What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church
Digital Logos Edition
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Overview
A must-read for any Protestant seeking a stronger foundation in their faith, this unique resource helps readers gain confidence in their Christian identity and historical roots, while learning how to defend against common objections.
These days many evangelicals are exploring the more sacramental, liturgical, and historically-conscious church traditions, including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. This hunger for historical rootedness is a welcome phenomenon--but unfortunately, many assume that this need can only be met outside of Protestant contexts.
In What it Means to Be Protestant, Gavin Ortlund draws from both his scholarly work in church history and his personal experience in ecumenical engagement to offer a powerful defense of the Protestant tradition. Retrieving classical Protestant texts and arguments, he exposes how many of the contemporary objections leveled against Protestants are rooted in caricature. Ultimately, he shows that historic Protestantism offers the best pathway to catholicity and historical rootedness for Christians today.
In his characteristically charitable and irenic style, Ortlund demonstrates that the 16th century Reformation represented a genuine renewal of the gospel. This does not entail that Protestantism is without faults. But because it is built upon the principle of semper reformanda (always reforming), Protestantism is capable of reforming itself according to Scripture as the ultimate authority. This scholarly and yet accessible book breaks new ground in ecumenical theology and will be a staple text in the field for many years to come.
This is a Logos Reader Edition. Learn more.
- Combines scholarly work in church history with personal experience in ecumenical engagement
- Offers a powerful defense of the Protestant tradition
- Shows that historic Protestantism offers the best pathway to catholicity and historical rootedness for Christians today
- Title: What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church
- Author: Gavin Ortlund
- Publisher: Zondervan Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2024
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- Subjects: Protestantism—History; Theology, Doctrinal
- ISBNs: 9780310172444, 0310156335, 9780310156338, 0310172446
- Resource ID: LLS:WHTTLWYSRFCHRCH
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-11-20T18:56:59Z
Reviews
2 ratings
Jonathan Parizo
10/12/2024
This book by Gavin Ortlund is a great introduction to historic Protestant theology, what he calls “mere Protestantism.” He does well in articulating the unifying Protestant convictions and making a positive case for them. Also, he does well in expressing Protestant concerns with the other Christian traditions, making a negative case against them. Though a topic of much debate and contention, Ortlund’s approach matches that of his YouTube channel, being irenic in expressing his convictions. I admit my bias in favor of Ortlund generally, being an evangelical myself and having benefited from his work. Thus, I recommend this book to all Protestants so that they are informed. Of course, this book is also essential for those considering other Christian traditions. Finally, this book will even benefit Christians in the non-Protestant traditions, giving them a clear articulation of Protestantism to consider. Even if those readers are not convinced, it will at least help facilitate productive dialogue.Charles McCue
9/2/2024
I'm giving this a preliminary 4/5 because I haven't finished it yet. I'll update with a better review then.
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