This relationship began in the 16th century with the beginning of the
Catholicism to Protestantism as their state religion. However, many remained Catholic, and some areas reverted to the Catholic religion as a result of the Counter-Reformation. Much of the schism and the events it caused can be categorised as violent and tumultuous. However, with the rise of secularism, Catholic–Protestant disputes are generally constrained to the intellectual sphere.[3][4]
Theological disputes
Catholic–Protestant theological dissent was birthed in 1517 with the posting of
sale of indulgences, the nature of salvation, and more.[3]
Salvation
Luther's understanding of salvation was one of the radical departures from
sale of indulgences as a means by which one can attain heaven. He stressed the importance of a faith-oriented process of salvation, distinct from his view of the Catholic works-oriented salvation. This also led to a shift in the understanding of grace.[3] This Protestant doctrine is known as sola fide ("faith alone").[5]
Catholicism. In response, the Catholic Church began its own reformation process known as the "counter-reformation" which culminated in the Council of Trent. This council was responsible for several practical changes and doctrinal clarifications.[12]
In spite of this, the two parties remained notably dissimilar.
After years of the spread of Martin Luther's ideas, Protestants submitted their statement of belief at the Diet of Augsburg (1530).[13]
In 1540
Society of Jesus (or "Jesuits") which was created largely to combat Protestantism.[14]
heretics were handed over to civil authorities for punishment.[15]
Disputes between the Catholic Emperor of
princes thereof resulted in the Schmalkaldic War (1547). Protestants were defeated, but later on Protestantism became legally recognised as a valid religion.[13]
French Protestants were subject to persecution in the form of death or exile. From 1562 conflict raged between the Protestant Huguenots and Catholics. In 1589, Protestant Henry IV succeeded the throne raising the hopes of French Protestants. However, any reforms he may have intended to make were shattered by an alliance between French Catholics and the king of Spain who forced him to convert. The 1598 Edict of Nantes gave Huguenots the right to practice freely while retaining Catholicism as the nation's official religion.[17]
All of Scandinavia ultimately adopted Lutheranism over the course of the 16th century, as the monarchs of Denmark (who also ruled Norway and Iceland) and Sweden (who also ruled Finland) converted to that faith.
Diet of Västerås, the king succeeded in forcing the diet to accept his dominion over the national church. The king was given possession of all church property, church appointments required royal approval, the clergy were subject to the civil law, and the "pure Word of God" was to be preached in the churches and taught in the schools—effectively granting official sanction to Lutheran ideas. The apostolic succession was retained in Sweden during the Reformation. The adoption of Lutheranism was also one of the main reasons for the eruption of the Dacke War
Luther's influence had already reached Iceland before King Christian's decree. The Germans fished near Iceland's coast, and the Hanseatic League engaged in commerce with the Icelanders. These Germans raised a Lutheran church in Hafnarfjörður as early as 1533. Through German trade connections, many young Icelanders studied in Hamburg.[21] In 1538, when the kingly decree of the new Church ordinance reached Iceland, bishop Ögmundur and his clergy denounced it, threatening excommunication for anyone subscribing to the German "heresy".[22] In 1539, the King sent a new governor to Iceland, Klaus von Mervitz, with a mandate to introduce reform and take possession of church property.[22] Von Mervitz seized a monastery in Viðey with the help of his sheriff, Dietrich of Minden, and his soldiers. They drove the monks out and seized all their possessions, for which they were promptly excommunicated by Ögmundur.
