Title
Searching for Protestantism in the Encyclopedia of Protestantism
Abstract
This article uses Hans Hillerbrand's Encyclopedia of Protestantism to explore the protean character of Protestantism. In considering the question What is Protestantism? it assesses two characterisations of Protestantism: as a rejection of Catholicism and as a religious prelude to secularisation. The article discusses the history of the religion, the challenge of defining a 500-year-old religious family, the ambiguous boundary between Protestantism and Catholicism, and the thin line separating Protestants from their post-Protestant descendants. It concludes by reflecting on the implications of the Encyclopedia of Protestantism for the field of religious studies.
Department(s)
Religious Studies
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.religion.2005.10.001
Publication Date
10-1-2005
Recommended Citation
Schmalzbauer, John. "Searching for Protestantism in the Encyclopedia of Protestantism." Religion 35, no. 4 (2005): 247-265.
Journal Title
Religion
