Why do Protestants believe in the Bible (not a troll)

[Rufus T. Firefly]

This is something I've always been curious about. Most Protestant sects formed by rejecting the way in which the Catholic Church interposed itself between God and the faithful, maintaining instead that Christians could practice their faith and know Jesus directly through the New Testament, especially the four Gospels.

Except that there are more than four Gospels. There's a Gospel of Thomas, of Philip, of James, of Peter, even of Mary Magdelene. It's just that these gospels aren't part of the New Testament.

And who decided that? The leading lights of the early -- that is, Catholic -- Church.

So, seriously, how can Protestants reject the Church, only to revere a book that was cobbled together by the Church to begin with?

[MikeH]

Protestantism started off when Henry VIII wanted to get divorced and the pope wouldn't let him, it's just an evolution of Catholicism.

So they didn't reject "The Church" they rejected "A Church".

[problem_child]

Weird thing about Protestantism, when it first started (I mean after just being so Fat Henry could get divorced) it was actualy quite an enlightened alternative to Catholisism. More direct, less bogged down with objects and ceremony and men with big hats. One could almost call it the Zen Buddism of 16th centuary Europe.

Now it's just a bunch of intolerant nationalist rightists with sex hangups.

[SlowwHand]

I think questions like this should be asked in a more knowledgeable setting, if one is serious about answers and not another troll religion thread.

[DinoDoc]

Re: Why do Protestants believe in the Bible (not a troll)

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
This is something I've always been curious about. Most Protestant sects formed by rejecting the way in which the Catholic Church interposed itself between God and the faithful, maintaining instead that Christians could practice their faith and know Jesus directly through the New Testament, especially the four Gospels.

Except that there are more than four Gospels. There's a Gospel of Thomas, of Philip, of James, of Peter, even of Mary Magdelene. It's just that these gospels aren't part of the New Testament.

And who decided that? The leading lights of the early -- that is, Catholic -- Church.

So, seriously, how can Protestants reject the Church, only to revere a book that was cobbled together by the Church to begin with?

Liar.

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by MikeH
Protestantism started off when Henry VIII wanted to get divorced and the pope wouldn't let him, it's just an evolution of Catholicism.

So they didn't reject "The Church" they rejected "A Church".

I think you're confusing C of E with Protestantism, mate.

Martin Luther nailing a bit of paper to the door of a Cathedral would be the real start of Protestantism.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Mike and problem_child: you're talking about Anglicanism, which has a very different history than most forms of Protestantism, precisely bcause it was about a power-play between powerful leaders. I'm thinking more about Calvinism, Lutheranism, etc.

[problem_child]

Lemme guess... you're a Protestant? (hehe, get it? Protest- ant? Huh? Eh?)

[SlowwHand]

See? Look at all the fine input you receive.

[problem_child]

Okay sorry, you're a Texan first, and then a Protestant.

[MikeH]

When did it become a requirement to know what you are talking about to post here?

[Jon Miller]

last thursday

didn't you read the announcement?

Jon Miller

[SlowwHand]

No, that would be outside the norm, for someone to have knowledge of something they spout opinion on.

Forgive me. You are correct.

[The diplomat]

Protestantism never rejected the Bible, it just rejected the Catholic Church interpretation of the Bible. Luther read the Gospels and concluded that salvation was by faith and that the Catholic Church had forgotten that truth.

Now the reason Protestants accept the 4 Gospels but not the other "gospels", is because we trust the conclusion of the early Church Fathers when they determined that only the 4 Gospels, Mark, Luke, John and Matthew were authentic and real.

[SlowwHand]

Do some reading, if you seriously want an answer.

http://www.crosssearch.com/Science_and_Social_Science/History/Church_History/