USE OF THE TERM PROTESTANT TO DESCRIBE BELIEVERS LIVING IN THE IRISH REPUBLIC
The following is a letter sent to the
Evangelical Times in England. It was printed in the January 2001 issue.
I reproduce it here below but have added some footnotes which, for the
sake of brevity, could not be enjoined to the original letter.
Dear Sir,
I enjoyed reading Billy Foley's
perceptive article regarding the recent declaration of the Church of
Rome that she alone is a proper church.1 My joy was increased when I
discovered that he is a converted RC from here in Southern Ireland and
describes himself a Protestant.
The term Protestant has fallen on hard
times in the Republic, even among God's people. Several factors
contribute to this. Past persecution of Romanists by the Anglican
Church is attributed to Protestants, Also, the term is now almost
synonymous with Unionist and so has political connotations. Since it is
likely to be offensive to RC people, many have decided to forgo this
title.
I am of a different opinion, for a
number of reasons.
[1] The above reasons can be easily discounted. I
simply explain that my people (Presbyterians and other dissenters)
likewise suffered2 and that Unionism is a political
ideal…Protestantism is spiritual.
[2] Protestant is a positive
term. We bear witness for the truth. Even when we protest against
error, two negatives make a positive.
[3] The RC still sees you as a
Protestant, even you do not take the title. They are not interested in
word play.
[4] Even where this perception is dying away, the RC call us
"Jehovah's" (Witnesses) even when we obviously deny any association or
"Born Again's" because they have attended Charismatic meetings where
confusion reigns.3 Many RC's believe that those groups who do not use
the term Protestant are cults…a term they do not use for
Protestants.
[5] It gives us a much needed identity with those great
movements of the Spirit of God in the world at large (through Luther,
Calvin and the Reformers) or here in Ireland in particular, such as in
the 1859 revival where the preachers were unashamedly Protestant.4 An
appalling ignorance of Church History leaves some Irish believers
thinking that the first move of the Holy Spirit in these parts began
around the 1970's. 5
Perhaps it is only a title. When asked, I am first and foremost a Christian…but also a Protestant.
Yours faithfully,
Colin Maxwell. 6
1/ This has a reference to the
declaration of Rome that the Protestant Churches could not be referred
to as "Sister Churches" Mr Foley took Rome to task in his article on
the same. It appeared in the November 2000 issue.
2/ In his book "History of
Presbyterianism in Ulster" Rev Thomas Hamilton records of the period
following the Glorious Revolution (1690 onwards):
Irish Presbyterians at this period
enjoyed no legal toleration. Had the law as it stood been rigidly
enforced, their worship and discipline might have been completely put
down…King William, true to his principles, wished the fullest
protection extended to them by law; but all he was able to do was to
prevent the scandalous statutes as they existed from being carried out.
The Irish Bishops [Editors note: The Anglican Bishops] determined to
keep the Presbyterians down, and at every attempt to relieve them from
the opprobrious position in which they were placed, these worthies were
found insisting that instead of their circumstances being improved, the
whips with which they had been hitherto chastised should be changed to
scorpions…Away in the West of Ireland, Episcopacy manifested the
same intolerant spirit as in Ulster. (pp106-107)
3/ I used to use this term "Born Again
Christian" to describe myself, but found that I had to explain that I
did not speak in tongues or stand on the seats in the church and wave
my hands like windmills. Now, I describe myself first and foremost as a
Bible Believing Christian who can identify with the Protestant
Reformation of Luther and Calvin etc., This helps take the thought away
from the ongoing political connotations of Northern Ireland. My
Northern accent certainly does not help at times.
4/ Church history records many noble
works done in Ireland. The early plantation settlers were Protestant -
many coming from Calvinistic Scotland. John Wesley visited here on
quite a number of occasions. Wesley certainly saw himself as a
Protestant. The great revival of 1859 benefited the Presbyterians most
of all…and they were all Protestant to a man. WP Nicholson, so
mightily blessed of God with revival in the 1920's, was unashamedly a
Protestant preacher. Those who disdain the term Protestant need to
remember that Protestant Christianity is based on the word of God
alone. God has certainly this people who raised their voice in positive
protest against the errors of the Church of Rome. Many of the liberties
which we have today - indeed all men have - to worship God according to
their conscience were secured through Protestants standing against
tyranny.
5/ In the 1970's, many people in
Ireland began to read the Bible for themselves. Many of these people
were associated with the Charismatic Movement which had, in the wake of
Vatican II, associated itself with the RC Church. No matter what the
circumstances, people reading their Bible is always a good thing. Of
course, on one hand, Rome has made void the word of God with their
traditions (Mark 7:7) but on the other hand, the word of God cannot be
not bound (2 Timothy 2:9) It pleased God to bless His own word at this
time. There were those who read the word of God but failed to see the
errors of Rome. They tended to go deeper into the Church and retained
their praying to Mary etc., We may judge that it has not pleased God to
open their eyes at this time. Thankfully, others did see the errors of
their Church and were consequently saved by faith alone in Jesus
Christ. Most of these separated from Rome in accordance with 2
Corinthians 6:14-18. Some joined the longer established evangelical
churches who had maintained a viable witness in a very dark period
indeed. Others joined themselves into house groups with varying degrees
of conformity to the truth of the gospel. Unfortunately some of the
latter are referred to above i.e. they are excessively Pentecostal in
doctrine and practice.
6/ Before we leave this
subject…some people asked me has Rome changed in Ireland. My
answer is "No...Rome hasn't changed, but the people of Ireland have."
Although they have turned away in large numbers from the Church of
Rome, alas! they have not turned in any great numbers to God.
Materialism now provides the new idols for the darkened heart to
worship. However, God is still on His throne…hallelujah! Please
pray for the Lord's work here in the Irish Republic.
"God has been faithful in doing great
things for you; be faithful in this one - do your utmost for the
preaching of the gospel in Ireland."
(John Owen…Puritan)