Brian Moynahan in his minumental “the Faith” noted how importand the falling-off of England was to the success of the Reformation. He says — I paraphrase from memory — that had England remained Catholic the Protestantism would have been another quaint German invention, like Kantian philosophy or porcelain figurines. England, however, gave Protestantism a global reach, especially as she planted it, a century later, in the United States and built an empire that spanned the Third World.
I firmly believe that this century will be the century of re-gathering, as the churches that retained a kernel of Orthodox patrimony, the Church of England, and some Lutherans, as well as of course the Eastern Orthodox, find their ancestral home in communion with the Catholic Church.
Diverse Evangelical communities of faith will follow their diverse paths, and most likely they will scatter further.
The fulcrum of Christianity is coming, once again, to Rome.
Not a bad word, is it?
As long as Rome continues in a false Gospel, I see God's hand stopping that fulcrum's swing towards her. Perhaps if the Roman Catholic Church returns to her roots, and discards the false traditions of man that have prevented the true gospel of salvation by grace through faith from being proclaimed, she could one day join back with the community of faith.
***..that had England remained Catholic the Protestantism would have been another quaint German invention,***
If God had wanted England to remain Catholic the Armada would not have failed, twice!
But then, maybe God just didn’t want England to be Spanish!;-)