific knowledge in renouncing the literal understanding of biblical myths and miracles. Supporters of "liberal theology" allowed a very free allegorical interpretation of the Bible, considering Christianity as a moral doctrine in its essence. Christianity in the interpretation of "liberal theologians" acquired the character of a philosophical doctrine rather than a "revelation religion."

Associated with Protestant theological Modernism was the course of so-called social Christianity, or "social evangelism", which brought to the fore the idea of ​​the kingdom of God on earth. In an effort to lead the labor movement, the ideologists of Protestantism put forward the slogan of "religious socialism", behind which was a typical bourgeois program: private property is proclaimed unshakable and on its basis "Christian reconciliation of classes" is proposed. In essence, reformed capitalism is proposed as the kingdom of God on earth.

The victory of the socialist revolution in Russia, which established a new social system on earth, and a deep general crisis that struck capitalism, led to very significant shifts in Protestant theology, to the delimitation of forces that differ in their political orientation. There are such currents as "new orthodoxy", on the one hand, and "Christian communism", on the other. The school of "new orthodoxy" that arose in the early 1920s abandoned the hopes placed by "liberal theology" for the progress of society and the establishment of rational and moral relations. Its main guiding idea is the idea of ​​the insolubility of the tragic contradictions of human existence. The contradiction between the individual and bourgeois society, which in the mind of the "little man" appears as an alien and hostile world to him, which is incomprehensible to him and before which he is powerless - this real contradiction is expressed by the theologian K. Barth in the form of an absolute opposition of man and God, creation and the creator. The reasons for the tragedy of human existence lie in the insoluble contradiction between the absolute truth of God and the imperfection of man, who is sinful by nature. A person cannot but strive to understand God, but these attempts are futile: for human feelings and reason, God will forever remain an incomprehensible mystery. This situation leaves only one way for a person to commune with God - through blind faith.

The irrationalistic perception of the world, characteristic of the apologists of the "new orthodoxy", is also manifested in the rejection of attempts to rationally substantiate the religious faith itself. Supporters of the "new orthodoxy" propose to consider biblical myths as a way of conveying the deepest truths that reveal to man his relationship to God, and not as stories about true events. Christianity, they say, can be translated from the language of the Bible into the language of modern man, demythologized. The meaning of such statements should be sought in the desire to reconcile religion with science.

However, Protestant theologians do not really succeed in reconciling science and religion. They cannot accept everything that is approved by science. In itself, the division of the world into two spheres is tantamount to the assertion that not everything in the world is accessible to the knowing mind, is tantamount to an attempt to limit science in the spirit of agnosticism. The failure of this attempt to find an area for religion in which science could not touch it is obvious: the world, united in its materiality, is on the whole an object scientific knowledge, there is no place in it for a supernatural mystery that is inaccessible to the human mind.

ecumenical movement

The movement for a worldwide (ecumenical) unification of Christian churches that arose at the beginning of this century among a number of Protestant organizations eventually led to the formation in 1948 at a conference in Amsterdam of the World Council of Churches. At this first conference, 147 churches from 44 countries were represented. In 1968, the World Council of Churches included 231 churches from 80 countries. Among them are Protestant (Evangelical Lutheran churches, Reform, Presbyterian, Mennonites, Baptists, Quakers, Methodists, Congregationalists, etc.), as well as the Old Catholic and some Orthodox churches. He is a member of the World Council of Churches and the Russian Orthodox Church. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches.

The supreme body of the ecumenical movement is the general assembly, which usually meets once every five years. It elects a six-member World Council of Churches presidium, as well as a central committee of up to 90 members; these bodies direct all work within the framework of the ecumenical movement between the assemblies. There are also a number of commissions dealing with private issues. The governing bodies of the World Council of Churches meet annually. The General Secretariat is located in Geneva.

In purely religious matters, the ecumenical movement now holds the view that all existing Christian churches are part of the "one church of Christ" and must negotiate through historical differences in doctrine and organization. AT official documents it is argued that the movement does not seek to create an organization above the churches, that the World Council is not a "super-church". Membership in the World Council means that churches, while agreeing on some issues among themselves, may differ on others.

