# How is the rapid spread of Protestantism accounted for at the time of the Reformation



## dudley (Feb 13, 2010)

I found the following question on a Roman catholic website and thought it might be interesting for those of us who are Protestants and Reformed Protestants at that to also add our opinion to the question.

How is the rapid spread of Protestantism accounted for? Is it not a proof that God was on the side of the Reformers, Inspiring, fostering, and crowning their endeavors? Surely, as we consider the growth of early Christianity and its rapid conquest of the Roman Empire, as proofs of its Divine origin, so we should draw the same conclusion in favor of Protestantism from its rapid spread in Germany and the northern parts of Europe. In fact the Reformation spread much faster than the Apostolic Church.


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## smhbbag (Feb 13, 2010)

We can all rightly drop our jaws and praise God for converting so many, in so many times, and in so many places.

But I would be very hesitant about using it is any sort of evidence, let alone proof, for the truth of Christianity. I would think it fairly easy to find damnable heresies and religions that have spread just as far and as fast.

One unique thing about it, though, is the _way_ it spread. Islam has its great and rapid conquests by the sword. God has prospered His gospel on the other end of the sword. I'm not aware of any parallels to that.

Buddhism had a relatively peaceful spread through the Eastern world, but none, to my knowledge, have spread that way under persecution. This is still not a proof, but it is a great thing to reflect on.

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## PuritanZealot (Feb 13, 2010)

I wouldn't say Protestantism spread on the tip of persecution, it spread because it was Gods will that the true believers come out of the Catholic Church. The Elect would always have existed in silence under the yoke of Rome and when that yoke was finally thrust off it was thrust off with persecution, violence and warfare from both sides. The Thirty Years War is blinding evidence for this and the English Civil War (War of the Three Kingdoms) was sparked not because of racial or political atttitudes but because the Church tried to bring a Book of Common Prayer into the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. I personally do think Protestantism is the result of Gods wrath against the Papists, he built for himself a preaching, sword wielding, refusing to compromise on ANY angle Church, something that hadn't existed for a millennium!

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## jwithnell (Feb 13, 2010)

Truly preaching the Word, the spread of the Bible into the hands of the "average" person, and educating those people to read it, were the incredible means for the gospel to go forward during the Reformation and later. I don't think we can say enough about the power of God's Word. This extended to the first great awakening here in America.

Historians would generally point to the rise of nationalism (hey we're Germans not Romans!) and empowerment at the lower rungs of society as fueling the popular embracing of the Reformation. No doubt God used these things, but I mentally keep coming back to the power of the Bible itself.

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## johnbugay (Feb 13, 2010)

dudley said:


> I found the following question on a Roman catholic website and thought it might be interesting for those of us who are Protestants and Reformed Protestants at that to also add our opinion to the question.
> 
> How is the rapid spread of Protestantism accounted for? Is it not a proof that God was on the side of the Reformers, Inspiring, fostering, and crowning their endeavors? Surely, as we consider the growth of early Christianity and its rapid conquest of the Roman Empire, as proofs of its Divine origin, so we should draw the same conclusion in favor of Protestantism from its rapid spread in Germany and the northern parts of Europe. In fact the Reformation spread much faster than the Apostolic Church.



Luther attributed it to the fact that he was preaching the Word. There's a quote to the effect that he really didn't do anything but preach the Word, and God effected the changes. I would tend to think that this was helped along by the (providentially given) printing press.

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## Peairtach (Feb 13, 2010)

The spread of the Gospel has been slowed down and hindered by Satan's ploy of secular humanism, which developed from the seventeenth and eighteenth century Enlightenment. 

But just as with Romanism, this will not always be the case. Satan's plans prevail for long enough, but not always. Eventually he'll run out of ideas.

Times of revival and reformation are in Christ's hands, ultimately. But He will prevail over all His and our enemies. We must be obedient to Him, even when no-one, or few, seem to be getting converted.


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## Claudiu (Feb 13, 2010)

johnbugay said:


> dudley said:
> 
> 
> > I found the following question on a Roman catholic website and thought it might be interesting for those of us who are Protestants and Reformed Protestants at that to also add our opinion to the question.
> ...



I second this. The printing press was a major factor in it.

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dudley said:


> I found the following question on a Roman catholic website and thought it might be interesting for those of us who are Protestants and Reformed Protestants at that to also add our opinion to the question.
> 
> How is the rapid spread of Protestantism accounted for? Is it not a *proof* that God was on the side of the Reformers, Inspiring, fostering, and crowning their endeavors? Surely, as we consider the growth of early Christianity and its rapid conquest of the Roman Empire, as proofs of its Divine origin, *so we should draw the same conclusion in favor of Protestantism* from its *rapid spread* in Germany and the northern parts of Europe. In fact the Reformation *spread much faster* than the Apostolic Church.


 

I wouldn't use the rapid growth as a way of proving that it is truth. With that logic we would then have to conclude that the charismatic movement is truth since it spread so quickly all over the world. But I don't think that its truth (the charismatic movement). So I guess might, or speed, does not make right. The Truth exists apart from these events. It is wonderful though that it did happen the way it did and it had a lasting impact on the world.


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## TeachingTulip (Feb 13, 2010)

dudley said:


> How is the rapid spread of Protestantism accounted for? Is it not a proof that God was on the side of the Reformers, Inspiring, fostering, and crowning their endeavors? Surely, as we consider the growth of early Christianity and its rapid conquest of the Roman Empire, as proofs of its Divine origin, so we should draw the same conclusion in favor of Protestantism from its rapid spread in Germany and the northern parts of Europe. In fact the Reformation spread much faster than the Apostolic Church.



According to Gibbons ("Rise And Fall Of The Roman Empire"), it was the establishment and building of the superior highways across the known "world" of the time, that promoted successful travels for the missionaries of the Christian faith.

(But, we Christians know, all glory for propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is attributed to the purposes and power of God, alone!)


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## jambo (Feb 14, 2010)

The printing press played a huge part as now scriptures were able to be printed and distributed more readily. Through the preaching of the word and the spread of the bible in the language of the people the message spread quickly. Another factor to bear in mind is the church/state relationship. The King becomes a Protestant, the state becomes Protestant. Yet how many of the subjects were truly Protestant? The successor is an RC and the state then reverts back to being Catholic. The issue is illustrated by the tensions between Elizabeth 1st (Protestant) and her cousin Mary Queen of Scots trying to win the land back to Catholicism.


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## Philip (Feb 14, 2010)

If you mean socio-economic accounting, the Printing Press is the prime catalyst. Due to the printing press, Luther's 95 theses were inundating Europe within a month of All Saints' Eve 1517.

If you mean spiritual accounting, that depends entirely on your point of view--both Catholics and Protestants could arguably see it as the work of the Holy Spirit.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Feb 14, 2010)

Claudiu said:


> dudley said:
> 
> 
> > I found the following question on a Roman catholic website and thought it might be interesting for those of us who are Protestants and Reformed Protestants at that to also add our opinion to the question.
> ...


 

By this accounting wouldn't Joel Osteen, and TBN advocates who believe that they are deified as Jesus is, be considered on the right side of Truth? But we know better than that. They are heretics who deny the Christ of the Bible. They deny the meaning and importance of God's justification, sanctification, and glorification. Numbers truly don't tell the story of where the blessing is.

I agree with Claudiu.


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