[OLD REGGIE]

Luther and his lieutenants were devious in their approach to the council. As for fear, they made good use of their princely protectors. They were helped by the fact that the pope didn’t want a council inside of Germany, such was HIS mistrust of the emperor. The emperor was the man in the middle, since Melancthon masked Lutheran doctrine in language that made it seem it was closer to Catholic doctrine than it was. That changed as time wore on. After the Council began, Catholic reformers also took the proceedings in a direct that diverged from Erasmian notions. The end result was two parties very widely separated, with the Lutherans closer to the Reformed opinion.

LUTHER BAD!

CHURCH GOOD!

HUS BAD!

CHURCH GOOD!

IT WAS ALL THE FAULT OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT!

[RobbyS]

Luther was convinced he was right. He absolutely no interest in reconciling with the pope That would have entailed his accepting Erasmus’ views which, as you know Luther refused to do. The radical Catholic Reformers also despised Erasmus. Somewhat like Constantine in the 4th Century. the Emperor wanted a political solution to a theological issue, But neither the Reformers nor the Archcatholics wanted this. As to my charge againbst Melanthon , read the Protestation of Worms. It is not an honest formulation of the true Lutheran position. In Melanthon’s case, he came very close to Calvinism is his later writings when he was no longer dominated by Luther’s overwhelming personality.

[MarkBsnr]

***LUTHER BAD!

CHURCH GOOD!

HUS BAD!

CHURCH GOOD! ***

Now you’re getting it. I didn’t know that you were in the process of being enlightened.