Protest for Protestants Today

Abstract

Protest has a place. It has been said that Luther uttered his protests from the geographical margins of the Holy Roman Empire. How are mainline Protestants to protest today? Protest claims a center when it articulates a vision. A vision is required to lift eyes up toward something that is “not yet,†which offers spiritual and rational power to orient and guide emotions, actions, and rational reflection. Reflection on and articulation of vision as protest is an intellectual exercise. A pervasive Protestant view of reason has, however, not been central to the robust intellectual tradition represented by traditional Protestantism. Recommitting educational institutions to a vision of intellectual vitality is part and parcel of clear protest. The reception history of Luther shows activity beyond the sphere of Protestant theology. It is time for mainline Protestants to claim the center of religious and political protest. This protest will require a vision that can be communicated with clarity and purpose. An appreciation for the reformation legacy is compatible with a determined effort to create a new center for protest today. Protest is inscribed into the term Protestant. This identity can still be grasped as central to Protestantism today.