Protestantism is a heresy, Y/N?
>>Protestantism is a heresy, Y/N?<<
No, a heresy is a false doctrine, or a movement to promote such a doctrine, proclaimed as authentic Catholic teaching. An apostasy is the withdrawal from the Catholic faith. Protestant "converts" are apostate, not heretical.
In one sense, "heretic" has a worse connotation, because it suggests the undermining of the true faith, but in another sense "apostate" is worse because it suggests the removal of oneself from grace, as opposed to mere error.
At the time of the COuncil of Trent, Protestantism could be largely identified as apostasy. Today, most Protestants simply have never been Catholic, and that term is also unsuitable.
I believe the shift in tone towards Protestants between Trent and Vatican II does not represent a change in doctrine, but a change in the denotation of "Protestant." At Trent, a protestant was an apostate. This is no longer true.