Protestant Christianity

Protestantism began in the 16th century CE with reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin reacting to abuses and certain doctrines in Western Catholicism. It is not a single church but a large family of denominations (Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, many Evangelical churches, and more). Most Protestants affirm the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and the authority of the Bible, but they emphasize “Scripture alone” (sola scriptura) and “faith alone” (sola fide) as key principles.

Typically they reject papal authority, the Catholic sacramental system (for example, transubstantiation and the full set of seven sacraments), and the requirement of priestly celibacy. Worship is often simpler and more focused on preaching and Bible reading. Compared with Roman Catholicism, Protestant traditions tend to have less centralized authority and a wider range of doctrinal diversity on issues such as sacraments and church governance.