Page 145 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Gospel and New Beginnings

Size of the Reformed Church

Frankly, the Reformation did not succeed in reaching multitudes
in the initial stages. The Catholic Church reacted with what we refer
to as the Counter Reformation and regained some of the people and
territory lost to the Reformation. The conflict between Protestants and
Catholics eventually led to the Thirty Years’ War in Europe, which left
the church weak, defensive, and preoccupied with survival. The result
was that reformers lacked the vitality and vision they needed for world
evangelization.

Divisions
The Protestant Reformation soon failed the test of unity. Sharp divisions
arose between Lutheran and Reformed churches. Although these two
branches were hopelessly divided
in terms of their theology, they
were united in their hatred for
Rome. At times, one Protestant Many of the reformers
group suppressed the other with taught that the Great
the sword. Some Protestants who
had been persecuted by Catholics Commission was for
approved of persecution of other the apostles and the
Protestants with whom they
disagreed doctrinally. It is an early church only.
unfortunate historical fact that
Protestants killed other Protestants
over their differences.

No Central Authority
During the Counter Reformation and afterward, the Roman Catholic
Church organized missions under the authority of Rome. Religious
orders, such as the Capuchins, Franciscans, Dominicans, and the Society
of Jesus (Jesuits), were established, and they provided a centralized
and organized approach to missions. Spain and Portugal ruled the seas
and had a monopoly on trade. Their ships carried both merchants and
missionaries.

By contrast, Protestants were not as organized. In fact, they did not
respond adequately to the task of taking the gospel to the nations—
including the continent of Africa—for another two hundred years.

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