Protestantism and Progress: A Historical Study of the Relation of Protestantism to the Modern World

by Ernst Troeltsch, W. Montgomery (Translator)

Troeltsch seeks to determine how much the "Modern Spirit" of the early twentieth century actually owed to Protestantism. Troeltsch then proceeds to a comparison between the essential spirit of Protestantism and the Modern Spirit. The book focuses on the ethical, political, and economic.

Genres: History, Theology, Religion, Cultural, European History

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1912

Reviews

[Mikael Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful vindication of Luther and Calvin (though this was not, I think, Troeltsch's intention), but some troubles remain. The biggest question I'm taking away: is Protestantism's failure to establish a stable form of social organization a historical accident or an "authentic development"? Troeltsch once said, "GENTLEMEN, EVERYTHING IS TOTTERING!" and sometimes that's just what it's like to be a modern Protestant. But could the Church still be for us a ladder stretching out of the stormy seas of historicism into Heaven?

"Once the supreme miracle of the incarnation of God in Jesus and in the Bible is present, the continuation of this miracle in the hierarchy and the sacraments is a logical consequence; nothing short of the complete deification of the Church as an Institution can really prevent the humanisation of the doctrines and truths."

"When, with the growth of Confessional wrangling, the tyranny of authoritative dogma became unbearable, and consequently dogma itself suspect, the centre of gravity was shifted from the doctrine of salvation and justification, which was closely bound up with the main Trinitarian and Christological doctrines, to personal subjective conviction, to the emotional experience of a sense of sin and of peace of heart. That, however, gave free scope for the establishment of the idea of faith on a purely subjective inward foundation, and consequently also for the possibility of its taking various forms not bound up with any official dogma. The Bible became, instead of the infallible rule of faith, a spiritual entity and power of a more fluid character, a witness to historical facts from which psychologically mediated religious energies streamed forth... Then follows that amalgamation of Protestantism with the subjective individualistic representatives of a religion of feeling and conviction, which now makes Protestantism as a whole appear as the religion of conscience and conviction, without compulsorily imposed dogma, and with a free Church-organisation independent of the State, and a certainty based on inner feeling independent of all rational proofs. When Lessing appeals to Luther, 'the Great Misunderstood,' to take under his protection this genuine Protestantism, he is identifying Protestantism, in a manner which was to be imitated by a host of followers, with the old Sectarian doctrine of the 'Inner light'...and yet at the same time he is expressing an essentially Protestant idea, as he himself was convinced that he was doing. He has simply treated Luther's way as more important than his goal."

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because Kevin Vanhoozer referenced it a lot in his recent book "Biblical Authority After Babel." Basically, Ernst Troeltsch declares that Protestantism doesn't really generate anything but that it exacerbates principles or values that originate from other sources (e.g. individualism).

[Russell Sigler · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first few chapters of this book are quite convoluted, but once you push past them the book becomes bearable. Troeltsch even throws in a few interesting points if you stick with it. Make sure you arm yourself with a strong cup of coffee if you plan to read this one.

[Bryan Counts · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least it contributed to my goodreads numbers. And really that’s what it’s all about

[C. A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compte tenu des études historiques auxquelles il avait accès, Troeltsch offre une stimulante réflexion sur le rapport du Protestantisme à la modernité. Il propose, entre autre, de clairement distinguer le Protestantisme ancien du Protestantisme du 21e siècle puis, il argumente que le Protestantisme ancien n'a qu'une influence médiate sur la modernité. En effet, il s'efforce de montrer que les sociétés réformées et luthérienne du 16e siècle au milieu du 17e siècle sont essentiellement conservatrices et n'innovent que très peu par rapport au Christianisme médiéval. L'innovation moderne et individualiste serait issue des sectes qui surgissent au 17e siècle : Quakers, Baptistes, Spiritualistes, Piétistes etc.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

...and all this thanks to the Protestant Pope living in the peaceful town of Narnia, who coordinates the one true Protestant norm.

Irony aside, this is the usual European simpleton navel gazing that has lead to all sort of collective thinking, and racism: like Jews who all have a genetic disposition to rule the world, or be in banking, when most bankers in Europe are Christians, the same way among the thousands of schools of thought in Islam, all Muslim share a common need to be backward and put democracy in danger, see Richard Dawkins, or that African men have very big penises, and Asian men are very short.

[Stuart Gunner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was this book supposed to be theological? Political? Positive? Negative? I’m not sure and I don’t think that Troeltsch did either. The last 25 pages of the book were better when he talked about the impact that Protestantism (mainly Calvinism and Lutheranism) had on the economic climate and ‘modern religious feeling.’ This won’t be a book that I’ll pick up again.

[Amanda]

I don't know how to rate this book. It was assigned for class.
It was a really interesting view of Protestantism and the Modern world, and I appreciated the historical aspects of the points he was making. But I also felt like I was getting lost in the back and forth way of his writing sometimes. Some of his thoughts on Calvinism and capitalism made me laugh.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of generalization in the beginning, but better when he began to talk about Calvinism and Lutheranism and especially the last chapter which I think gave a good overview of where theology was going in an age of science at the beginning of the 20th century.

[Aaron J. Gregas · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Protestantism and Progress, Troeltsch draws the connection between the rise of Protestantism and modernism. He deals with many facets of the modern world such as the modern view of the State and economic and scientific developments. In his estimation, Protestantism in general did not directly cause the modernist conception of the self or freedom, but only facilitated the ability of such “progress.” He says that “Protestantism cannot be supposed to have directly paved the way for the modern world” (Troeltsch, 85). Rather, under Protestantism, Europe had to endure “two centuries more of the medieval spirit” (Ibid., 86). Because of this, “anyone who approaches it from the side of the history of religion, of social ethics or science, will not be able to escape the impression that it was only the great struggle for freedom at the end of the seventeenth century…which really brought the Middle Ages to an end” (Ibid.). As such, the modern view of the state “are not creations of Protestantism” (Ibid., 106), because Protestantism continued to view the State as a religious institution.
While Protestantism was not the direct influence of modernism, “Calvinism… is the power which stands nearer to the modern world” (Ibid., 131ff.). He argues that the “ethico-religious spirit of Calvinism had a special significance for the rising of the capitalistic spirit” (Ibid., 132). The Calvinistic doctrine of predestination gives rise to the “capitalistic spirit because it “urges the elect to the full development of his God-given powers and offers him this as a sign by which he may assure himself of his election [which creates a framework in which] work becomes rational and systematic” (Ibid., 136). Because of this, “modern economic development, which is, in point of fact, one of the most characteristic features of our modern world, is to be ascribed, not to Protestantism as a whole, but primarily to Calvinism…” (Ibid., 139). That being said, he also acknowledges that the modernistic conception of capitalism, “with its coldness and soullessness…has entirely loosed itself from its former ethical foundation…[becoming] a power directly opposed to genuine Calvinism…” (Ibid.). This is an insightful treatment of the direct and indirect effects of the Protestant Reformation on our modernist’s societies, especially in its treatment of the Calvinistic contribution to the “spirit of capitalism.”