Elizabeth solidified Protestantism as the State religion of England permanently.[23] Overall, the reformation led to the seizing of all Catholic Church assets in Britain, persecution of clergy, and the virtual destruction of Catholicism as a significant socio-political force in the region.[5]
British Monarchy spread, colonials preferred to revolt from Britain. This contributed to the American Revolution (1765–83). However, the revolutionaries eventually diverged from this position given their reliance on funding from Catholic France and to avoid conflict with colonial Catholics of Maryland, Philadelphia and Quebec.[25]
In contrast, the
Quebec Act of 1774 provided protections for both English Protestants and French Catholics in Canada.[25]
English House of Commons oversaw proposed bills regarding the emancipation of Catholics. In both instances, they were overturned given the heavily Protestant nature of the England's House of Lords.[5]
German Catholicism. The German Ministry for Education's Catholic Bureau was abolished, and openly political priests were prosecuted. In 1872, the Jesuits were expelled from Germany.[28]
The 20th century saw many developments in the relationship between Catholic-Protestant relations. In 1910, the International Missionary Conference was held in Edinburgh in an attempt to unify non-Roman churches. Protestant denominations responded to the possibility of unification with varying success. Catholic representatives were present at the council, but merely as observers.[30]
The
Conversations at Malines (1923–27) were talks between some representatives of the Catholic Church and the Church of England which Pope Pius XI ceased. No real change eventuated from these talks.[4]
Americanised remnants of Anglo-American-style denominations of Protestantism remain deeply distrustful of the Catholic Church. Ecumenism with these sects appears unlikely.[25]
In 2015,
father of lies [the devil]." Francis added that the devil knows that "all Christians are disciples of Christ: that they are one, that they are brothers! He [the devil] doesn't care if they are Evangelicals or Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics or Apostolic… He doesn't care! They are Christians!"[4][32][33]
In 2016, Pope Francis traveled to
Melanchton kneeling before a crucified Jesus.[35][36]
Notes
^Possibly the Italian Bibbia CEI [it]; it was planned to be released as a common Bible for Catholics and Protestants, but due to difficulties it came out as Bible approved only by Catholics. The author, Tim Dowley, does not say which Bible he is talking about.
^ abcFinn, Daniel (2013). Christian Economic Ethics: History and Implications. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress. p. 161.
^ abcdefDowley, Tim (2018). A Short Introduction to the History of Christianity. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress. p. 410.
^ abcCongar, Yves (2019). A History of Theology. Minneapolis: ATF (Australia) Ltd. p. 186.
^Finn, Daniel (2013). Christian Economic Ethics: History and Implications. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress. pp. 165–67.
^"Methodist Beliefs: In what ways are Lutherans different from United Methodists?". Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. 2014. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014. The United Methodists see Scripture as the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. They emphasize the importance of tradition, experience, and reason for Christian doctrine. Lutherans teach that the Bible is the sole source for Christian doctrine. The truths of Scripture do not need to be authenticated by tradition, human experience, or reason. Scripture is self authenticating and is true in and of itself.
^"Wesleyan Quadrilateral: Tradition". Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021. In the Free Methodist church, we believe all truth is God's truth. If something is true, we embrace it as from the Lord. First and foremost, we hold scripture up to be the primary source of God's inspired revealed truth to us. And, we also embrace truth that is found in three other places: reason, tradition, and experience. Along with scripture, this has come to be called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and we believe it informs our theology.
^Kirkland, Tracey Andrea (2020). Need for Transitinal Guidance and Training for New Pastors in the CME Church. Mercer University Research, Scholarship, and Archives. p. 53. Traditional Methodists believe in prima Scriptura, seeing the Holy Bible as the primary authority in the Church and using sacred tradition, reason, and experience to interpret it, with the aid of the Holy Spirit (see Wesleyan Quadrilateral).
Berntson, Martin (2006). "The Dissolution of the Hospitaller houses in Scandinavia". In Mol, Johannes A.; Militzer, Klaus; Nicholson, Helen J. (eds.). The Military Orders and the Reformation: Choices, State Building, and the. Hilversum Verloren. pp. 59–78.
Congar, Yves. (2019) A History of Theology. ATF (Australia) Ltd.
DePalma, Yves (2004). Dialogue on the Frontier: Catholic and Protestant Relations. Kent State University
Dowley, Tim. (2018) A Short Introduction to the History of Christianity. Augsburg Fortress Publishers.
Finn, Daniel. (2013) Christian Economic Ethics: History and Implications. Augsburg Fortress Publishers.
Lockhart, Paul Douglas (2007). Denmark, 1513–1660: The Rise and Decline of a Renaissance Monarchy. Oxford University Press.
Central Office of Church Statistics. (2019) "Presentation of the Pontifical Yearbook 2019 and the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2017, 06.03.2019," Vatican Press. Retrieved 18 Feb 2020
Pew Research Centre. (2011) "Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population," Pew Research Centre. Retrieved 18 Feb 2020