ABSTRACT
Protestantism’s spread into economically and culturally distinct societies has increased the variability of its relationship to politics which stems from Christianity’s origin as a persecuted sect, the lack of ‘law’ in its scriptures and its emphasis on cultural and linguistic adaptation. Protestantism, born largely within the Christendom model, nevertheless accentuates these characteristics. Especially in its evangelical form, it sees itself as a return to the early church, seeking justification for its stances in the New Testament. However, early Christianity was a discriminated sect which soon became a cross-cultural voluntary community. Protestantism has become the natural home of the sect tendency, one of the possible sociological outworkings of primitive Christianity. The United States was founded on ‘no establishment’ and ‘free exercise’, resulting in denominationalism and civil religion. While democracy became secularised in Europe, it became tied to revivalist Christianity in America.
