Luther's 95 Theses
Posted on 06/08/2014 1:59:17 PM PDT by matthewrobertolson
In 2017, we will witness the 500th anniversary of one of the most important, influential and regrettable events in Church history: the Protestant Reformation, or the Protestant Rebellion, as some prefer to call it. Indeed, the latter term would suit me better, too. But, being German, I am used to the former expression and should I ever refer to said event as die protestantische Rebellion, people would think me some sort of radical. On that thought, perhaps it is worth noting that rebels are often quite radical themselves, which is one thing we can definitely say of the so-called "Reformers". To mark this anniversary, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has planned a number of events, beginning with a "Lutheran Decade" from 2008 to 2017. Each year has it’s own theme in the form of "The Reformation and…", i.e. Education, Freedom, Music, Tolerance, Politics and others.
The decade will culminate in the celebratory year of 2017, to which the President of the Evangelical "Church" in Germany (EKD), Nikolaus Schneider, has even invited Pope Francis. But, really, how likely is it His Holiness will hop on a plane and join in the celebration of someone his predecessor excommunicated? One might ask, is there any room for Catholics to take part in some sort of event? This is the question that is circulating in the mother country of the Reformation: Germany. The Most Reverend Gerhard Feige, Bishop of Magdeburg, is the Bishops' Conference's representative for ecumenical affairs. He has dedicated a lot of thought and time to the question how Catholics should view this event.
It begins with the name: Do we call it an anniversary, something that could imply happiness, or a commemoration of an event that has wrought such great damage upon the Body of Christ, His holy Bride, the Catholic Church? The German bishops have chosen the latter term. There is still confusion on the whole thing, though: The EKD is not being very clear on what exactly they want to celebrate. One hears catchy words such as "diversity", "conscience", and the like stuck onto the Reformation in their talk, but never do we hear of heresy, schism or even the antisemitism of Luther and his ilk. Indeed, who in his right mind would celebrate the chaos and harm inflicted on the Church by the so-called "Reformers"? Not even the Protestants organizing the event dare to say thus. Yet, one gets the impression that the whole event is not actually interested in critically evaluating the past, or their theology for that matter, but rather praising it as the dawn of an era of "tolerance" and "liberty".
Could this be any further from the truth? Professor Heinz Schilling of Berlin, a member of the advisory board for the anniversary, stated in an interview that Luther was "everything but tolerant" and criticized the EKD as "quite understandably not interested in any of the research’s findings". He went even further and said that the organizers made themselves appear "laughable among scholars" by claiming what they do. Margot Käßmann, who is the anniversary’s ambassador and a former Lutheran "bishop", once claimed that it was thanks to Luther that her sect had female "bishops". The professor criticizes this as yet another inaccuracy and something that Luther certainly did not envision. Is it any wonder, then, that the EKD has not come out clearly and said what the entire occasion is about for them, as the bishops have repeatedly bewailed, if even their own board members see through their catchy slogans?
What about us Catholics? Is there any way in which we can join our separated brethren in their commemoration? I argue: no. Some will disagree, but to me, the Reformation is intrinsically connected to fracture in the Body of Christ, heresy and the resulting total chaos. I could never join any such "commemoration", even if one doesn't call it an "anniversary" for the sake of appeasing Catholics. When have we ever "commemorated" the schism of 1054, or any heresy, for that matter? I believe we would do great harm to the effort of achieving Christian unity by taking part in any way. It obscures the borders between Catholicism and Protestantism, confuses people, and may even cause scandal.
