The Protestant Reformation was a widespread theological revolt in Europe against the abuses and totalitarian control of the Roman Catholic Church. Reformers such as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin protested unbiblical practices of the Catholic Church and promoted a return to sound biblical doctrine. A key event was Luther posting his 95 Theses in 1517. The Reformation established key doctrines including that Scripture alone is the authority for faith, salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone, and salvation is for God's glory alone. These "Five Solas" separated Protestantism from Roman Catholicism.

1. "The ProtestantReformation" – 18TH
August2016
The ProtestantReformationwasawidespreadtheological revoltinEurope againstthe abusesand
totalitariancontrol of the RomanCatholicChurch.Reformerssuchas Martin LutherinGermany,Ulrich
Zwingli inSwitzerland,andJohnCalvininFrance protestedvariousunbiblical practicesof the Catholic
Church andpromoteda returnto soundbiblical doctrine.The precipitatingeventof the Protestant
Reformationisgenerallyconsideredtobe Luther’spostingof his Ninety-five Thesesonthe doorof the
WittenbergChurchonOctober31, 1517.
As a backgroundto the historyof Protestantismandthe Reformation,itisimportanttounderstandthe
Catholicclaimof apostolicsuccession.Thisdoctrinesaysthatthe line of RomanCatholicpopesextends
throughthe centuriesall the wayfromthe apostle Petertothe current pope.Thisunbrokenchainof
authoritymakesthe RomanCatholicChurchthe onlytrue church and givesthe pope preeminenceover
all churcheseverywhere. Because of theirbelief inapostolicsuccessionandthe infallibilityof the pope,
Catholicsplace churchteachingandtraditionona level equaltoScripture itself.This isone of the major
differencesbetweenRomanCatholicsandProtestantsandwasone of the foundational issuesleadingto
the ProtestantReformation.
Evenpriorto the ProtestantReformation,there were pocketsof resistance tosome of the unbiblical
practicesof the RomanCatholicChurch,yettheywere relativelysmallandisolated.Before Lutherever
pickedupa hammerand headedtoChapel Church,there were menwhohadstoodup forreformand
the true gospel.Amongthemwere JohnWycliffe,anEnglishtheologianandOxfordprofessorwhowas
condemnedasa hereticin1415; Jan Hus, a priestfromBohemiawhowasburnedat the stake in1415
for hisoppositiontothe Churchof Rome;and GirolamoSavonarola,anItalianfriarwhowashangedand
burnedin1498.
The oppositiontothe false teachingof the RomanCatholicChurchcame to a headinthe sixteenth
centurywhenLuther,a RomanCatholicmonk,challengedthe authorityof the pope and,inparticular,
the sellingof indulgences.Ratherthanheedthe call to reform, the RomanCatholicChurchdug inits
heelsandsoughtto silence the Reformers.Eventually,new churchesemergedfromthe Reformation,
formingfourmajordivisionsof Protestantism:Luther’sfollowersstartedthe LutheranChurch,Calvin’s
followersstartedthe ReformedChurch,JohnKnox’sfollowersstartedthe PresbyterianChurchin
Scotland(usingCalvinisticdoctrine),and,later,ReformersinEnglandstartedthe AnglicanChurch.
At the heartof the ProtestantReformationlayfourbasicquestions: a. How isa personsaved? b. Where
doesreligiousauthoritylie? c.What isthe church? d. What isthe essence of Christianliving?In
answeringthese questions,ProtestantReformersdevelopedwhatwouldbe knownasthe “Five Solas”
(sola beingthe Latinwordfor “alone”).These five essentialpointsof biblical doctrineclearlyseparate
ProtestantismfromRomanCatholicism.The Reformersresistedthe demandsplacedonthemtorecant
these doctrines,eventothe pointof death.The five essential doctrinesof the ProtestantReformation
are as follows:
1 - SolaScriptura.Thismeans “Scripture Alone.” The Bible alone isthe sole authorityforall mattersof
faithand practice.Scripture andScripture alone isthe standardbywhichall teachingsandtraditionsof
the church must be measured.AsMartinLutherso eloquentlystatedwhentoldtorecanthisteachings,
“UnlessIam convincedby Scripture and plainreason—Ido not accept the authority of the popesand

2. councils,for they have contradictedeach other—myconscience is captive to the Word of God.I
cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience isneitherright nor safe. Godhelp
me. Amen.”
2 - SolaGratia.Thismeans “Salvationby Grace Alone.” Salvationisproof of God’sundeservedfavor;
we are rescuedfromGod’swrath by His grace alone,not by any work we do.God’s blessinginChristis
the sole efficientcause of salvation.Thisgrace isthe supernatural workof the HolySpiritwhobringsus
to Christby releasingusfromourbondage tosinand raisingusfrom spiritual deathtospiritual life.
3 - SolaFide.This means “Salvationby Faith Alone.” We are justifiedbyfaithinChristalone,notbythe
worksof the Law. Itis by faithinChristthat Hisrighteousnessisimputedtousas the onlypossible
satisfactionof God’sperfectstandard.
4 - SolusChristus.Thismeans “InChristAlone.” SalvationisfoundinJesusChristalone;noone and
nothingelse cansave us.Jesus’substitutionarydeathonthe crossissufficientforourjustificationand
reconciliationtoGodthe Father.The gospel hasnot beenpreachedif Christ’sredemptionisnot
declaredandif faithinHis resurrectionisnotsolicited.
5 - Soli Deo Gloria,Thismeans “Forthe Gloryof GodAlone.” Salvationisof Godand has been
accomplishedbyGodforHis gloryalone.AsChristianswe mustmagnifyHimalwaysandlive ourlivesin
His presence,underHisauthority,andforHisglory.
These five importantdoctrinesare the reasonforthe ProtestantReformation.Theyare at the heartof
the Reformers’call forthe church to returnto biblical teaching.The Five Solas are justas important
todayin evaluatingachurchand itsteachingsas theywere inthe sixteenthcentury.