How far back does the Protestant split with Catholicism go?

[Fenris]

By this I mean, at what point did the Catholic church stray from what is considered authoritative Protestant dogma?

The early church fathers are universal, right? And Nicea is binding. I see medieval Christian philosophers quoted here sometimes.

Educate me. 

[Athanasius]

By this I mean, at what point did the Catholic church stray from what is considered authoritative Protestant dogma?

The early church fathers are universal, right? And Nicea is binding. I see medieval Christian philosophers quoted here sometimes.

Educate me.

It kinda depends. Luther (for example) wasn't necessarily taking issue with the underlying doctrine, but with the church's practice regarding a given practice (e.g., indulgences). And if we look before Luther, the East-West schism happened aroundish 1054. But that's the Orthodox, not the Protestants.

For a more modern complaint, I think we could date Mary veneration back to the 3rd century at the latest. I think the 'Hail Mary' is attested to around the 11th century. As examples multiply (e.g. the Rosary around the 15th century), if you manage to find just the right Protestant, the answer is, "basically from the start". After all, when did "Scripture plus tradition" happen and not just "Scripture alone"? Then again, 'Sola Scriptura' has been taken to an extreme, because it would have been idiotic of Luther to suggest that 'plus tradition' didn't include 'here's how we understand the text traditionally'. His complaint was particular (the Pope too is subject to Scripture); the people I grew up around blew it up into a universal. I didn't grow up with Sola Scriptura, but Solo Scriptura.

So you could go back to Luther if you want to be historically on point. If you want to apply Protestant dogma further back, then basically the whole of the development of the church after Peter is condemned by at least some modern Protestant dogma. Depending on which Protestant you ask.

[IMINXTC]

Also, two distinct textual manuscript traditions can be traced to the earliest centuries, roughly:


The "Alexandrian" textual tradition gave rise to 1. Codex Siniticus and 2. Codex vaticanus.


The "Bysantine" text-type, longer and more common, ultimately led to the King James Bible.


Many researchers and historians point out that, in a sense, there were "protestants" from the earliest times, and the traditions became more distinct as time rolled by.



ADDED: No solid evidence Peter was even in Rome.

[teddyv]

I have read that Luther was also a convenient reason for many nobility to try and break the control that the Catholic Church had over them.

[IMINXTC]

Luther's final rejection of the papacy and conclusion that the Pope is the Antichrist was likely the point of no return for the coming schism.

[Fenris]

I have read that Luther was also a convenient reason for many nobility to try and break the control that the Catholic Church had over them.

Strangely enough, even though Luther was an antisemite, he made the position for Jews in Europe more positive. This is because the Jews were not the only religious minority in Europe after the advent of Protestantism.