h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My dear sir (or lovely researcher, whichever you may be...),

I, as a Lutheran, am obsessed with my church's history. I enjoyed your article thouroughly (sp?), but you must be warned that there is one grievous mistake in your entry and one nitnoid thing I noticed: Lutherans are NOT Protestants.

In fact, they are one of only TWO non-Roman Catholic branches of Christianity that do not fall under this catagory. The other is the Eastern Orthodox Church (all branches). There is one reason for this: Protestants were NOT protesting the Catholic church, as is usually claimed (picture G. Washington and the cherry tree). The Calvanist churches and the Anglican church were actually protesting the Peace of Augsburg that the Lutherans signed with the Catholics. They were infuriated that they were not recognized as actual churches. They sent nasty letters to the Pope, they picketed, nearly declared war, then gave up.

But you see, they were also made at the Lutherans. So, we are not bridged in this group. Lutherans belong to a catagory all their own (I believe... I don't know of any other member churches, at least), called Reformationists. They've been evilly clumped with the Calvanists and Puritans and everyone else for ages, but always incorrectly. Perhaps we're just snobs.

Oh, the Eastern Orthodox Churches aren't Protestant, and essentially got the Reformation started (if we want to be picky) by breaking away from the Catholic church in the 13th Century: a good 300 years before Luther (thank you Byzantine Empire!).

The little nitpicky point I noticed was your pronounciation guide for Johann Eck. I also happen to be a student of German (fits quite well with church history)and so, as German phonics (unlike English) are ALWAYS constant, the last name should be pronounced ek, with a short e sound. If it was Ieck, then it would be a long e. Thank you for paying attention! I hope you will implement these notes into your text. Thank you.

Shanana

I just noticed your plea for a pronounciation of Hohenzollern, so here it is: Hoe (like the garden tool) hen (a chicken) tsole (like toll, but with the beginning of tsar) learn (read a book). So it's Hoe-hen-tsole-learn

shanana

Not exactly. The end (the 'ern') is pronounced 'err' like in 'error' and then the 'n'.
So it's Ho-hen-tsoll-errn. And you have to roll the 'r' - likewise as the scottish do.

I apologise for my incorrect information on Lutherans. I will correct it shortly. I will also get a new history book that does not identify Lutherans as Protestants.