The ecumenical movement is not limited to purely religious issues. It is also forced to give an answer to the main questions that concern modern man. The desire of the ideologists of the ecumenical movement under these conditions to develop a "general Christian social program" equally suitable not only for various Christian movements, but also for believers living in countries with different social systems, gives the declarations and slogans of the ecumenical movement an extremely abstract and sometimes utopian appearance. The search for new religious ways to solve the social problems of our time is futile, because they cannot change the essence of the bourgeois system with the help of "correctly understood" evangelical precepts.

At the same time, it should be noted that the World Council of Churches has recently approached a number of problems that concern humanity from the standpoint of common sense. He stands for the relaxation of international tension, supports the efforts of peace-loving states in defense of peace on earth.

One of the main modern trends in Christianity is Protestantism, a doctrine that actually opposes the official Catholic Church, and we intend to talk about this in more detail today, having examined its main ideas, essence, principles, and philosophy of Protestantism, as one of the most widespread religious teachings today. peace.

Having arisen as an independent trend, Protestantism, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy, has become one of the three main directions in Christianity.

What is Reformation in Christianity?

Protestantism is sometimes called the Reformers, the Reformation movement, or even the Revolutionaries of Christianity, for their ideas that the individual should be responsible for himself, not the Church.

According to the Protestant reformers, after the split of Christianity into Catholics and Orthodoxy, the Christian Church turned into officials who departed from the original teachings of the Apostles, but rather began to earn money from parishioners and increase its influence in society and politicians.

History of Protestantism

It is believed that Protestantism appeared in Europe in the 16th century in the form of opposition to the Roman Catholic Church.. The doctrine of the Protestants is sometimes called the Reformation, since the Protestants decided that the Catholics had departed from the principles of true Christianity, based on the teachings of the apostles.

The rise of Protestantism is associated with Martin Luther born in Saxony. And it is he who is considered the initiator of the Reformation, who opposed the sale of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church. By the way, it has already been canceled, perhaps thanks to him.

Indulgence among Catholics

In the modern Catholic Church, the position is accepted that one can be freed from sins if one performs repentance during the sacrament of confession. But during the Renaissance or the Renaissance, sometimes indulgences were simply handed out for money.

Seeing what the Catholics had come to, Martin Luther began to speak out openly against this, and also argued that Christianity needed to be urgently and significantly reformed.

Principles of Protestantism and the Protestant Faith

Religious principles in Protestantism are expressed in the form of the theology or statement of faith of the Reformation, that is, the transformation of Catholic Christianity. These principles include the following:

• The word of God is found only in the Bible and therefore it is the Bible that is the only source and document for the believer;
• No matter what actions a person does - Forgiveness can be earned only by faith, but not by money.;
• Salvation in Protestantism is generally regarded as God's grace and this is not the merit of man, but it is a gift from God for the sake of Jesus Christ and for people living on earth. And salvation, according to the Bible, is the deliverance of a person from his sins and, accordingly, from grave consequences, namely from death and hell. And it says that salvation is possible because of the manifestation of God's love for man;
• The Church cannot even be a mediator between God and man. And the only mediator is Christ. And therefore salvation is possible not through faith in the church, but through faith in Jesus and in God directly;
• You can only worship God, since salvation comes only through him. Therefore, just as a person believes in the redemption of sins through Jesus, so faith in God is also salvation;
• Any believer can and has the right to expound and interpret the word of God.

Basic ideas of Protestantism

All the main ideas of Protestantism began with Martin Luther, when he began to oppose the indulgence of the Roman Catholic Church, when the absolution of sins was sold for money and there was a fee or price for every crime.

Himself Martin Luther argued that absolution is not performed by the Pope, but by God. Also in Protestantism, the idea is seriously affirmed that the Bible is the only source of the teachings of Christianity.

As a result, Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church, which led to the split of the Church into Catholics and Protestants ( Lutherans) and contributed to the emergence of many wars on religious grounds.

Supporters or followers of Martin Luther became known as Protestants after they spoke in his defence. This happened after the Speyr Reichstag (the highest legislative authority of the Roman Church) declared Martin Luther a heretic.

Essence of Protestantism

At its core, the teaching of Protestantism, like Orthodoxy and Catholics, relies on faith in the One God, as well as on the Bible, as the only source of the teachings of Christianity.

Protestants recognize the virgin birth of Jesus Christ and his death for human sins. They also believe in the resurrection of Jesus after his death.

And they are waiting for the messiah or the return of Christ in the flesh in the future. Lutherans in the 20th century even succeeded in obtaining a ban on the teaching of the theory of Charles Darwin in some US states as "anti-divine".

