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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Launched on Halloween of all days.....
The Vatican is located across the river from the other hills of Rome. (Check it out)
It explains itself.
The beast seems to be a world power up through the ages. and the whore is riding on the beast.
The ten kings give the beast their power to destroy the whore at the same time they make war with the lamb which indicates the whore is some how connected with the lamb.
Even with your rewording of Revelation I believe you are wrong.
And the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, instituted the Catholic Church. Not all these Protestant churches.
I attended the catholic.church for twenty years but I have no right to comment? Really? You sound suspiciously like those liberals who don’t believe in a person’s right to free speech. So I would say you are the one acting like a liberal.
You don’t taste the bread then?
The Council of Trent, I believe, addressed this rather specifically.
The money quote is: The Churches teach...
Matthew 26:17-30 (New International Version) Page Options Matthew 26:17-30 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Hmm, Jesus, didn't combine the two.
Let's talk about the joke of transubstantiation. So, when a believe takes of the bread, it is actually transformed into the body of Christ. Great, let's have someone fast for a week and take communion, then we'll extract this bit of Christ's flesh, remove the nucleus and plant it in a fertilized egg and implant it into a female, voila, we have now cloned Christ.
Even with your rewording of Revelation I believe you are wrong.
And the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, instituted the Catholic Church. Not all these Protestant churches.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
It plainly shows that the beast, the kings, the heads and the mountains are the same thing.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
If this is read with an open mind it shows that the beast makes war with the harlot in the same hour as it does the lamb.
Why do you ask?
I sat under catholic teaching for twenty years. I know much of what is taught.
you would be more credible if you showed more knowledge of the Word of God itself.
I assume they were men? Are you saying men would never corrupt the word of God, that is unless they were guided by the Holy Spirit which they were not.
Show in the Bible where it states it?
So was my wife, she doesn’t exactly give a raving endorsement.
You mean the Church run by men? Point me to the Bible verse that says this.
Catholicism is all about power, is God even mentioned except in passing?
I must admit, Catholics have a lot of integrity, after all, with enough money, you can get an annulment.
Finally, learn to use spell check.
The Catholic church perverted the true teachings of Christ. It is perverted to the point that men assume “God’s representative on earth”. The Catholic Church today bears no resemblance whatsoever to the church Christ established on the day of Pentecost.
Yeah, right, please explain timeline.
From the catechism of the Roman Catholic Church
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s1c2a2.htm
2677 Holy Mary, Mother of God: With Elizabeth we marvel, "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"36 Because she gives us Jesus, her son, Mary is Mother of God and our mother; we can entrust all our cares and petitions to her: she prays for us as she prayed for herself: "Let it be to me according to your word."37 By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her: "Thy will be done."
Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death: By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the "Mother of Mercy," the All-Holy One. We give ourselves over to her now, in the Today of our lives. And our trust broadens further, already at the present moment, to surrender "the hour of our death" wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her son's death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing38 to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise. Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac traditions preferred popular hymns and songs to the Mother of God. But in the Ave Maria, the theotokia, the hymns of St. Ephrem or St. Gregory of Narek, the tradition of prayer is basically the same.
2679 Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus' mother into our homes,39 for she has become the mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her. The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.40
The man-made tradition of the catechism on Mary: You have prayer, committing yourself to her care, giving yourself to her. If that's not worship I'm not sure what is.
Contrast with the Biblical position on Christ: we pray to Christ, we commit our faith for our salvation through Him and we give ourselves to Him. And we call that worship.
How is that different than what is happening with Mary?
Each of the areas highlighted goes against the Word of God. The Bible tells us:
We are to pray to Christ. There are zero examples of the apostles praying to anyone other than Christ. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray He taught them the Lord's prayer....not a prayer to anyone else.
We are to give ourselves to Him and Him alone.
We place our faith and trust in Him for our resurrection to the next life. Christ, and Christ alone, died on the Cross for our past, present and future sins as a final offering for our sins.
The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit is constantly making intercession for us with words and groanings we can't understand. Jesus, who is at the right hand of the Father, is also interceding for us. How can you get any better than these individuals praying for us?
This is why we should rely upon the Word of God and the Word of God alone.
Ditto for my husband. Actually, most of his family are now Protestants.
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Sounds simple enough. You should have been a Muslim, just Allah, no one else,
No Father/Son/Holy Spirit, no holy days, no Christmas, no Easter, nothing but Allah. No prayers, no rosaries, no confessions, just YOUR idea above.
How DID the Roman Catholic Church, the oldest, longest surviving institution in the world, ever manage without your wisdom? All those popes, councils, crusades, heresies, martyrs, saints, monasteries, doctors of the Church, overcoming the Reformation by that Roman Catholic priest Martin Luther, heretic kings like Henry VIII who founded HIS OWN CHURCH because the Church wouldn't let him divorce...and so on.
When ALL WE REALLY need is "faith in Christ’s righteousness instead of our own."
Maybe you should e-mail the Pope and tell him all about your inspiration. I'm sure that he would be very interested. And, of course, he's never heard THAT before. Amazing!
You simply do not know what you are talking about.
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