g of indulgences is a particular vice because a) it is not in Scripture and b) it encourages sin. The Church cannot put divine forgiveness up for sale. Your relation to God is not mediated by priests or saints, but is a personal acceptance of the message of Scripture. The Virgin Mary almost disappears from protestant consciousness, and the role of the saints is greatly diminished. All rituals are performed in the vernacular. Rituals are less elaborate, although candles and bells are still in use. Ministers can marry, although the Queen would prefer they did not. More Comparative Religion: Calvinists (Puritans, Huguenots, Presbyterians, etc.)Refer to the Lutherans, then add... Every one is predestined, according to God's plan, to be saved or damned. No action on any one's part can change this. Those who already saved are called the Elect. Good works are an aspect of the behaviour expected of the Elect, but are not required for salvation. They are not Saved because they are virtuous; they are virtuous because they are Saved. The prayers of priests are no more perfect, and no more important to God than others. Testifying, or preaching and interpreting Scripture, is encouraged and expected of both ministers and the congregation. The prayers of noblemen are no more valuable to God, either. Every man is equal in the sight of God. This is dangerously revolutionary thinking. The rituals of the English church are still too Roman to suit the Puritans. They would prefer that candles, bells, saints and vestments of any kind be removed. Certain evangelical preachers are even more radical. They also maintain: Scripture is not the only source of God's truth. It is still possible for the Holy Spirit to speak through an individual. A man (or more rarely, a woman) can have personal revelations not only of the nature of God but about matters of daily life. While revelation is an intensely personal experience, the person so visited has an obligation to co...
