A Theology of Protest: The Reformation and Paul Tillich's 'Protestant Principle'

Abstract

Many in our culture have difficulty understanding and appreciating the significance of Luther’s achievement because of its medieval trappings. Paul Tillich’s insightful reflections on the nature of Protestantism provide a helpful way to distinguish what is of mere historical interest from what is of enduring value in Luther’s legacy. Tillich exemplifies the kind of dialogical historical-theological engagement with the church’s heritage that is urgently needed, since it is captive neither to the right with its ideological misuse of the past in support of conservatism nor to the left with its ideological rejection of the past as oppressive.