Philosophy of Protestantism

The philosophy of Protestantism is based on the reformation of Roman Catholicism, which is considered to have departed from the true teachings of the Bible.

In addition, the Catholic Church in the West owned up to 1/3 of the cultivated land, where the labor of serfs was used, that is, practically slaves. And Protestantism emphasizes personal responsibility to God and society, and also disapproves of slavery.

In England, the Lutherans even demanded the abolition of the papal system of power. So the well-known Lutheran John Wyclif argued that the Roman Church had departed from the true doctrine after the schism. And he talked about the fact that Jesus Christ, and not the Pope, is the head of the church and the authority for the believer is the Bible, not the Church.

Supporters of Protestantism

The Lutheran Reformation was supported by the peasants, who were practically ruined by the church tithe, as well as by the artisans, who were heavily taxed.

Protestantism rejects all decrees of the Pope and all his decrees, arguing that one Sacred Teaching or the Bible is sufficient. At one time, Martin Luther even publicly burned one of the papal decrees.

Naturally, soon after discontent towards large church business with a turnover of tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars a year, the persecution of Protestants began, and although Martin Luther himself did not suffer, nevertheless two Protestant monks were burned. The philosophy of the Lutherans has already been used in their own way populace in their knightly and peasant wars.

Later, Martin Luther wrote two books for Protestant believers: one for pastors, which tells how to preach correctly, and the other for ordinary believers, which outlined the Ten Commandments, the Creed and the Lord's Prayer.

Directions in Protestantism

One of the famous trends in Lutheranism is Evangelicalism- this includes Mennonites and Baptists. So in Russia the gospels are known Baptists, Pentecostals and prokhanovites.

The main principles of Evangelicalism include the affirmation of the Bible as the only affirmation of God, as well as active missionary activity.

Also, the directions in Protestantism can be attributed fundamentalism, Liberalism and dialectical theology. All of them are based on the Bible - as the only teaching from God.

Features of the teachings of Protestantism

Protestants have common ideas with other Christian traditions, such as the One God, the Trinity, Heaven and Hell, and the sacraments of Baptism and Communion are also recognized.

But on the other hand, there is no tradition of prayers for the dead and prayers to the saints, as is the case with Catholics or Orthodox.

Any room can be used in Protestant worship and it is based on preaching, prayer and psalm singing.

Number of Protestants

Protestantism is considered the second largest number of believers in Christianity and has up to 800 million people. Protestantism is spread in 92 countries of the world.

Conclusion

Needless to say, Martin Luther managed to spread his teachings, which he always dreamed of. And perhaps the Protestants went deeper, towards the personal freedom of each person, in contrast to the more traditional ecclesiastical and commercial Christianity.

And yet, God still acts as something external to man. And for some reason, everyone passes by the main thing - by God, and "God is Love," as Jesus Christ said.

After all, if God is Love, then it is invisible, it can only be felt, it simply is. I am what I am. Love is being itself, it is love for everyone, it is really g, and what should not be forgotten even by Protestants with their desire to reform only outer part this doctrine, in fact, as well as love for nature and everything else.

I hope for further meetings on our Learning and Self-Development portal, where we have already written not only about the philosophy, essence, ideas of the Protestant church and Protestants, but also about other types of Christianity, for example, you can or about.

Protestantism is one of the main, along with Orthodoxy and Catholicism, directions in Christianity. He broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation of the 16th century. It unites many independent currents of churches and sects. Protestantism is characterized by the absence of a fundamental opposition of the clergy to the laity, the rejection of a complex church hierarchy, a simplified cult, the absence of monasticism, celibacy; in Protestantism there is no cult of the Virgin, saints, angels, icons, the number of sacraments is reduced to two (baptism and communion). The main source of doctrine Holy Bible. In the XIX-XX centuries. some areas of Protestantism are characterized by the desire to give a rationalistic interpretation of the Bible, the preaching of religion without God (that is, only as a moral doctrine). Protestant churches play leading role in the ecumenical movement. Protestantism is spread mainly in the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Estonia. The total number of adherents of Protestantism is about 325 million people. The organizational forms of modern Protestantism are very diverse - from the church as a state institution (in Sweden, for example) to the almost complete absence of any unifying organization (for example, among the Quakers); from large confessional (for example, the World Union of Baptists) and even interfaith associations (ecumenical movement) to small isolated sects.

