Status Updates From What It Means to Be Protest...

Whereas, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox define the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church institutionally; Protestants define it to be wherever the word of God is preached, and the sacraments are administered. Though the reformers (such as Luther and Calvin) did not mince words while critiquing the Roman church, they did still affirm the churches within Rome to be true churches and people, Christians.

“In sum, I commend Protestantism as first, a renewal of the gospel in the church; second, a return to the authority of Scripture; and third, a removal of historical aberrations” (p. xx).

Sola Fide (Justification by faith alone) and Sola Scriptura (Ultimate authority in Scripture alone) are core to Protestant identity. This is what all the Reformers agreed upon.