Wasn't it a primary goal of the Protestant Reformation to have each person interpret the Bible for themselves?

Question

So why have most Protestants never read it, and why do they indulge a "pastor/priest/whatever" for EVEN ONE SECOND?

Answer 1

The primary reason for the Reformation was to break free of Rome. Some are still justifying themselves this way. The Debate over the Bible came later.

Answer 2

A better question is this - if each person was supposed to interpret it for themselves, allegedly guided by the Holy Spirit, why are there thousands of Protestant sects each interpreting it differently? Sounds like the Holy Spirit either makes mistakes, or else they were wrong...

Answer 3

People like John Wycliff went against the orders of the church and made the Word of God available to all of the people so they could read for themselves what the Bible says about everything! The church had one copy of the Bible chained to the alter and written in Latin. A language that nobody spoke anymore!!

Answer 4

in answer to your first question: No. Luther, basically, wanted to use scripture as a check and balance as he felt the church was guiding tradition away from what the Apostles handed down. He saw their writings as a good way to reconnect with what they believed, in order to stay true to what they handed down. However, Luther would never have gotten as far away from tradition as most protestants have, as the fragmentation continued and people interpreted the Bible for themselves, fighting over its meaning apart from tradition.

Answer 5

Whatever Martin Luther had written down in that 95 thesis he hammered on to the Wittenberg Castle church door.

Answer 6

The Reformation was all about Luther's realization that Justification was by Faith, not Works, as The Catholic Church was Teaching at the Time.

Answer 7

Yes, it was. I have read the bible right through and no pastor, preacher, whatever can shove sheit down my throat.