What are Protestants protesting?

When we hear Protestant, we think – protest! But the term "Protestant" was not a cry to protest, chosen by those so called – it was an "inadequate" label first applied in 1529 at the Diet of Speyer (also called Speirs) in Germany to a group of people challenging the Roman Catholic Church’s declarations and practices.

Diet? The word "Diet" (in Latin “dietas”, meaning "daily assembly") was used in the Holy Roman Empire for an official meeting of the empire's estates, including princes, bishops, and representatives of imperial cities. These meetings were held to deliberate on issues such as imperial law, tax, military issues, and religious disputes. Their decisions were usually binding on the member states in the empire.

At the Diet of Speyer, Evangelical princes and cities lodged a formal “protestation” against the Roman Catholic majority's decision to revoke earlier tolerances and enforce uniformity under Rome. From this act of principled dissent, the name "Protestant" arose, symbolising a stand for Biblical truth over human tradition or imperial decree.

So we can come to this definition: Protestantism is the historic movement within Christianity that emerged from the 16th-century Reformation, standing firmly against sinful unbelief and falsehood while bearing witness to the exclusive testimony of Jesus Christ as the only Saviour and Mediator. At its heart, Protestantism is a revival of true religion – a return to the pure Gospel that invites every believer to come directly to Christ without the "soul-threatening toll-gate" of a religious hierarchy, human mediators such as priests, or departed saints. It rejects any system that interposes between the sinner and the Saviour, affirming instead the believer's immediate access to God through faith in Jesus alone.

Core Theological Principles: The Five Solas

Protestantism is defined by the Five Solas of the Reformation – foundational truths recovered from Scripture and upheld by Reformed theology worldwide. These solas distinguish Protestant faith from other traditions:

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): Holy Scripture is the supreme, infallible, and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Bible alone reveals God and his will for us. It is clear, sufficient, and supreme over councils, traditions, or human opinions.
Sola Fide (Faith Alone): Justification is by faith alone. As Martin Luther declared, this is the "article on which the Church stands or falls." Sinners are declared righteous not by works or merit, but by trusting in Christ's finished work.
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone): Salvation is entirely a gift of God's sovereign grace, unearned and undeserved by human effort.
Solus Christus (Christ Alone): Jesus Christ is the only Mediator and High Priest. His once-for-all sacrifice on the cross provides perfect redemption for sin. No other work must be done. No other intercessor is needed.
Soli Deo Gloria (To the Glory of God Alone): All things, including the new birth of believers and every aspect of salvation, exist ultimately for God's glory.

Closely tied to these is the priesthood of all believers. Every Christian has direct union with Christ and access to God through Him. No "special man" or clerical intermediary is required; all believers are called to read Scripture, pray, and serve in the church.

A Brief History of the Movement

The Protestant Reformation was not a single event but a cumulative movement spanning centuries, rooted in a desire to return to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. Protestantism traces its light back to pre-Reformation witnesses – proto-Reformers who challenged corruption and emphasized Biblical truth long before Luther:

John Wycliffe (c. 1320–1384, England) – Translated the Bible into English and critiqued papal authority and the doctrine of transubstantiation.
Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague (Bohemia) – Preached against abuses; Hus was martyred in 1415.
The Moravians (Unitas Fratrum, founded 1457) – Early Evangelical brethren who preserved Gospel simplicity.

The Reformation ignited in earnest on 31 October 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church door, now known as Reformation Day, opposing indulgences and reclaiming justification by faith. Other leaders followed: Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland, John Calvin in Geneva (emphasizing God's sovereignty), and John Knox in Scotland.

Key events include Luther's stand at the Diet of Worms (1521), where he refused to recant, and the martyrdom of English Reformers like Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer under Queen Mary ("Bloody Mary").

This includes the pioneering work and martyrdom of William Tyndale, whose translation of the Bible into English laid the groundwork for the Reformation in the English-speaking world, and John Knox, whose leadership in Scotland established a lasting Presbyterian and Reformed legacy.

By the mid-16th century, the Peace of Augsburg (1555) recognized Lutheranism, but religious strife continued, peaking in the devastating Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). The 1648 Peace of Westphalia finally entrenched the coexistence of the major Christian confessions in Europe, granting legal recognition to Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed churches while maintaining clear doctrinal distinctions between them.

In Southern Africa, Protestant roots arrived with the French Huguenots (1688), who brought Reformed faith, and early missions like the Moravian settlement at Genadendal (1737) – the first Protestant mission station in South Africa.

The Protestant Association of South Africa (PASA), founded in 1925, continues this heritage by upholding Reformation principles amid modern challenges.

Protestantism: A Call to Biblical Fidelity

While Protestantism has seen the development of a diversity of denominations that hold claim to its principles, the call of the Reformation remains: return to the truth of Scripture, and by God’s grace gifted faith, trust in Christ alone as your only and complete Saviour, glorifying God in all things. This PASA affirms, and will continue to strive for. Protestantism stands for the exclusive claims of the Gospel – against pluralism, hierarchy, or any compromise that obscures Christ's sufficiency.