[annalex]

If your account of his core theology is fair, then I would suggest that he does not have many followers today.

You may be right. I think that Luther found a way to look at sin that is very satisfying for the modern, self-congratulatory mind, and at the same time appears to be in superficial agreement with Christianity. People are attracted to Protestantism because it doesn't ask all that much of them yet promises salvation. They are not attracted to Protestantism because of some deep analysis of what Luther's theology would logically lead to. This is why there was such divergence of Protestant theologies following Luther: because they all have the same therapeutic qualities but none is satisfying scripturally or theologically.

[Cronos]

You may be right. I think that Luther found a way to look at sin that is very satisfying for the modern, self-congratulatory mind, and at the same time appears to be in superficial agreement with Christianity. People are attracted to Protestantism because it doesn't ask all that much of them yet promises salvation. They are not attracted to Protestantism because of some deep analysis of what Luther's theology would logically lead to. This is why there was such divergence of Protestant theologies following Luther: because they all have the same therapeutic qualities but none is satisfying scripturally or theologically.

Very well thought out answer -- Protestantism does tend to have the fault of taking away the need for man to emulate God -- it's already decided, so sit back and do nothing.

[kosta50]

You may be right. I think that Luther found a way to look at sin that is very satisfying for the modern, self-congratulatory mind, and at the same time appears to be in superficial agreement with Christianity

Spot on, annalex. You took the words out of my mouth.

[Forest Keeper]

People are attracted to Protestantism because it doesn't ask all that much of them yet promises salvation. They are not attracted to Protestantism because of some deep analysis of what Luther's theology would logically lead to. This is why there was such divergence of Protestant theologies following Luther: because they all have the same therapeutic qualities but none is satisfying scripturally or theologically.

That's pretty harsh. Protestantism doesn't ask any more of a person than the Bible does. Jesus says Himself "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light". (Matt. 11:30) We also do not promise salvation to anyone. It is not ours to give.

Of course there are differences among the Protestant sects, that is to be expected when there is freedom. I can understand why a Protestant theology would be unsatisfying to you, but we Protestants aren't exactly a blip on the map. There are uncounted hundreds of millions of us who are very satisfied, and free.