Thesis: Magisterial Protestantism is only viable as a strong possible alternative to Rome and the East (that is, for ordinary believers) when it has visible local ecclesial institutions with a thick confessional identity, core ritual practices, and clearly stated doctrines. NB that this is not the same as an area having evangelical, charismatic, or self-identified Protestant congregations—even in the hundreds or thousands. Which means that recommending Protestantism (as an ism) to ordinary folks who live in latter types of places is a nonstarter, because the thing on offer just doesn’t exist. Whereas RC and EO both name concrete global institutions, which one can just about always find, join, see, touch, taste, feel. When one hears or reads about them, joining is not complicated: you just go.