To reform is to change what already is there, and to restore is to return to its original state.
It probably depends which congregation within Christianity you're asking. Some protestants may consider themselves restorationists, and others reformational. Other Christians use the term and eschew ...
I'm sure Mormons are neither Catholic nor Orthodox. There is no doubt that they are Christians but I'm not sure they are Protestants or not.
Are Mormons Protestants or they are just "Latter Day Saints"?
@curiousdannii No, not really. That's how I use the word. That's how I understand its meaning. That's how I've seen it used throughout history. Protestants protest Papal authority. That are protestants (pronounced like the word protest).
I do see an issue with churches claiming restoration of some kind.
But secularly speaking, sometimes you don't get to pick your labels.
I do think you are right that LDS probably don't want to be called protestant.
But their theology starts with a full rejection of all other churches as apostate.
That means they reject the papal authority for probably the same reasons as most protestants. They claim it is a false institution.
I don't see why claiming to have the real one makes any difference.
When you explain it like that it is difficult to call LDS Portestant or Reformed Catholicism. "Restored Christianity" seems like the term they would prefer. Like a Third Testament, maybe? — fredsbendJul 13 '13 at 19:38
So I think I do agree, Protestant does not properly define LDS. However, my original quibble was that it sounded like sects must be Trinitarian to be Protestant.
Something that always bothers me which I witness to Catholics: the well-meaning ones tell me I am a Protestant and say that "we protested the Catholic Church". This isn't true, the Baptist Church was never a part of the "Protestant Reformation" movement, and we don't actively engage in protesting...
@fredsbend I guess logically they could be called protestants, but I've never seen any evidence of the term being used to refer to the restorationist churches.
And now with groups like Oneness Pentecostal you have some non-trinitarian groups which have come from the protestant movement/family
But without qualifying statements, when someone says "protestant" they mean a group which is derived from the protestant reformation which disagreed over church authority and soteriology, and also, I think non-controversially, agreed in general about their doctrine of God
terms can change and if protestant came to cover the restorationist churches I wouldn't really care
but I think currently it doesn't merely mean a church which protested/disagreed against the Catholic church, but also means a church which agrees with a limited set of doctrines: trinitarianism, that there can be multiple valid churches and multiple valid leaders, that communion is non sacrificial, that salvation is by grace through faith alone
no one thinks that Islam is protestant, but their christology isn't too different from some restorationist groups...
It would be good to have some restorationists weigh in here! Would you like to be thought of as protestants?
I'm sure Mormons are neither Catholic nor Orthodox. There is no doubt that they are Christians but I'm not sure they are Protestants or not.
Are Mormons Protestants or they are just "Latter Day Saints"?
Discussion on question by Hello: What…
Discussion on question by Hello: What…