Lutheranism is the largest branch of Protestantism. Founded by Martin Luther in the 16th century. Lutheranism first formulated the main provisions of Protestantism, but Lutheranism brought them to life (especially in church organization) less consistently than Calvinism.

Calvinism - one of the three main directions of Protestantism (along with Lutheranism and Anglicanism), which adopted the ideas of John Calvin. From Geneva, Calvinism spread to France (Huguenots), the Netherlands, Scotland and England (Puritans). Under the influence of Calvinism, the Dutch (XVI century) and English (XVII century) revolutions took place. For Calvinism are especially characteristic: the recognition of only the Holy Scriptures, the exceptional importance of the doctrine of predestination (coming from God's will the predestination of a person's life, his salvation or condemnation; success in professional activity serves as confirmation of his chosenness), the denial of the need for the help of the clergy in saving people, the simplification of church rituals. Modern adherents of Calvinism - Calvinists, Reformed, Presbyterians, Congregationalists

Anglicanism is one of the main directions of Protestantism, in the dogma of which the provisions of Protestantism about salvation by personal faith and Catholicism about the saving power of the church are combined. According to the cult and organizational principles, the Anglican Church is close to the Catholic one, it is the state church in Great Britain. The head of the Church of England is the king, who appoints the bishops. The Primate of the Anglican Church is the Archbishop of Canterbury. A significant proportion of bishops are members of the House of Lords.

Old Catholicism - a trend that broke away from Catholicism after the Vatican Council of 1869-1870; originated in Germany on the basis of the denial of the dogma of papal infallibility. The dogma of the Old Catholics occupies an intermediate position between Catholicism and Protestantism. Preserving a number of moments from the Catholic cult, the Old Catholics do not recognize the primacy of the Pope, reject the veneration of icons, church relics, mandatory celibacy for the clergy, etc. In this, the Old Catholics are especially close to the Anglicans.

Mennonites are a Christian sect. They preach humility, non-violence, believe in the second coming of Christ. Characteristic of the Mennonites is the baptism of people in adulthood. The church hierarchy is denied, communities have independent management.

Baptism is one of the branches of Protestantism. The Baptists simplified cult and church organization. Not recognizing the sacraments, they consider baptism and communion as church rites that do not have a mystical meaning. Baptism is performed on adults.

Quakers are a Protestant sect that originated in England in the 17th century. They deny the institution of priests, church sacraments, external rituals. They believe in the constant improvement and development of the spiritual nature of man. They demand unconditional honesty in relation to each other, compulsory labor, strict observance of marital relations, respect for elders, etc. Pacifism is preached, charity is widely practiced.

Methodism is one of the major church formations within the framework of Protestantism. The Methodist Church arose in the 18th century, splitting from the Anglican Church, demanding a consistent, methodical observance of religious precepts. Methodists preach religious humility, patience.

The Salvation Army is an international religious and philanthropic organization created in 1865 and reorganized in 1878 according to a military model by the Methodist preacher W. Boots, who became its first general, for religious propaganda among the poorest sections of the population of London. Now operating in many countries around the world. Born out of Methodism, The Salvation Army shares the basic principles of its doctrine, and in particular the doctrine of salvation. Baptism and communion are not considered necessary conditions for attaining eternal blessedness. It is believed that care should be taken not only about the salvation of the soul and otherworldly existence, but also about how to make life easier for the lower strata of society. To this end, public canteens with free food have been set up, brigades helping alcoholics and prisoners have been set up, campaigns against prostitution, etc., have been carried out.

Adventists are a Protestant church that originated in the 1930s. 19th century They preach the nearness of the second coming of Christ and the onset of the "thousand-year kingdom of God" on Earth. The most numerous are Seventh-day Adventists.

The Jehovists, or the Society of Jehovah's Witnesses*, is a Protestant sect founded in 1872 in the United States. The Jehovists recognize Jehovah as the only God, and Jesus Christ is the offspring of Jehovah and the executor of his will; reject the main Christian dogmas (the trinity of God, the immortality of the soul, etc.). According to the views of the Jehovists, the earthly world is the kingdom of Satan, in a close battle (Armageddon) between him and Jehovah, humanity will perish, with the exception of the Jehovists themselves, the kingdom of God will be established on earth.

