Protestant History
The Reformers
During the sixteenth century three Reformation groups were recognized as legitimate, identified as the First Reformation (Lutherans), Second Reformation (Calvinists), and Third Reformation (Anglicans). These alone continued to be recognized, while numerous smaller groups were lumped together, identified as the “radicals,” and universally persecuted as illegitimate. In the twentieth century, however, church historians began to recognize a serious error, in that another legitimate group had been identified with the extreme radicals, a group that deserved to be honored as the “Fourth Reformation.”
This history deals primarily with the growing conflict between the three Reformations and does not deal specifically with the Fourth Reformation, which is, however honored as the most valid of the four, following the failure of all three of these to maintain the priesthood of believers principles with which they so successfully began. Indeed, we will see that the roots of the Seventh-day Adventist Church go back to the Fourth Reformation, which had already rediscover most of our key doctrines, with the primary exception of our sanctuary message.
Examination of key reformers is primarily limited to Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingle and John Calvin.
Council of Trent
Because of the serious challenge which Protestantism posed to the Roman Catholic Church, the Papacy held the 18 year-long Council of Trent. During this time, it reformed many of the abuses while reframing its theology so that it would withstand scriptural attacks. In the process, the Council of Trent exploited divisions within Protestantism by using their arguments against them. Throughtout, the Council of Trent preserved their position of the supremacy of Papal authority.
The Council of Trent succeeded in steming the flow of Catholics into Protestantism while uniting Catholicism. In reaction, Protestants attempted to unite their own theology. But, instead of achieving this through a priesthood of believers approach, they attempted to defeat each other, even turning to physical persecution.
Lutheran Conflict & Articles of Concord
When Luther died, the pent up hostility of those who identified themselves as Gnesio-Lutherans (Genuine-Lutherans) exploded against Melanchthon and those who identified with his concepts. The anger of Luther’s ultra followers had long seethed against Melanchthon, whom they charged with compromise and accused of legalistic, Papal heresy. Until then Luther, who greatly admired and loved Melanchthon, whom he considered the Reformation’s greatest theologian, protected him and prevented open conflict. But two things converged to change that: Luther’s death and the Council of Trent, which would greatly impact the course of the whole Reformation.
The specific purpose of the Council of Trent was to save Roman Catholicism and to roll back the Reformation, which threatened to take over all of Europe and the British Isles. While carrying out certain long neglected, urgent moral and economic reforms, their real purpose was to exploit conflicts between the gnesio-Lutheran party and the Philippists or Melanchthonians by developing arguments that would more fully pit each against the other.
Protestantism's best hope was in practicing the mutually agreed upon, third principle of the Reformation – the priesthood of believers, by coming together to seek unity in humbly listening to each other's Scriptural evidence. For each held keys to the others' errors. But that did not happen.
Plymouth Brethren & Its Impact on Adventism
The nineteenth century Plymouth Brethren movement sought to restore the priesthood of believers and complete the still stalled reformation; but by 1830 it came under the control of J. N. Darby, whose false theology led them astray. We will consider the fallacy of present Brethren claims to being the true representatives of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and the Articles of Concord and their repudiation of all other theologies as legalistic and Roman Catholic. In particular, we will consider their charges, via Robert Brinsmead and Desmond Ford, that Seventh-day Adventist theology is Papal.