The aforementioned Margot Käßmann suggested the following kind of participation of Catholics and Protestants: Each group could begin a pilgrimage on their own route, and reach one common destination. She would also like the program to achieve that all people learn "that 31 October is Reformation Day and not Halloween", to which Bishop Feige of Magdeburg replied "and the eve of All Saints". But the problem I see with Käßmann’s proposal is this: Although the idea might seem nice, it suggests that Protestantism and Catholicism are somehow equals. They most definitely are not. And certainly not according to Luther himself! Catholics know that their Church is the Church Christ the Lord founded on St. Peter, and Protestantism's very name already suggests otherwise. The Reformers made that point very clear. From a Catholic point of view, a heretical movement that splits the Church cannot be of equal worth as the One True Faith. Just think how we would have fought Arianism if such had been our position! This is not to say that Protestants aren't Christians, of course, but we must realize that Protestantism is not what our Lord willed us to have or believe: Catholicism is. Thus, two equal pilgrimages reaching one destination à la Käßmann would cause scandal and confusion. I assume she does not want it to symbolize the way we might some day find unity, but rather the common destination means Christ. But that is precisely the point: The Catholic Church is the ark of salvation, the Body and Bride of Christ, and She alone has "the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). She is Christ in this world apart from Whom "no one comes to the Father" (John 14:6). Protestantism has distorted those words of eternal life fundamentally, and thus cannot be on equal footing with Holy Mother Church. If Christ is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" apart from Whom there is no salvation, then so is the Catholic Church, for She is His Body (Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:24).
Thus, let me emphasize again: Celebrating the Reformation, or even commemorating it with Protestants, will blur the sharp line between the One True Church and those communities that came from the Protestant Reformation. It will scandalize and, actually, almost certainly make Christian unity harder to achieve. For in pretending Protestantism is somehow equally valid or of the same dignity as Catholicism, we take away the very reason for Christian unity: to be united in the one Church that our Lord left us, founded on Peter in the person of the Roman Pontiff.
Therefore, I hope the German bishops decide not to participate – however unlikely that is. It remains to be seen whether the ecumenical progress in achieving unity hoped for will come about. Let us pray, that 2017 will bring to many people's attention the Truth of Catholicism and the scandal that the separation of Christians is, fostering in them the desire for unity with Christ in His Bride, which is Holy Church.
Luther's 95 Theses
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We ALL need prayer!
To WHOM will you pray?
Who ELSE has that power??
Logical fallacies hide the truth, so pointing them out is very useful.
At least you are humble enough to leave out arrogant.
And Sari said to Abram: Take my servant to WIFE.
Genesis 30:9
When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Since Mary was to be a PERPETUAL Virgin (and Blessed at that) why didn't SHE get a handmaiden for her OBVIOUSLY frustrated husband?
The mother of Jesus as the writers of the Gospel did and as moved by the Holy Spirit.
not sure I understand you; are you claiming these are bona fide churches or only that there are separated brethren there who belong to the one holy catholic apostolic church ? if the former, can you take a stab at identifying which of the thousands (start with mainline) are inside and outside your model ?
using your logic, would you say the Holy Spirit is the father of God as it was the Holy Spirit who impregnated Mary?
of course you wouldn't.
and to assign a title to Mary not used in the Bible is wrong as well.
Actually, it is the 600th anniversary of Protestantism. And it was brought about because of the chaos of the Catholic Church. Popes, anti-popes, . . . who could keep up?
Look up pedant.
I suggest that you not do that. What would Jesus say to you about how you treated his mother at the moment of your death?
Mary is directing that very same thing.
So reading and believing the Bible is idolatry huh? Mary idolatry is cool though?
Where did I say that?
Do you read the Bible?
Daily and unlike you, I comprehend it.
You know, there might be a Sylvan learning center near you. I suggest you look into it as your reading comprehension score is lower than Odingas.
Just as the term Trinity isn't in the Bible, neither is the term Theotokos, which means God-bearer. Both of these terms were uses to clarify theology and guard against heresy.
Theotokos, which has the more colorful translation "Mother of God" which I dislike, is a statement about Jesus more than a description of Mary. The heresy that prompted the statements regarding Theotokos is interesting reading.
Even though I am not Catholic, I do consider myself catholic. If you've ever proclaimed the Athanasian Creed, you've given a far better refutation to the heresy that the term Theotokos, which is a catholic term.
Mary is the mother of Emmanuel, which the Holy Spirit through the Apostles interprets as God with us. It is right there in the Bible. She is the mother of God with us. If, at least, you believe Sola Scriptural, believe it or stop troubling those who do believe the Scriptures.
AMDG
I do embrace Theotokos (God-bearer). I dislike the poor translation of "Mother of God". Rationalization aside that someone who bears a child is the mother of that child. The poor translation starts with the mother while the appropriate translation starts with God. Regardless of the translation, the term is important because of what it signifies about Jesus, not about his mother.
would you call the Holy Spirit the father of God in that case as the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary?
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