To have borne the burden of the extreme weight of the sense of one's own sinfulness in the light of a Holy God, and to have that weight removed by the revelation of justification by grace that is received through faith, is to never take up that burden again – even by force."My conscience is captive to the Word of God, I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither honest nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen." Thus the immortal words of Martin Luther rang out in 1521 at the council convened in Worms Germany.
Before long Luther's teaching spread throughout all of Germany, and further afield. While Luther was not the first, nor the only one to have a dissenting view of the Catholic doctrines, nevertheless, he did make them public knowledge. Zwingli, a Swiss reformer from Zurich, though somewhat influenced by Luther's teaching differed from him on some matters. The most significant of which was the doctrine concerning the Lord's Supper or Communion.
While Luther strongly opposed the Catholic teaching of Transubstantiation, which was a significant point of issue in the Reformation, he also firmly argued against Zwingli's view that the communion was only a memorial meal. So adamant was Luther on this point, that he called Zwingli a non-Christian!
It wasn't long before this major stumbling block made unity in Protestantism impossible, and it recognizably forked into two directions. On the one side there is what is referred to as Lutheran, the other side is referred to as Reformed Protestantism. Zwingli died early in life on the battlefield, and a young French theologian John Calvin took the lead where Zwingli left off, with the result that Reformed faith is also known as Calvinism.
Though all of the reformers held firm to changing the medieval doctrines of Catholicism, there was still much that remained unchanged. In particular, they shared the ideal of a Christian state in which all citizens are baptized members. This was challenged by some who thought that the reformation had not gone far enough. One group came to be known as Anabaptists or re-baptizers.
Anabaptists, is a name that was attached to a group of believers that were strongly opposed to a state church system. For them, the Christian faith was to be free and voluntary, not to be coerced. They also refused to recognize the validity of infant baptism. They believed that only when one confesses their faith in Jesus Christ can they be considered a member of the church, and only then could baptism be legitimate. The Anabaptists were also against the swearing of oaths, and of holding a political office.
This teaching was violently opposed to by the reformers who were intent on maintaining a state church. In particular, Zwingli, who for a time sided with the Anabaptists against infant baptism, changed his mind when he saw that it was essential if a state church is to be maintained. The state responded to the adult baptizing by passing a law against it under a penalty of death. As a result, many of those who were convicted of "re-baptizing" were drowned or otherwise executed.
A revolutionary sect of Anabaptists went to Munster Germany, and there they conquered the city. This group became violent. They re-instituted polygamy. They taught that it was to be the place of the New Jerusalem prophesied in Revelation, and they said that Christ was going to return there. As a result, the Protestants and Catholics joined forces and besieged the city in a blood bath, effectively ending the violent Anabaptist movement. From then on, all of the Anabaptists are associated with this revolutionary sect.
The fourth branch of the Protestant movement can be seen in a brief study of the Church of England or what came to be called Anglicanism.
The marital problems of King Henry VIII especially led to England's break with Rome. Henry, being enamored with Ann Boleyn, sought an annulment from his wife Catherine. His reasoning was that she was unable to provide him with a male heir. The pope unwilling to grant the annulment, forced Henry to break ties with the Roman Church. Henry thus installed Thomas Cramner as Archbishop of Canterbury to gain his annulment. But Henry's efforts were always directed toward political control rather than theological change. This can be evidenced by the church doctrines that were primarily Catholic absent only by a pope.
The changes in the rulers governing the throne in England brought about changes in the religious structure in England. From Catholic, to Protestant, to Catholic, to a so called middle way in establishment of the Church of England. Suffice it to say that under the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the Anglican Church was a compromise between the elements of Catholicism and Protestantism.
The Protestant movement has come a long way, and has gone through many changes since Luther's "Here I stand" declaration. Out of these four main branches of Protestantism has come many sub-branches. Each with their own unique difference that sets it apart one from another. But whatever the differences we may encounter in worship, or in practice, that divides the church, there remains one factor that unites the one true church of Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ Himself. And of that one true church we are assured, "The gates of hell cannot prevail against it."
END.
