Editing Mainline Protestant (section)

==Terminology==
The term ''mainline Protestant'' was coined during [[Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy|debates between modernists and fundamentalists in the 1920s]].{{Sfn | Walsh | 2000| pp=40| p = |ps = : "The term 'mainline Protestant' was coined during the modernist/ fundamentalist debates of the 1920s."}} Several sources claim that the term is derived from the [[Philadelphia Main Line]], a group of affluent suburbs of Philadelphia; most residents belonged to mainline denominations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~dml1/wjreviews.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927025143/http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~dml1/wjreviews.html|title=Lindsay, D. Michael. "Faith in the Halls of Power"|archive-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref> Today, most mainline Protestants remain rooted in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. C. Kirk Hadaway and Penny Long Marler define the term as follows: "the term 'mainline Protestant' is used along with 'mainstream Protestant' and 'oldline Protestant' to categorize denominations that are affiliated with the National Council of Churches and have deep historical roots in and long-standing influence on American society."{{Sfn | Hadaway | Marler | 2006 | pp=3–4}}

In the US, Protestantism is generally divided between mainline denominations and [[Evangelicalism in the United States|evangelical]] or [[Conservative Christianity|theologically conservative]] denominations. In other parts of the world, the term ''mainline Protestant'' is not used. Instead, the term "[[ecumenical]]" is used to distinguish similar churches from evangelical denominations.{{Sfn | Hutcheson | 1981 | p = 27}} Some have criticized the term ''mainline'' for its alleged [[White Anglo-Saxon Protestants|White Anglo-Saxon Protestant]] ethnocentric and elitist assumptions, and its erroneous association with the term "mainstream" since it almost exclusively described [[White Americans|White American]], non-[[Christian fundamentalism|fundamentalist]] and non-[[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] Protestant Americans from its origin to the late twentieth century.{{Sfn | Marty | 1980 | pp=8 | p = | ps = : "the term 'Mainline' may be as unfortunate as the pejorative-sounding WASP, but it is no more likely to fall into disuse and may as well be … Mainline religion had meant simply white Protestant until well into the twentieth century."}}{{Sfn | Coalter | Mulder | Weeks | 1990 | p = | ps = : "Some would say the term 'mainstream' or 'mainline' is itself suspect and embodies ethnocentric and elitist assumptions. ... be dropped in favor of talking about 'liberal' Protestantism, but such a change presents additional problems".}}<ref name="Jnanada Prakashan-2009" /><ref name="Burton-2018"/>

===''Mainline'' vs. ''mainstream''===
The term ''mainstream Christian'' in academic usage is not equivalent to ''mainline Protestant'' and is often used as an attempt to find impartial sociological vocabulary in distinguishing ''[[Orthodoxy#Christianity|orthodoxy]]'' and ''[[Heresy in Christianity|heresy]]''.{{sfn|Dunderberg|2008|pp=18–19|ps=: "with theological meaning, such as replacing 'orthodoxy' with 'mainstream Christianity' and 'heresy' with terms like 'sect,' 'splinter group,' or something similar. These designations may create the impression of greater neutrality and ..."}} Hence in Christological and doctrinal reference ''[[mainstream Christianity]]'' is often equivalent to ''[[Trinitarianism]]''. Mainline Protestantism should not be confused with [[Nicene Christianity]] which is more widely accepted as having the "mainstream Christianity" designation that also includes [[Catholic Church|Catholics]], [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern]] and [[Oriental Orthodox Churches|Oriental Orthodox]] believers, and non-Mainline Protestants such as [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]], [[Christian fundamentalism|Fundamentalist]], [[Charismatic Christianity|Charismatic]], [[Confessionalism (religion)|Confessional]], [[Confessing Movement]], the historically [[Black church]], and [[Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches|Global South]] [[Protestantism|Protestants]].<ref name="Jnanada Prakashan-2009">{{cite book |title=World Encyclopaedia of Interfaith Studies: World religions |date=2009 |publisher=Jnanada Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7139-280-3 |language=English |quote=In the most common sense, "mainstream" refers to Nicene Christianity, or rather the traditions which continue to claim adherence to the Nicene Creed.}}</ref><ref name="Seitz-2001">{{Cite book |last=Seitz |first=Christopher R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X9pVAAAAYAAJ&q=Nicene+Christianity |title=Nicene Christianity: The Future for a New Ecumenism |date=2001 |publisher=Brazos Press |isbn=978-1-84227-154-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Burton-2018" />{{Sfn|Marty|1980|pp=8|p=|ps=: "the term 'Mainline' may be as unfortunate as the pejorative-sounding WASP, but it is no more likely to fall into disuse and may as well be … Mainline religion had meant simply white Protestant until well into the twentieth century."}}{{Sfn|Coalter|Mulder|Weeks|1990|p=|ps=: "Some would say the term 'mainstream' or 'mainline' is itself suspect and embodies ethnocentric and elitist assumptions. ... be dropped in favor of talking about 'liberal' Protestantism, but such a change presents additional problems".}} In the United Kingdom and Australia, the term ''mainline Protestant'' is not used, and ''mainstream'' does not mean ''progressive'' Protestant. Although some supporters and adherents do claim that Mainline Protestant is synonymous with Mainstream Protestant.{{Sfn|Moorhead|1999|pp=xxii, 241}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Joe |title=9 Things You Should Know About Mainline Protestantism |url=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/know-mainline-protestantism/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=The Gospel Coalition |date=17 July 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>