Eastern Orthodoxy Daily He/Who/Is
with
TimothyNegrete, Prayer Orthodoxy ®, Disgruntled Docs
Instagram
Protestant argues Reformers abandoned apostolic Christianity
The speaker identifies as a Protestant by conviction, not convenience or complacency, and argues that the Reformers, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, Philipp Melanchthon, and John Knox, did not restore apostolic Christianity but departed from it. He names them as those who reformed the church but says they actually did the opposite of restoring apostolic Christianity.
He cites three early church fathers to show what the early church held. Saint Ignatius of Antioch defended the authority of bishops. Saint Irenaeus of Lyons defended apostolic succession. Saint Basil the Great defended holy tradition and its authority.
The speaker then points to specific rejections by two leading Reformers. Luther rejected the sacramental priesthood. Calvin rejected the Eucharistic sacrifice. The speaker asserts these departures contradict both the early church and Scripture itself.
He observes that Protestants remain divided over baptism, the Eucharist, salvation, and church authority. He concludes that a movement cannot claim to restore the apostolic faith while remaining divided over what that faith is. The speaker presents his case as a Protestant who has examined the historical record and found the Reformation's claims wanting.
The discussion turns on whether the Reformation was a recovery or a rupture, and the speaker contends the evidence shows rupture.
Key moments
- The speaker states he is a Protestant out of conviction, not convenience or complacency.
- He names the Reformers, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Zwingli, Melanchthon, Knox, as those who reformed the church but says they actually did the opposite of restoring apostolic Christianity.
- He cites St. Ignatius defending the authority of bishops, St. Irenaeus defending apostolic succession, and St. Basil defending holy tradition and its authority.
- He says Luther rejected the sacramental priesthood and Calvin rejected the Eucharistic sacrifice.
- He asserts these departures contradict the early church and Scripture itself.
- He observes Protestants remain divided over baptism, the Eucharist, salvation, and church authority.
- He concludes you cannot claim to restore the apostolic faith while remaining divided over what the faith even is.