reasons behind the Protestant Reformation that led to the development of Protestant churches?
357251
Luther discovered the truth about how catholics had perverted Christianity, and set out to live a life based on truth rather than lies.
786341
Excellent question!  I truly think that it is because modern American Protestantism is the new Pelagianism - and it is failing miserably...no matter how much they preach about "Grace" and "Faith" - the whole idea about "I am saved now - I don't have to work on sanctification" is BOGUS...and not at all what the Scriptures or the Apostolic Fathers teach.  These neo-con "Evangelicals" would have lasted about a nanosecond during the persecution of Nero or Diocletian.  None of this surprises me...."All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God."
743700
The Church was founded by the risen Christ, to overcome evil and lead all souls to heaven.\n\nOutside the Church there can be no assurance of salvation ... for anyone.
994996
Well I am Roman Catholic so I am closer to Orthodox Christianity than to Protestantism.\n\nWhat I see in those conversions is that people begin to sense the paradox inherent in Sola Scriptura and the absence of authority in interpretation of the scriptures. Commonly these conversions arise from research into theology and that of the history of the Christian Church.\n\nThe ones I've read tend to delve into the man-made doctrines and traditions of the Protestant Reformed faiths. They usually mention the traditions of the Church Fathers and the congruent and common traditions that arose in the earliest churchest and still are present today as not being in the Protestant faith.\n\nThe paradox I was describing earlier seems to me to be about the lack of accountability in defining doctrine. Since the Bible is the rule of faith alone there is no rule of faith which can interpret the Bible. Everyone is left to their own interpretation and becomes a church unto himself.\n\nThe attraction to Orthodox may lie in the explanations and lack of paradox contained in the above paragraph.\n\nFurthermore, Orthodox churches tend to believe that they are sinners and need to abide in God's will. Whereas Protestants can easily be lulled away from Reformed tradition and believe that they can't go wrong even while sinning. People become disillusioned with the 'once saved always saved' tradition made a couple hundred years ago. They seek to have faith and to live out that faith with a church that will support them in this and not merely say they are saved once and for all.\n\nThis is what I get from many of the Orthodox conversion stories.\n\nI relate a bit since my faith is similar. I think Roman Catholics that convert to Orthodox typically lie in the realm of being of the same faith as your spouse and sometimes in the belief that Christ did not intend a Pope, but intended all those other things the Catholic Church does.
250337
Martin Luther:  1483-1546  German theologian; leader of the German Reformation; translated Old and New Testaments into German.\n\nHe was a religious theologian or philosopher; he performed work as a translator as well; he was also a writer.
445708
the catholic church was around 1500 years before martin luthr was even born.  so protestants, who is kidding who????? which doctrine is really man-made??? the catholic church's essence is that of the original christianity, before someone came along and saod " i don't like x or y, so i think i'll make my own church".
1120340
The Bible was put together at the Council of Rome a few hundred years after Christ.  It had already been translated into Latin by St Ireneus.  Catholics still use this Bible -- though there have been translations into many languages.\n\nIn the 1500s, Martin Luther decided that several books of the Bible were not the inspired word of God, and eliminated them.  Most Protestant religions use this edited version of the Bible.\n\nNewer translations of the Bible attempt to stay true to the original Greek/Hebrew.  This is not true of The King James Version which uses a lot of 17th century literary constructs.  Poor translations in the KJV have led to some differences between Catholic beliefs and Protestant beliefs (particularly fundamentalists who only hold to the Bible).  For example, many Protestant religions that were founded using the KJV have the belief that Mary did not remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus and had other children.  Catholics, who used a better translation, do not hold these beliefs.
1071788
Dang, well first of all you have the catholics protestants and orthodox. then youcan split the orthodox in to a bunch of different gruops,I'm not sure of their names. then you have protestant denominations like 2nd and 7th day adventists, baptist luthereans methodists mormons and then thousands of non denominational churches plus many other kinds including cults like the branch davidians and the peoplebehind the jamestown massacre.
