I agree that Evangelicals are not Protestants in the same sense of, say, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Anglicans, but they have a lot more in common theologically with mainline Protestants than with Catholics.I would argue that Evangelicals reject tradition too much and put themselves in danger of making each church member their own private interpreter of scripture. Thus, we end up with the nutsos like Robert Tilton and all sorts of theological nonsense, like the "name it and claim it" movement. It's utterly repugnant and not at all scriptural, nor is it a part of the Apostolic tradition.
On the other hand, I would also argue that the Catholics have almost completely substituted the teachings of the Magisterium for both scripture and true tradition. It's easy to prove that many Catholic traditions are neither scriptural nor based upon the tradition of the fathers. However, the current teaching is that scripture and tradition is what the Magisterium says it is, no matter how much the facts get in the way.
A thoroughgoingly false statement.
Ok, you got me on that one. Find one Church Father, East or West, that would affirm Protestant doctrine over classical Catholic or Eastern Orthodox traditionm, ie, on the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, the Priesthood, the perpetual virginity of Mary(which far predates the fourth century), apostolic succession, the Primacy of Peter, forgiveness of sins through the ministry of the Church, etc.
The early Fathers weren't Protestants; they were Catholic.