Difference between revisions of "Protestantism"

Revision as of 20:36, 9 August 2006

This article deals with Protestantism as it relates to NationStates. For more general information, see the Wikipedia article on this subject.

Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. In RL it generally refers to churches which separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the Reformation (but not to Eastern Orthodox denominations). In NS it may also refer to groups which seperated later or other groups which are ideologically or dogmatically close to the groups mentioned before. The primary principles of the Protestant faith are often referred to as the five solas: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Christus (Christ alone), Sola fide (Faith alone), Sola gratia (Grace alone), and Soli deo gloria (to God alone the glory). These five slogans mean that the only mediator between God and man is Jesus Christ, that Scripture is the inerrant Word of God containing all truth necessary for salvation, and that justification is by faith through grace, a free gift of God to those who have faith is Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Because of the diversity of Protestant belief structures, not all of the Solas are necessarily upheld by every group considering itself Protestant. Different protestant churches are listed below:

Anabaptists

Anabaptists are a family of Protestant denominations owing their origins to the Radical Reformation. The term means rebaptizers and was coined by critics who objected to the Anabaptist practice of rebaptizing adults who had been baptized as infants. This is because of the most famous Anabaptist doctrine, the belief that infant baptism is not valid.

Thorlund Amish

The Thorlund Amish are an Old Order Amish community in the Danaan Principality of Thorlund. They are best known for shunning modern technology and for pacifism. They adhere strictly to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith.

Anglicanism

Anglicanism or Episcopalianism is a family of Protestant denominations owing its origins to the Church of England. Anglicanism also includes the continuing Anglican Churches, churches which have seceded from the Church of England but maintain an Anglican theology. In the context of Nationstates, the Anglican family of churches also includes Protestant churches which are theologically modeled on the Church of England but which have no historical connection with her.

Anglican Church

(Main article: Anglican church)
The Anglican church is a Christian faith, split from the Roman Catholic faith during the Reformation, with Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical wings. However most Anglicans are probably somewhere in the middle and, in fact, stress that Anglicanism, rightly understood, is Christianity's "Via Media" (middle way) between Catholicism and Protestantism. The Thirty-Nine Articles are the defining statements of Anglican doctrine. They were issued by the Convocation of clergy of the Church of Vordania in 1584 and are printed in the Book of Common Prayer and other Anglican prayer books.

In Christiana Terra, 15% of the population is Protestant, 13% of which of the Anglican Church.

Church of Amory

The Church of Amory is named for the Danaan Principality of Amory where it is the established Christian church. It follows a set of doctrines similar to the Anglican Church and is a member of the Porvoo Communion.

Protestant Episcopal Church in the Resurgent Dream

The Protestant Episcopalian Church in the Resurgent Dream is an Anglican Protestant church in the Resurgent Dream. It splits from the Church of Amory when that body began ordaining women and is generally considered to be a practice a more conservative form of Anglicanism.

Baptist

Baptists are a family of denominations originating from the Anabaptist movement, although not necessarily adhering to an Anabaptist theology. Baptists tend to stress individual salvation and to stress a believer's baptism by full immersion.

Church of Excalbia

(Main article: Church of Excalbia)
The Church of Excalbia is the state religion in Excalbia. It was established in 1810 by the Emperor in order to give the state religion need a formal structure. Core beliefs are derived from its Baptist roots, including an emphasis on salvation by grace, the individual responsibility of believers, evangelism and the importance of the Bible.

Jasonian Baptist Church

The Jasonian Baptist Church is the major denomonation in The Empire of Jason, and it is much like the RL Southern Baptists. Jasonian Baptists are also known as Imperial Baptists outside of The Empire of Jason.

Commonwealth Baptist Association

The Commonwealth Baptist Association is an association of Baptist congregations in the Commonwealth of Peoples. A congregational governenance system gives autonomy to all individual member churches. In fact, member congregations are only bound by at will affiliation with the Association and can severe there ties with it if and when they choose for any or no reason. Many of the churches in the Association were originally branches of the Church of Excalbia which split off because of that church's episcopal form of organization, although usually only after a dispute between a local congregation and the episcopate over some more specific question.

Reformed

The Reformed family of denominations consists of those churches which trace their theological heritage from the teachings of John Calvin and, to a lesser extent, those of Ulrich Zwingli and John Knox. While there is great diversity among Reformed churches, they tend to be bound together by a doctrine of predestination, that God has decided since before time who would be saved and who would not. However, even within the Reformed tradition, there is some debate on exactly how this is to be interpreted.

Prussian Protestantism

(Main article: Prussian Protestantism)
The Greater Prussian Empire is perhaps the heart of Protestantism in NationStates, with its owners claiming that the Greater Prussia region is the only solidly Protestant region. Greater Prussian Protestantism is based on the teachings of John Calvin, and adheres strictly to the principles put down in the Westminster Confession of Faith and tends to be very orthodox in its adherence to doctrine. It also has a tendency of supporting autocratic and militaristic leadership that is not present in, for example Dutch Reformed Protestantism.