Mormons, or "Latter Day Saints" - a religious sect founded in the United States in the 1st half of the 19th century. The main source of doctrine - the Book of Mormon "(supposedly a record of the mysterious writings of the Israeli prophet Mormon, who moved to America) - includes the provisions of Judaism, Christianity and other religions. According to the Mormons, their teaching is designed to give a person happiness both on earth and in the afterlife. The world, development obey the "law of progress", and life strives for greater perfection. This also applies to God. Man is "God in the bud". The Fall was programmed by God. The essence of evil, of sin, is not disobedience to God, but rebellion against the law of progress.” Mormons expect the imminent end of the world, the final battle with Satan. See themselves as the chosen people of Israel. They carry out missionary activity all over the world, but they are hostile to other churches and the ecumenical movement.

Christian Science is a religious organization with a Protestant orientation. Its main principles are that curing people from all kinds of diseases is possible only with the help of religious faith. Medical methods of treatment are categorically rejected, since they allegedly prevent a correct understanding of the nature of people's illnesses, their suffering and even death. The cause of all evil is the widespread misconception about the existence of matter as an objective reality. It is enough to give up this delusion, resort to prayer and faith in order to be cured of any ailment.

Pentecostals are a Protestant movement, the basis of which is the myth of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the 50th day after the ascension of Christ, as a result of which they received the "gift of prophecy" - "speaking in foreign languages." In the Pentecostal creed great place occupies the preaching of the nearness of the second coming, the end of the world and the millennium reign of Christ. Pentecostals observe the rites of baptism and communion, attach great importance to mystical communion with God. Pentecostalism is characterized by a mystical atmosphere of prayers, belief in phenomena and visions, the cult of prophets and prophetesses.

Protestantism or Protestantism (from lat. protestans, protestantis - publicly proving) - one of the three, along with and, the main directions, which is a collection of independent Churches, church unions and denominations, connected by their origin with the Reformation - a broad anti-Catholic movement of the 16th century in Europe . There is currently both a conservative form of Protestantism and a liberal form of Protestantism. There are other differences in attitudes and practices from church to church and from denomination to denomination.

Protestantism shares common Christian ideas about the existence of God, His trinity, about the immortality of the soul (while rejecting the Catholic doctrine of purgatory). Protestants believe that a person can receive the remission of sins by faith in Jesus Christ (faith in His death for the sins of all people and in His resurrection from the dead).

Protestant Christians believe that the Bible is the only source of Christian doctrine, its study and application in own life considered an important task for every believer. Protestants are making efforts to make the Bible available to people in their national languages.

Sacred Tradition, according to the views of the Protestants, is authoritative to the extent that it is based on the Bible and confirmed by the Bible. A similar criterion is typical for evaluating any other religious teachings, opinions and practices, including our own. Views and practices that are not supported by the teachings of the Bible are not considered authoritative and binding.

Thus, Protestantism defined three principles as fundamental: salvation by personal faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the exclusive authority of the Holy Scriptures (Bible).

The final formation of Protestant theology took place in mid-seventeenth century, and set forth in the following Reformation confessional documents:

• Heidelberg Catechism 1563 (Germany)
• Book of Concord 1580 (Germany)
• Canons of the Synod of Dordrecht 1618-1619 (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
• Westminster Confession of Faith 1643-1649 (Westminster Abbey, London, UK).

The theology of Protestantism has gone through a number of stages in its development. This is the orthodox theology of the sixteenth century. (Martin Luther, J. Calvin, Zwingli, F. Melanchthon), non-Protestant, or liberal theology of the 18th-19th centuries. (F. Schleiermacher, E. Troelch, A. Harnack), “crisis theology”, or dialectical theology that appeared after the First World War (K. Barth, P. Tillich, R. Bultmann), radical, or “new” theology, spread after World War II (D. Bonhoeffer).

A characteristic feature of classical Protestant theology is a very strict attitude towards what is considered essential - faith, the sacraments, salvation, the doctrine of the church, and a less strict attitude towards the external, ritual side of church life (adiaphora), which often gives rise to a wide variety of forms while maintaining strictness. teachings.

Later currents often develop their own doctrine, some of the doctrines of which may go beyond the boundaries of the classical theological heritage. Pentecostals, unlike other Christians, place a very significant emphasis on "speaking in tongues" (glossolalia) (considering this a sign of the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit"), as well as other gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as the gift of healing and the gift of prophecy. The belief in the manifestation of the gift of prophecy in modern Christianity is also characteristic of Seventh-day Adventists, they associate it with the visions and revelations of Ellen White.

