Posted on 03/05/2008 8:13:07 PM PST by Dajjal
The Times
March 6, 2008
That Martin Luther? He Wasn’t So Bad, Says Pope
Richard Owen in Rome
Pope Benedict XVI is to rehabilitate Martin Luther, arguing that he did not intend to split Christianity but only to purge the Church of corrupt practices.
Pope Benedict will issue his findings on Luther (1483-1546) in September after discussing him at his annual seminar of 40 fellow theologians — known as the Ratzinger Schülerkreis — at Castelgandolfo, the papal summer residence. According to Vatican insiders the Pope will argue that Luther, who was excommunicated and condemned for heresy, was not a heretic.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the head of the pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said the move would help to promote ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Protestants. It is also designed to counteract the impact of July's papal statement describing the Protestant and Orthodox faiths as defective and “not proper Churches”.
The move to re-evaluate Luther is part of a drive to soften Pope Benedict's image as an arch conservative hardliner as he approaches the third anniversary of his election next month. This week it emerged that the Vatican is planning to erect a statue of Galileo, who also faced a heresy trial, to mark the 400th anniversary next year of his discovery of the telescope.
The Pope has also reached out to the Muslim world to mend fences after his 2006 speech at Regensburg University in which he appeared to describe Islam as inherently violent and irrational. This week Muslim scholars and Vatican officials met at the pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue in Rome to begin laying the groundwork for a meeting between the Pope and leading Muslims, also expected to be held at Castelgandolfo.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
ping
I'm guessing there is a big difference between talking nice about Martin Luther and actually lifting a papal bull (if that is even possible).
I don’t know why they think this will unify Christians who have fundamental differences in core doctrines of Christianity. It is not going to bring about genuine unity, but a false unity.
I am glad they have come around on their thinking. The fact is though, Martin Luther did the right thing splitting from the Catholic Church, it is a Christian thing to do if those in error will not turn away from their errors. You must separate yourselves from those that will not turn away from error.
This statement says nothing about the Catholic church turning away from their doctrinal errors. And that is something they will never admit nor do. So it will still be correct to remain separated from them.
Saying he isn't a heretic is a long way from accepting his doctrine. I don't expect to see the Pope embracing "Bondage of the Will" anytime soon.
Have you seen this?
Pope Benedict will issue his findings on Luther (1483-1546) in September after discussing him at his annual seminar of 40 fellow theologians — known as the Ratzinger Schülerkreis — at Castelgandolfo, the papal summer residence. According to Vatican insiders the Pope will argue that Luther, who was excommunicated and condemned for heresy, was not a heretic.
Did you read this?
I don't expect to see the Pope embracing "Bondage of the Will" Scriptural Truth anytime soon.
Trusting therefore in the goodness of our Lord we will in our turn try to launch three attacks against Luther by which as with a sponge we hope to wipe away all the filthy and blasphemous things that have proceeded from his mouth against priests.
-St. John Fisher, on Luther's The Abrogation of the Mass
Hmmm ... not very ecumenical.
This is pretty funny, as a lot of the rip-roaring Romanists’ arguments will evaporate when the center of their authority changes his mind....
Seems to me there are many of them who post on FR who would want to argue with their pope on this, but oops, can’t do that!
If and when Ben wants to lift the anathema, he knows where to find Bible-believing Christians -- anywhere but Rome.
Whichever way the spin blows.
Well there are a few in Rome:
I wonder just what Jesus is thinking when he sees many of the comments written on this board.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, thy whole mind and they whole soul.
AND THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.”
So, why all the hate?
One German sticking up for another. ;)
Spare us. It's a done deal and the world is a better place for it.
Not suprising because a fellow German is not going to bad a major figure from German history.
Me goof, need more coffee to wake up!
It should be “bad mouth”.
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