Protestantism and ecumenism

Abstract

Protestantizem je poimenovanje verskih gibanj, ki neposredno ali posredno izhajajo iz reformacije v 16. stoletju, ko je vodilno vlogo odigral Martin Luter. Zaradi zavračanja primata in avtoritete hierarhičnosti je bil Luter za reformiranje Cerkva prisiljen ustvariti nove, popolnoma drugačne strukture. Sodobno ekumensko gibanje se je začelo v okviru evangeličanskega krščanstva v 19. stoletju, šele v 20. stoletju pa lahko govorimo o pravem ekumenskem gibanju, obsegajočem več veroizpovedi. Prve korake v smer ekumenskega dialoga so naredili kristjani iz protestantskih Cerkva in skupnosti. Prav zato postaja naloga ekumenskega gibanja predvsem ustvarjanje skupnega krščanskega odgovora na družbene, gospodarske in kulturne spremembe, ki so izvor trpljenja in ponižanja mnogih ljudi, ne le kristjanov. Protestantism is a concept describing religious movements originating directly or indirectly from the 16th-Century Reformation led by Martin Luther. Rejecting the primacy and the hierarchy of authority forced Luther to formulate new, completely different structures for the Reformed Churches. The contemporary ecumenical movement had its beginnings in Evangelical Christianity in the 19th Century; however, only in the 20th Century we can speak of a truly ecumenical movement comprising multiple religious beliefs. The Christians from the Protestant communities and churches made first steps towards the ecumenical dialogue. The main task of the ecumenical movement is to work out a common, Christian response to the social, economic and cultural changes that are the source of pain and humiliation for many people, not only the Christians.