The document summarizes some key aspects of Protestantism, including: - Protestantism originated from the Reformation movement within the Catholic Church led by figures like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII. - Lutheranism is based on Luther's teachings and prominent in northern Europe, while Calvinism influenced parts of Switzerland, Netherlands, and Scotland. - The English Reformation under Henry VIII established the Anglican Church, though dissenting groups like Puritans later emerged and some settled in America. - The main features of Protestant denominations are recognizing Christ as the sole mediator between God and man, relying on scripture over tradition, and rejecting Catholic doctrines like indulgences and papal authority.

2. Protestantism - one of the major
branches of Christianity, apart from
Catholicism and Orthodox that consists of
religious denominations resulting from
the Reformation movement within the
Roman Catholic Church.

3. Martin Luther
John Calvin
Henry VIII

4. Calvinism
Lutheranism
Anglicanism

5. Lutheranism is based on the teachings of Martin Luther and has it
adherents in the central, eastern and northern Germany,
Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland, including Finland, Latvia
and Estonia, as well as northern and western regions of the Czech
Republic and the south-eastern Austria. Science of John Calvin
(Calvinism) seized most of the Switzerland’s area, the
Netherlands and eastern Hungary and contributed to the
formation of the doctrine of the English Puritans, Scotch
Presbyterians and French Huguenots. The third stream of the
Reformation, Anabaptism consists of baptized believers
combining the principle of social radicalism. This led to the so-
called Peasant Wars in Germany and the rise of the communist
community in Munster, but the excesses of this movement led to
its cease in Europe (Anabaptists, who accepted the principle of
pacifism were called Mennonites; Amish – who were expelled
from various countries eventually settled in the United States).

6. King Henry VIII shaped the process of English Reformation. He
kept the Episcopal Church's constitution and many Catholic
principles. Anglican Identity is based more on a common
liturgy with moderation in the resolution of theological
problems. Incompleteness of the English Reformation and its
top-down nature meant that in England new communities
were formed and deepened the Reformation. Those were
Puritans, Baptists, Methodists, Quakers. Rulers of England got
rid of dissidents eagerly from the Church of England, enabling
their resettlement in the American colonies which led to a
pluralistic and (necessarily) a tolerant nature of Protestantism
in the United States.
In Germany, a major impact on the Protestant movement
had the attempt to unify Calvinists and Lutherans (Evangelical
Union Churches).

7. The main feature of Protestant denominations
is that they recognize Jesus Christ as the sole
mediator between God and man, the tradition
of acceptance and rejection of Catholicism as
equal to Scripture foundation of faith,
assuming that salvation is based on grace,
accepted by faith and not by good works or
religious practices. In addition, Protestants
reject indulgences, the doctrine of purgatory,
the worship of Saint Mary and the Saints,
celibacy of priests, papal authority and the
liturgy in Latin.