[Claud]

The Reformed, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran confessions all claim him as one of their own. And at times, he fit into each rather nicely. But in the end Augustine was Augustine.... So when xzins says that he agrees with some of them, he is right. And when Claud is shocked by that, he is also right. Depends on who and what you read of them.

You're right to an extent, although we have to be cautious about being saying "everyone is a little right" when it comes to history. For instance, although Augustine had a somewhat anomalous view on justification, it still didn't reach the levels to which the Re But I'm not so interested in prooftexting on this thread. What I am interested in is examining a historical assumption that comes with Protestantism. Namely, the Church used to be a certain way, and then it was corrupted into Catholicism.

Whatever else we tease out of them, the Fathers don't support such a view. There's no grand battle fighting "paganization" within the Church. There's no sense of a losing fight against Constantinian/pagan influences. There is continuity. There is succession.

[Claud]

Sorry...I meant above “still didn’t reach the levels which the Reformation ascribed to it”

[Alex Murphy]

What I am interested in is examining a historical assumption that comes with Protestantism. Namely, the Church used to be a certain way, and then it was corrupted into Catholicism.

IMO you should define what groups you're including in the term "Protestantism" before you go forward with your examination.