In different Protestant directions, the concepts of rite and sacrament may have different content. If the sacraments are recognized, then there are two of them - baptism and communion. In other cases, only a symbolic meaning is recognized for these actions. In any case, they require a conscious attitude, so there may be a custom to perform baptism at a more or less mature age, and to undergo special training (confirmation) before communion. Marriage, confession (and so on) in any case is considered just a rite. In addition, Protestants do not see the point in prayers for the dead, prayers to the saints and numerous holidays in their honor. At the same time, respect for the saints is respectful - as examples of a righteous life and good teachers. Relic worship is not practiced as unscriptural. The attitude towards the veneration of images is ambiguous: from rejection as idolatry, to the teaching that the honor given to the image goes back to the prototype (determined by the adoption or non-adoption of the decisions of the II Nicene (seventh Ecumenical) Council).

Protestant prayer houses, as a rule, are free from magnificent decoration, images and statues, which, however, is not an end in itself, and comes from the belief that such decoration is not necessary. A church building can be any building that is rented or purchased on equal terms with worldly organizations. Protestant worship is centered on preaching, praying, and singing psalms and hymns in national languages, as well as on communion, to which some denominations (for example, Lutherans) attach special importance.

PROTESTANTISM (from lat. protestans, genus n. protestantis - publicly proving), one of the main directions in Christianity. He broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation of the 16th century. It unites many independent movements, churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, the Anglican Church, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists, etc.)

In society, there is such a phenomenon as Protestant churches, or as they are often called in our country - "sects". Some people are fine with this, others are very negative about them. You can often hear that Protestant Baptists sacrifice babies, and Pentecostals turn off the lights in meetings.

In this article, we want to provide you with information about Protestantism: reveal the history of the emergence of the Protestant movement, the basic doctrinal principles of Protestantism, and touch on the reasons for the negative attitude towards it in society.

Large Encyclopedic Dictionary reveals the meaning of the words "Sect", "Sectarianism", "Protestantism":
SECT (from Latin secta - teaching, direction, school) - a religious group, a community that broke away from the dominant church. In a figurative sense - a group of people who are closed in their narrow interests.

SECTANCY - religious, the designation of religious associations that are in opposition to one or another dominant religious trend. In history, social, national liberation movements often took the form of sectarianism. Some sects have acquired traits of fanaticism and extremism. A number of sects cease to exist, some turn into churches. Famous: Adventists, Baptists, Doukhobors, Molokans, Pentecostals, Khlysty, etc.

PROTESTANTISM (from lat. protestans, genus n. protestantis - publicly proving), one of the main directions in Christianity. He broke away from Catholicism during the Reformation of the 16th century. It unites many independent movements, churches and sects (Lutheranism, Calvinism, the Anglican Church, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists, etc.). Protestantism is characterized by the absence of a fundamental opposition of the clergy to the laity, the rejection of a complex church hierarchy, a simplified cult, the absence of monasticism, celibacy; in Protestantism there is no cult of the Virgin, saints, angels, icons, the number of sacraments is reduced to two (baptism and communion).

The main source of doctrine is Holy Scripture. Protestantism is spread mainly in the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Estonia. Thus, Protestants are Christians who belong to one of several independent Christian churches.

They are Christians and, along with Catholics and Orthodox, share the fundamental principles of Christianity. For example, they all accept the Nicene Creed adopted by the first Council of the Church in 325, as well as the Nicene Constantinople Creed adopted by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 (See inset). They all believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in His divine essence and the coming coming. All three branches accept the Bible as the Word of God and agree that repentance and faith are necessary to have eternal life.

However, the views of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants differ on some issues. Protestants value the authority of the Bible above all else. Orthodox and Catholics, on the other hand, value their traditions more highly and believe that only the leaders of these Churches can interpret the Bible correctly. Despite their differences, all Christians agree with the prayer of Christ recorded in the Gospel of John (17:20-21): “I do not only pray for them, but also for those who believe in Me, according to their word, that they may all be one ... ".

HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF PROTESTANTS One of the first Protestant reformers was a priest, professor of theology Jan Hus, a Slav who lived on the territory of modern Czech Republic and became a martyr for the faith in 1415. Jan Hus taught that Scripture is more important than tradition. The Protestant Reformation spread throughout Europe in 1517 when another Catholic priest and professor of theology named Martin Luther called for a renewal of the Catholic Church. He said that when the Bible comes into conflict with church traditions, the Bible must be obeyed. Luther declared that the Church was wrong to sell the opportunity to go to heaven for money. He also believed that salvation comes through faith in Christ, and not through an attempt to "earn" eternal life by good deeds.

The Protestant Reformation is now spreading all over the world. As a result, such Churches as Lutheran, Anglican, Dutch Reformed, and later Baptist, Pentecostal and others, including Charismatic, were formed. According to Operation Peace, there are about 600 million Protestants, 900 million Catholics and 250 million Orthodox around the world.

At first glance, it may seem that Protestants appeared on the territory of the CIS only with the collapse of the USSR and came from America. In fact, Protestants first came to Russia during the time of Ivan the Terrible, and by 1590 they were even in Siberia. For a nine-year period (from 1992 to 2000), 11,192 Christian communities were registered on the territory of Ukraine, of which 5,772 (51.6%) are Orthodox and 3,755 (33.5%) are Protestant (According to the State Committee of Ukraine for Religious Affairs) .

Thus, Protestantism in Ukraine has long gone beyond the "group of individuals who are closed in their narrow interests", since more than a third of all churches in the country cannot be called a "sect". Protestant churches are officially registered by the state, they are open to everyone and do not hide their activities. Their main goal remains to convey to people the gospel of the Savior.

DOCTRINAL PRINCIPLES

CHURCH TRADITIONS Protestants have nothing against church traditions, except when those traditions are contrary to Scripture. They substantiate this primarily by the remark of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (15:3, 6): "... Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ... Thus you have eliminated the commandment of God by your tradition."

BAPTISM Protestants believe in the Bible's statement that baptism should only follow repentance (Acts 2:3) and believe that baptism without repentance is meaningless. Protestants do not support infant baptism, as the infant cannot repent because of his ignorance of good and evil. Jesus said, "Let the children go, and do not prevent them from coming to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14). Protestants rely on the fact that the Bible does not describe a single case of infant baptism, especially since even Jesus waited for his baptism up to 30 years.

ICONS Protestants believe that the ten commandments (Exodus 20:4) forbid the use of images for worship: "You shall not make for yourself an idol and no image of what is in heaven above, and what is on the earth below, and what is in the water below the earth." In the Book of Leviticus (26:1) it is written: “Do not make for yourselves idols and images, and do not set up pillars for yourself, and do not lay stones with images on your land to bow down before them; for I am the Lord your God." Therefore, Protestants do not use images for worship for fear that some people may worship these images instead of God.

PRAYERS TO THE SAINTS Protestants prefer to follow the instructions of Jesus, where He taught us to pray by saying: “Pray like this: Our Father who art in heaven!” (Mat. 6:9). In addition, there are no examples in Scripture where anyone prayed to Mary or the saints. They believe that the Bible forbids praying to people who have died, even to Christians who are in paradise, basing this on Deuteronomy (18:10-12), which says: "You shall not have ... the questioner of the dead." God condemned Saul for coming into contact with Saint Samuel after his death (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).

VIRGIN MARY Protestants believe that Mary was an excellent example of Christian obedience to God and that she remained a virgin until Jesus was born. The basis for this is the Gospel of Matthew (1:25), which says that Joseph, her husband, “did not know Her, until at last She gave birth to her firstborn Son,” and other passages from the Bible that speak of the brothers and sisters of Jesus ( Matthew 12:46, 13:55-56, Mark 3:31, John 2:12, 7:3). But they do not believe that Mary was without sin, because in Luke 1:47 she called God her Savior; if Mary had been without sin, she would not have needed a Savior.

THE CHURCH Protestants believe that there is only one true Church, but do not believe that it is part of any man-made organization. This true Church consists of all people who love God and serve Him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what denomination they belong to.

CHURCH FATHERS Protestants respect and value the teachings of the Church Fathers (church leaders who lived after the apostles) when those teachings are in harmony with Scripture. This is based on the fact that often the Fathers of the Church do not agree with each other.

THE RELICES OF THE SAINTS Protestants do not believe that the relics of the saints contain any special power, because the Bible does not teach this. Protestants believe that there is no indication in the Bible that Christians should honor the bodies of the dead.

