Protestantism (1983: Doomsday)

Protestantism

The diverse community of Christians not connected with the ancient Catholic and Orthodox churches was widely dispersed in the northern hemisphere on the occasion of the great disruption now known as "Doomsday." Remnants of most of the denominations and countless independent local congregations remain, having gained renewed importance in a post-apocalyptic world.

=History=

Beginning with Martin Luther, the unrest among Catholics grew throughout the 1500's to produce an official break with the historical western church. Mid-century the movement became known as "protestantism." Followers of the teachings of Luther, John Calvin and others would grow into a body of Christians numbering over 600 million prior to massive destruction of membership in population centers in Europe, China and North America. This had been about half the estimated number of Catholics worldwide. By the 1980's the "mainline" denominations had largely declined to insignificant numbers in Europe and as such are almost unknown in 2011 in the land of their origin. However, Pentecostal and Baptist congregations, founded by scattered missionaries before and since, are found in most provinces.

By far a minority in South and Central America, most Protestant churches not in the affected nations lost the crucial support from more prosperous churches instrumental in their founding. Some of these churches would flourish as stranded missionaries would become self-sufficient leaders and promoters of local leadership as well. Other churches would fail, their members either joining surviving protestant congregations or returning to the Catholic Church from which most had come.

=Protestant Denominations Today=

PC(USA)
Mere months before Doomsday the historic and long-awaited merger of the "Northern" and "Southern" Presbyterian Churches was accomplished - the religious news outlet proclaimed the Presbyterian Church (USA) to be "the" Presbyterian Church of record. Plans were well on the way to move the New York City (UPCUSA) and Atlanta (PCUS) headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky. That move did not occur. As a result, the new ecclesiastical organization would remain in name only. Member congregations would bind together for a while with local presbyteries and some regional synods, but with very little travel and even less long-range communication, the denomination largely failed to function.

PCA
A decade before ministers and concerned laymen in the PCUS had broken with the denomination and formed a new one, taking the name "Presbyterian Church in the United States" (PCA) after the UPCUSA congregation in Washington, DC, had objected to the proposed name of "National Presbyterian Church" (its local name). In a repetition of its historical forefathers, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (see below), the PCA held to a conservative point of view. In the years leading up to 1983, the young denomination had extended an invitation to the OPC and the RPCES, 'sister denominations,' to merge to form a larger denomination with common beliefs (to still be called the PCA). The OPC did not join at that time, but the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, finalized the merger less thatn a year before 'doomsday.' As a result, with 'new blood,' the PCA had new vitality with historical roots going back to Scotland! Part of the merger, though, brought most of the organization to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1982. Because of this, the young denomination began its "teenage years" without a 'parent' when that city was destroyed. Destruction also came the PCA's official schools near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri. Like with the PCUSA, the PCA lost the connectivity which made it "Presbyterian." However, its largely rural roots fostered strong presbyteries such as Calvary Presbytery in what became the Republic of Piedmont and Western Carolina Presbytery in what would become Blue Ridge. Even before political alliances were formed, these two presbyteries had convened a General Assembly meeting in 1986 at the denomination's Conference Center near Rosman, NC (BR). That same year a new seminary in Greenville, SC (RoP), was established for the teaching of ministers. As of 2010, connections have been made to scattered PCA congregations as far away as Hawaii, where the congregations had largely dissolved or joined the conservative Presbyterian Reformed Church of Australia (see below). As the history of the PCA post-DD has been put together in recent years, it appears that regional organizations have continued in virtual "synods" still considering themselves part of the PCA. Lacking large city churches (like Coral Ridge near Orlando and "Tenth" in Philadelphia), the denomination has largely remained a collection of like-minded Christians that have held tenaciously to their old identity.

OPC
Founded in the 1936, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (originally Presbyterian Church of America, but changed after then PCUSA objected to similarity), the sturdy, but small denomination had almost ceased to exist by way of merger with the PCA. However, after its scattered congregations lost their "heart" in Philadelphia (with the destruction of both headquarters and Westminster Seminary), they celebrated their fiftieth anniversary a shadow of themselves. Consequently, many of the congregations began to join with PCA presbyteries throughout North America for most of their religious outreach. As a result, as widespread communication and improved transportation became common after the turn of the century, the OPC and the PCA reconsidered their earlier negotiations, merging in 2003 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the PCA.

PRCA
With the destruction of the three largest cities, the Presbyterian churches of Australia saw a large drop in membership. The conservative denominations, though, fared better since they largely drew from suburbia and smaller towns. With the influx of Americans in 1983 and 1984, the two most conservative denominations (both descendents of the RPCES of America) joined in 1985 to be known by the name of the larger of the two - the Presbyterian Reformed Church (Australia). With the formation of the kingdom of Hawaii, that nation's conservative Presbyterians largely elected to join the PRCA as well.