547536
I think in what i have read about luther sola scriptura seemed in his eyes to be the correct and just way to not only reach God, but to bring more people to him. It is not like Luther woke up one day and said Forget Catholism, in fact luther does not out and out give up on everything the Church believes in (Transubstantiation being evidence). I think Luther wanted to work within the Catholic Church, but much like many other people throughout history, he could not reconcile his beliefs with the beliefs of the system he was apart of. \n\nI agree there were risks, but i think he had mostly good intentions. He saw a church that he believed needed to change and he went about making the changes he thought were necesary. Of course he certainly wasnt the only one doing so and much like the others, he expeirences some mixed results. \n\nAbout Luthers hatred of Jews....it is easy to look now and say well the man is clearly out of his mind as evidence from the Jew-bashing. However to discredit the ideas simply because the man is flawed is perhaps overstepping ones bounds. Also i think its important to remember this is a societal opinion by much of the Catholic Church at this point in their history so it is not like he deviates incredibly far from the norm. \n\nLast rant i promise...the whole idea of discrediting of discrediting the church because of the indulgence thing....everyone gets the idea. Catholism has accepted for a while that it was a big no-no and i dont think we really need to judge the current Church on that fallacy.
716785
That was Martin Luther's deal. He found some things in several books that just didn't jive with all of his ideas of theology, especially the idea that those who CLAIM to be born again should ACT like it.\n\nInstead of changing his theology, he changed the Bible. \n\n(Mama gives ML THE LOOK...and sends him to the corner for being bad...)
24653
Why do you think there are so many different types of churches.
214230
Why are there so many different versions of the bible?\n\nHere I must assume you are refering to translations. . . there are many different translations because it is difficult to take words from one language (one that is very old, in fact) and put them into another language (one that is changing every day).  Since different groups translate the Bible, the text comes out slightly different, but "should" generally be close to the same in idea at least. \n\nWhy are their so many different kinds of Christians?\n\nThere are many different Christian sects because men struggle to agree with each other.  For a time, there was one Church, but then there was a division between East and West and later a division between Catholic and Protestant.  The Protestant Reformation has resulted in a huge number of sects developing, and each has, over time, developed differing concepts about the faith.  \n\n\nIf Christianty has stayed perfect and unchanging for 2000 years, then why are there so many variants within it?\n\nWho says it has?  I don't think anyone with any knowledge about Church history would say that.  Nothing that passes through the hands of so many humans can remain perfect . . . only God is perfect.
877571
the Church is both human and divine.  it is human because it succumbed to its frailties and many leaders committed sin and corruption and yet it is divine because it still exists and will continue to exist as God's family.  there is only one church with so many branches.  the reformation started when some christians wanted change from outside of the roman catholic branch of christianity while the counter reformation started when christians wanted change from  within the roman catholic branch.  both are a result of God's intervention to know him better and to be like him.
60911
I cannot do this subject justice in so little space but I will try. Between all the reformation efforts by people such as Wycliffe,Tyndale, and Luther, a spiritual revolution started. Previous to the 95 thesis Luther wrote a flyer called 'Justification by faith'.It stated that the only way to gain eternal life was through faith in Christ and it also criticized the church leaders begging for money and selling indulgences.In 1517 Luther posted his 95 thesis rejecting the church, in 01/06/1521 he was excommunicated at the 'Diet of Worms'(Worms is a town in Germany).The result of all this was the Bible was being translated into languages other that Latin, which most people could not understand.In Italy a group called the Waldensees rejected the church due to the teachings of the reformation leaders. Most of this group fled to Geneva Switzerland to avoid persecution. In 1560 the Geneva Bible was written in English. This is the Bible that the pilgrims brought over on the Mayflower in 1620 as they came to colonize this country. The KJV came out in 1611 so that it could bring people back to the church but was rejected by believers as a poor translation, eventually it overpowered the Geneva in popularity.It ultimately is a chain event of things that brought about the rejection of the false church teachings and put the Bible into the common mans hands.
885980
Well, through history different churches broke away from each other and formed their own religions. IE the Church of England (Episcopals) broke away from Cathololicism, Methodist broke away from the Church of England. There are huge differences amoung many of them. I suggest visiting local churches to really know. beliefnet.com is a great religious resource.
903835
Christian protestant churches teach Scripture.  The bible is the authority.\nOrthodox churches teach some Scripture, but much like the Catholic church, they teach traditions as well.  \nThe Orthodox make a big thing about Mary and their Icons as well.
235485
I've attached a link as a source to help you begin your search but I think it's going to be like looking for needle in a haystack.  I can tell you (as can anyone else) that Jesus Christ began Christianity but as far as who began all the differences (Catholic vs. Protestant vs. Baptist, etc), I have no clue.  It's just different interpretations of the Bible.