SUTANS AND THE TITLE "FATHER" Protestant ministers do not wear cassocks because neither Jesus nor the apostles wore any special clothing. There is no indication in the New Testament about this either. They are usually not called “father” because Jesus said in Matthew 23:9, “And call no one on earth your father...”, which, in their opinion, means that we should not declare who or by your spiritual master.

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS AND THE CROSS Protestants don't object to the sign of the cross, but since Scripture doesn't teach it, they don't teach it either. Protestant and catholic church, unlike the Orthodox, prefer to use a simple cross.

ICONOSTASIS Protestants and Catholics believe that the iconostasis symbolizes the veil separating people from the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem. They believe that when God tore it in two at the time of Jesus' death (Matt. 27:51), He said that we are no longer separated from Him because of the blood He shed so that we could be forgiven.

PLACES OF WORSHIP Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Protestants believe that worship is sanctified not by the place where the service is held, not by the building, but by the presence of Christ among the believers. The Bible also says that Christians are the temple of God, not buildings: "Don't you know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). The Bible shows that early Christians held services in many different places: at school (Acts 19:9), in Jewish synagogues (Acts 18:4, 26;19:8), in the Jewish temple (Acts 3:1) , and in private homes (Acts 2:46; 5:42; 18:7; Philip. 1:2; 18:7; Col. 4:15; Rom. 16:5 and 1 Cor. 16:19 ). Gospel services, according to the Bible, took place near the river (Acts 16:13), in the street crowd (Acts 2:14) and in the square (Acts 17:17). There is no evidence in the Bible that the early Christians held services in a church building.

REASONS FOR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TO PROTESTANTS Officially, Orthodoxy came to the territory of present-day Ukraine in 988, then the rulers of Rus Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. Much earlier, the disciples of Christ came to the land of the Scythians in order to bring the good news of the Savior to the barbarian peoples. The most famous is the arrival in Kyiv of the disciple of Jesus - Andrew, who was popularly called "The First-Called". At that time, there was no division of Christianity into Roman and Byzantine, that is, into Catholic and Orthodox, and Andrei represented completely Protestant views - he preached, based only on the word of God; held meetings wherever possible (there were no churches yet); baptized only adults.

With the strengthening of positions Orthodox Church in Russia, and then in tsarist Russia, everything non-Orthodox passed into the rank of anti-state. At first this was due to wars in which Catholics fought against the Orthodox, and then to the strengthening of the power of the sovereign, since it is much easier to manage one religion than several. Protestants or "non-believers" were expelled to remote regions, and all who remained were hiding from persecution. The authorities and leadership of the Orthodox Church in every possible way encouraged the humiliation of the rights of other religions.

After 1917 new government tried to completely get rid of the "opium of the people" by destroying churches and the physical destruction of believers. But after certain difficulties and discontent of the population, the power of the Soviets left only one church to exist - the Orthodox. And Protestants, along with Catholics, Greek Catholics, representatives of other denominations, are either serving time in camps or are hiding from power. Under such conditions the only way houses and basements were used to hold protestant meetings, and the lights were turned off to protect them from the eyes of "well-wishers". At the same time, in order to discriminate against anti-state religions, stories about the sacrifices of Baptists, the low cultural and educational level of Pentecostals, the witchcraft of charismatics, and more are spread in the press and among the people. Thus, a negative attitude towards everything non-Orthodox was subconsciously brought up in society for decades. And now it is very difficult for people to overcome these negative stereotypes and accept Protestants as Christians.

Now that you know the history of the Protestant movement, its basic doctrinal principles, and understand the reasons for the negative attitude towards Protestantism in society, you can decide for yourself whether or not to accept Protestants as Christians. But today says the following: Protestants are 3755 churches in Ukraine in 9 years!

Yes, they differ from the usual Orthodox Church in some matters, but the goal of the Orthodox, Catholics, and Protestants is the same - to preach the Gospel and lead people to Salvation. And Protestants are getting better at it lately. It is the Protestants who conduct mass evangelism and meetings, in which more and more people come to Jesus Christ. It is the Protestants who, through all kinds of media, tell people about the Savior.

By basing their ministry directly on the Bible, Protestants provide people with another path to Christ, a path to salvation. Fulfilling the commission of Jesus Christ, Protestants bring His Salvation closer!

Roman CAT

Christian newspaper "Word of Awakening" http://gazetasp.net/