In Christiana Terra, 15% of the population is Protestant, 2% of which Prussian Protestant.

Dutch Reformed Church

(Main article: Dutch Reformed Church)
The Dutch Reformed Church (in Dutch: Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk) is also based on the teachings of John Calvin. It used to be the largest church in Knootoss and it formerly enjoyed status as the state church. The main Protestant churches in Knootoss have merged into the Nederlands Hervormde Kerk Knootoss (NHKK) the vast majority the 0.79% of the Knootian population that is still Protestant belongs to the NHKK.

Church of Kingladn

The Church of Kingladn is most similar to the real-life Presbyterian Church USA. The largest church in Kingladn, with almost 95% of the national population being members. When the Republic of Kingladn became a monarchy in early 2005, Christianity was declared official religion by King Charles I.

United Presbyterian Church of the Resurgent Dream

The Reformed Presbyterian Church is a Protestant denomination in the Resurgent Dream which proclaims its theology to be apostolic, Reformed {Calvinistic), Protestant, and evangelical.

Lutherans

Because of the widely (but not universally) accepted role of Martin Luther as the originator of the Protestant Reformation, Lutherans play an important role in the history of Protestantism. Some Lutherans consider themselves the core of Protestantism, although this is obviously disputed by most other Protestant groups, especially within the Reformed tradition.

Lutherans place strong emphasis on faith as the means to salvation. Lutherans are often associated with the ideals of simple piety, although Lutheran theologians have also produced many complex works of systematic theology. The basic doctrins of Lutheranism are contained in the Book of Concord.

Methodism

Methodism is a Protestant tradition generally informed by the teachings of John Wesley. Traditional Methodism subscribes to an Arminian theology, emphasizing that salvation is potentially for all people, even though it is conditional upon faith. Grace is granted to all but God allows it to be resisted by those unwilling to believe. However, not all Methodists subscribe to this Wesleyan theology. The most notable exception is the Calvinistic Methodists influential in many Methodist religious communities and especially prominent in heavily Calvinist regions such as Greater Prussia.

Falasturian Methodist Church

(Main article: Falasturian Methodism)
The Falasturian Methodist Church is an offshoot of the Methodist Church established by John Wesley in the mid-18th Century. The Church is largely the same as Wesley's Methodism - a liberal and decentralised form of Protestantism, noted for its members' resolution to abstein from drinking alcohol - however, with King George I's conversion in 1761, it was distanced and eventually seperated from its mother denomination by King George's free hand, essentially working Methodism into Falastur according to his wishes, and not necessarily those of Wesley. Today, 23% of Falasturians claim to be Falasturian Methodists, and a surprisingly high number of those are active, given common apathy for strong religious practise in modern times. However, absteinance from alcohol is largely disappearing as a common practise.

Galvanised Wesleyan Church

(Main article: Galvanised Wesleyan Church)
The Galvanised Wesleyan Church is the official Church of Nova Britannicus, thought to be an off-shoot of the Methodist Church that was brought to Nova Britannicus by the Britannic Empire in the 18th Century and onwards. It is thought that 'Galvanised' could refer to the promtion of unity within Nova Britannicus, or could simply be down to the many Iron Works in its traditional home-city of Widdrington.

Charismatic

Charismatics are Christians who believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit most Christians believe to have occurred in the first century, such as healing, miracles, and glossolalia, are available to Christians today and ought to be experienced.

Quakerism

Quakerism is a hard branch of Protestantism to define because most Quaker groups lack a hierarchal structure, a creed, or paid clergy. However, the two signature Quaker doctrines are a complete pacifism and a belief that individuals should turn embrace the inner light. This inner light was traditionally considered to be Christ in the heart of the believer. However, some modern Quakers have rejected this, claiming it is possible to be a Quaker without being a Christian.

Church of Cyro

(Main article: Church of Cyro)
The Church of Cyro was originally created by Tzar Richard IV as a way for him to control the Catholic Church in Dyelli Beybi in response to the refusal of the pope to allow him to crusade against non-Catholic States.

After Richard's assassination, Pope Indolence attempted to establish Saint Guineford's as an independent papal state. However, he was defeated militarily by Tzar George VIII and assassinated by a cleric loyal to the Church in Rome. His passing led to the majority of the population reverting to Catholicism and the death of the Church of Cyro as the majority religion in Dyelli Beybi.

Church of Christos Progressa

(Main article: Church of Christos Progressa)
The Church of Christos Progressa (originally Helvetic Christianity) is the largest Christian sect in the Helvetic Confederation.It emerged when Helvetians who were disgruntled with the management of Twentish Catholicism and felt distanced from Twente (The Vatican of Europe) began to develop a more provincial order. The modern Church of Christos Progressa has no masses or services as are found in other churches. Rather, weekly gatherings more closely resemble large discussion groups.

The Errikan Church

The branch of Christianity followed by nearly all Errikans, this church technically has no name. Its policies are known for being very conservative, and it is strong in the belief that all humans are equal in the eyes of God and that scripture is the only voice of God. Recently, the Emperor has been recognized as "the protector of the church," though this position is not official within the church.