Is Protestantism all heresy from an Orthodox perspective?

Regardless of the denomination, the views of the clergy are more moderate than those of the laity. Recently, I heard the Orthodox believe that Protestantism is heresy. This kind of statement is like eating some bad food in every cell of my body, and I have to vomit.

Because, even in my four years at an Orthodox seminary, I have never heard anyone (whether a teacher or a student) say that Protestantism is heresy. Apart from the ignorance and hatred of the speaker, this accusation does not give me any warmth or affirmation towards Protestants.

I remember that when I was at Holy Cross Seminary, I once asked a priest: "Is Protestantism a heresy?" The old priest did not answer my question directly. He said that there are many Protestant denominations, and it is difficult to say. But their justification by faith is a bit of an imposition of God's salvation. The old priest said this, of course, to discourage me from calling Protestantism a heresy.

I think the priest's views also represent the current Orthodox view of Protestantism.

Because to say that a person or a certain sect is a heretic is a great judgment, and basically defines that person or that sect as alienated from God. Yesterday, when teaching children at the Areopagus School, I shared the words of Agatong, the godfather of the desert, in verse 5.

It is said that several monks came to visit him when they heard that Abba Agathon had great insight. To test him whether he would lose his temper, they said to him, "Are you that lecherous and arrogant Agathon?" He replied, "Indeed!" Then they pressed on, "You too are that man. Are you A Jiatong who often talks about it?" "I am indeed." They asked again: "Are you the heretical A Jiatong that others say?" At this time he replied: "Then I am definitely not a heretic." They asked him again, "Tell me why we throw so many accusations and you deny only the last slander?" He replied, "I can accept the first few accusations because they are good for my soul. But heretics are clearly separated from God. I don't want to be separated from God!" They were amazed at his insight, and they went back after being edified. [1]

[1] "The Words and Deeds of the Godfather of the Desert" translated by Chen Yanzhong (Beijing: Sanlian, 2012), p. 72.

Here Agathon, facing people who say that he is lecherous, arrogant and open-mouthed, accepts it, because this is what we sinners are and shows his humility, but he rejected the accusation of the heretics, he said: " Heretics are clearly alienated from God. I don't want to be alienated from God!" It can be seen how big an accusation is to say that people from other Christian sects or a certain sect are heretics. This accusation is a complete denial that Protestants, and the entire Protestant sect, are without the grace of God and separate from God.

In ancient times, making someone or an idea heretical was not something a layman could claim, nor even an individual priest, or even a bishop could claim qualitatively, but it needed to be decided jointly by a meeting. Several ecumenical councils have been directed against heretical ideas and teachings that have emerged in the history of the Church.

I am short-sighted, and in four years of Orthodox school, I have never heard of a meeting of the Orthodox Church that characterizes the entire Protestant Church as heretical. And on a practical level, when many Orthodox dioceses accept converted Protestants, they only need to be anointed without baptism.

Therefore, I refute those who claim that Protestantism is heretical.

However, I have also claimed that Catholicism, and even Orthodox Christianity, are heretical through quite a few Protestants, which is even more outrageous (if readers are interested, please reply to me, and I will write to refute such Protestant views).

To sum up in one sentence, the secularization outside is so serious, homosexuality and same-sex marriage are rampant, and we are still attacking each other, which is really unbearable. Quoting a poem by Cao Zhi, it was born from the same root, so why is it too urgent to fry each other.