HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE-L Archives

Archiver > HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE > 2003-01 > 1043354288


From:
Subject: [HWE] Being Protestant ?
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 12:38:13 -0800 (PST)


Hello Fellow Listers,

A mixture of wonder and puzzle has struck my mind.

But first things first.

Did you know?

Do you know that this mailing list, administered by the
bright and cheery Andrea Vogel, is one of the most
enjoyable. Not only for its depth of quality
information and exchange thereof, but also for the
manner in which the HWE subscribers conduct themselves.

I broached a question here recently to which it was
suggested that maybe the Gen-Med list could assist.

Well!

I tell you fellow subscribers of this list, by just
browsing some of the material found there and the way
in which many of its subcribers conduct themselves
surely does leave a lot.

So I quite publicly say a huge thank you to Andrea and
all of the HWE subscribers.

End Part 1

Now then, what is a post without a question ?

1535 and the little king across on the island off the
coast of 'La Belle' France, Henry VIII, has finally
blown his cool and decided that the only way to have
his own way is to establish the Church of England.

He also introduced a nifty "quickie" divorce idea..
beheading, but I digress.

While this has been going on, back on the mainland,
Luther and Calvin et al., have been busy with the
Huguenot, Walloon etc., cause.

My puzzle is this. Many followers of the Calvinism
doctrine seemed to be saying that they were Protestant.
And yet over on the island, the C of E folks are also
termed as Protestant.

I am wondering why there were no real conflicts, or
were there ?

Why did the mostly C of E folks take so readily to the
Huguenot (Calvinists) who obvioulsy had a differing
view ?

Was it because both Protestant followers decided that
while they might disagree, both sure did totally
disagree with the Catholics and so they should keep any
squables to a low key and unite against the Catholics.

Some time ago I was abale to attend what is termed as a
'High Church' assembly of the C of E and not long later
found myself sitting quietly in a southern Baptist
gathering. ok so 'quiet' it was not. But they were all
having fun.

The point is, the difference between these two
'Protestant' organisations is as wide as ever, and yet
both refer to themselves as 'Protestant'

I wonder why ?

Perhaps we today are not doing our 'Huguenot' ancestors
a service. Perhaps we should be refering to them as
Calvinists or Lutherans or Zwanglists rather than
Huguenot.

Just because he/she was French and a believer in
Protestant thoughts, does not mean that ancestor 'Fred'
was a Huguenot, does it ?

As always I will read with interest any thoughts that
any have on my puzzle.

Kind Regards,
Peter Leroy

This thread: