Protestantism

Protestantism is distinguished from Ecclesialism and Restorationism by it's adherence to Sola Scriptura

Protestantism is a major branch of Christianity that emerged from the Protestant Reformation, a movement initiated by figures like Martin Luther. Originally aimed at reforming the Roman Catholic Church to condemn corruption and restore adherence to orthodox biblical doctrine, the Reformation ultimately led to a significant schism within Western Christianity.

Protestantism sets itself apart from other branches of Christianity, such as Ecclesialism and Restorationism, through its commitment to the Five Solae, these are:

1. Sola Gratia - We are saved by Grace Alone
2. Sola Fide - Through Faith Alone
3. Solus Christus - In Christ Alone
4. Sola Scriptura - According to Scripture Alone
5. Soli Deo Gloria - For the Glory of God Alone

The most controversial of these is Sola Scriptura, which states that Scripture alone is the ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice. This principle rejects the equal authority of church traditions or ecclesiastical interpretations, which are upheld in Ecclesialism. Sola Scriptura asserts that while church teachings and traditions can be valuable, they must always be tested against and derived from the Bible itself.

There are seven main denominations within Protestantism. However, Restorationist denominations are often mistakenly labelled as Protestant, despite their distinct theological origins and goals.

Protestant Denominations

Denomination	Soteriology	Baptism	Key figure(s)	Key forerunners
Presbyterianism	Calvinist	Infant	John Calvin	Augustine of Hippo
Lutheranism	Arminian	Infant	Martin Luther	Jan Huss, William Tynedale
Methodism	Arminian	Infant	John Wesley, Charles Wesley	N/A
Anglicanism ()	Varied	Infant	Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII	John Wycliffe
General Baptism	Arminian	Believer's	John Smyth	Tertullian of Carthage
Reformed Baptism	Calvinist	Believer's	N/A	N/A
Pentecostalism	Varied	Believer's	N/A	Montanus