Understanding the Challenge of John Henry Newman to Protestants

John Henry Newman's famous statement 'to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant' is often used to imply that Protestants lack historical lineage. While Dr. Michael Haken acknowledges the importance of Protestants being familiar with church history, he offers a counter-argument to Newman's claim. Haken notes that Newman's view is limited as it only considers Protestantism and Roman Catholicism, ignoring the Eastern, Oriental, and Ethiopic Orthodox traditions which also have deep historical roots. This discussion emphasizes the significance of Protestants engaging with church history, exploring the perspectives of church fathers on sacramental theology, baptism, the Lord's Supper, church polity, and Scripture's authority.