What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church

About the Book

A Powerful Defense of The Protestant Tradition. 

Winner of the 2024 Christianity Today Book of the Year Award and Popular Theology category; Winner of Credo Magazine’s Award in Theological Retrieval

There's a movement among evangelicals of exploring the more sacramental, liturgical, and historically-conscious church traditions, including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. This hunger for historical rootedness is welcome—but unfortunately, many assume that this need can only be met outside of Protestant contexts.

In What it Means to Be Protestant, Gavin Ortlund draws from both his scholarly work in church history and his personal experience in ecumenical engagement to offer a much-needed defense of the Protestant tradition.

Retrieving classical Protestant texts and arguments, he exposes how many of the contemporary objections leveled against Protestants are rooted in caricature. He shows how historic Protestantism offers the best pathway forward and to historical rootedness for Christians today.

In his charitable style, Ortlund demonstrates that the 16th century Reformation represented a genuine renewal of the gospel. This does not entail that Protestantism is without faults. But because it is built upon the principle of semper reformanda (always reforming), Protestantism is capable of reforming itself according to Scripture as the ultimate authority.

"I find it hard to overstate the importance of this book for every pastor/minister, elder, and serious Bible student that I know. . .This book automatically becomes my new go-to resource explaining Protestantism. It is fantastic, and I thank God for it. . ." —Bobby Harrington, co-founder of RENEW.org and Discipleship.org, founding pastor Harpeth Christian Church

About the Author :
Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Seminary) serves as President of Truth Unites, Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville, and Visiting Professor of Historical Theology at Phoenix Seminary. He is the author of several books, including Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't and What It Means to Be Protestant.

Review :
'Gavin Ortlund is one of the most effective defenders and articulators of Protestant theology at work in the world today. His YouTube defenses of Protestant perspectives are viewed by hundreds of thousands. More importantly, they're clear, fair-minded, and reliable. Protestants maintain a wide array of views on how catholic and traditional Protestants should be. But if you want a mainstream view--one that offers a good summary of Protestant distinctives from a Reformed point of view--this book is for you. I pray that God will use it to help all of us understand the gospel more clearly and follow the Lord Jesus more courageously.' 'Gavin Ortlund presents a compelling case for mere Protestantism by showing how a Protestant faith is a recovery of the apostolic gospel and answers the abiding questions of church, authority, and tradition. It is a robust program to be both evangelical and ecumenical. An authentic church, Ortlund teaches us, should be constantly conforming itself closer to the gospel. This book provides a model for how Protestants should initiate conversations with other Christian traditions.' 'I find it hard to overstate the importance of this book for every pastor/minister, elder, and serious Bible student that I know. I am purchasing a copy for each elder and ministerial staff at my home church. This book automatically becomes my new go-to resource explaining Protestantism. It is fantastic, and I thank God for it....' 'In an age where theology is too often either angry and scornful, or mushy and hesitant, the directness, gentleness and humility of Gavin Ortlund's writing is a balm. Agree with him or not, this is as generous and wise a presentation of the case for historic Protestantism as I think you'll find.' 'In posing the question what it means to be Protestant, Gavin Ortlund launches the reader into a debate in which there is little consensus and which defies easy answers. Through a combination of robust arguments, theological and historical insight, and generosity towards other traditions, Ortlund admirably captures the restless, rebellious nature of a religious movement constantly striving for renewal. The author makes a case for Protestantism that will not find universal agreement, but which inspires response, reflection, and humility. An important read for all Christians.' 'Much of contemporary Protestantism, conservative to liberal, has little connection to the Reformation. But Ortlund reminds us why the 'Protestant' label is worth saving. He has a real gift for distilling complex issues into something that a struggling Christian can understand. This is a well-informed but also passionate defense. Before running to Rome or the East, please read this terrific book first!' 'Neither shying away from disagreements between Christian traditions nor triumphing in them, this book offers a wonderful introduction to the riches of the historic Protestant tradition. In conversation with other traditions, Ortlund's approach embodies a convicted civility, which is humble and irenic yet rooted. For anyone looking for an introduction to what it means to be Protestant that avoids common caricatures of Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox positions, this is a great book!' 'With a heart aching for Protestants to understand their own heritage, Gavin Ortlund builds a strong, historically-grounded case for the advantages of their tradition. And he makes bold claims for the potential of mere Protestantism, as a renewal movement, to serve as the best cultivator of true catholicity. The result is a vigorous and engaging apologetic for a semper reformanda approach to theology and the Christian life.'