McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 2). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
The great convulsions of the early sixteenth century that historians now call “the Reformation” introduced into the history of Christianity a dangerous new idea that gave rise to an unparalleled degree of creativity and growth, on the one hand, while on the other causing new tensions and debates that, by their very nature, probably lie beyond resolution. The development of Protestantism as a major religious force in the world has been shaped decisively by the creative tensions emerging from this principle.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 2). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
At its heart, the emergence and growth of Protestantism concerned one of the most fundamental questions that can confront any religion: Who has the authority to define its faith? Institutions or individuals? Who has the right to interpret its foundational document, the Bible?3
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 3). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Luther’s radical doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers” empowered individual believers. It was a radical, dangerous idea that bypassed the idea that a centralized authority had the right to interpret the Bible. There was no centralized authority, no clerical monopoly on biblical interpretation. A radical reshaping of Christianity was inevitable, precisely because the restraints on change had suddenly—seemingly irreversibly—been removed.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 3). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
By its very nature, Protestantism had created space for entrepreneurial individuals to redirect and redefine Christianity. It was a dangerous idea, yet it was an understanding of the essence of the Christian faith that possessed an unprecedented capacity to adapt to local circumstances. From the outset, Protestantism was a religion designed for global adaptation and transplantation.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 4). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Whereas many older studies thought of Protestantism as being analogous to a seed, capable of development and growth along predetermined lines, the evidence presented in this analysis suggests that this model is inadequate and misleading. To use an alternative biological imagery, Protestantism turns out to be more like a micro-organism: capable of rapid mutation and adaptation in response to changing environments, while still maintaining continuity with its earlier forms.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 4). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Although undoubtedly influenced and catalyzed by significant individuals—such as Martin Luther and John Calvin—the origins of Protestantism lie in the greater intellectual and social upheavals of that era, which both created a crisis for existing forms of Christianity and offered means by which it might be resolved.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 5). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
In the second place, the tidal wave of studies of local archives and private correspondence has confirmed the suspicions of an early generation of scholars—that it is unacceptable to determine the state of the pre-Reformation European church through the eyes of its leading critics, such as Luther and Calvin.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 8). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Protestantism is best thought of as a “movement of movements” that share common aspirations while differing on how these are, in the first place, to be articulated and, in the
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 9). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
A fourth factor pointing to the need for a new study is the realization that many existing analyses have been unduly influenced by popular stereotypes of Protestant leaders and ideas, which have distorted perceptions of the nature and development of the movement.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 9). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
From the outset, the movement was indelibly stamped with hallmarks that would shape its evolution.
McGrath, Alister (2009-10-13). Christianity's Dangerous Idea (p. 11). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
2009CDIAM
