Martin Luther special on PBS

Public Broadcasting System (PBS) ^ | July 9, 2003 | PBS

[AnalogReigns]

Documentary was shown on various PBS stations this week... (you know PBS--will be on again, surely--got to get something out of those tax dollars spent). It's worth taping...

Very good portrayal in my opinion...but downplayed his theology, mainly highlighting the social consequences of what Luther discovered in the Bible. Understandable when telling about such an important historic figure in just 2 hours.

Personally, I think, but for Luther's courage, there would have been no eventual United States of America...and we'd live in a very different world...

Here's the speil from PBS's site:

Martin Luther (#101)
"Driven to Defiance/The Reluctant Revolutionary"

Driven to Defiance - Martin Luther is born into a world dominated by the Catholic Church. For the keenly spiritual Luther, the Church's promise of salvation is irresistible. Caught in a thunderstorm and terrified by the possibility of imminent death, he vows to become a monk. But after entering the monastery, Luther becomes increasingly doubtful that the Church can actually offer him salvation. His views crystallize further when he travels to Rome and finds the capital of Catholicism swamped in corruption. Wracked by despair, Luther finds release in the pages of the Bible, discovering that it is not the Church, but his own individual faith that will guarantee his salvation. With this revelation he turns on the Church. In his famous 95 Theses he attacks its practice of selling Indulgences, putting himself on an irreversible path to conflict with the most powerful institution of the day. The Reluctant Revolutionary - The Catholic Church uses all of its might to try and silence Luther, including accusations of heresy and excommunication. Protected by his local ruler, Frederick the Wise, Luther continues to write radical critiques of the Church. In the process, he develops a new system of faith that places the freedom of the individual believer above the rituals of the Church. Aided by the newly invented printing press, his ideas spread rapidly. He is called before the German Imperial Parliament in the city of Worms and told he must recant. Risking torture and execution, Luther refuses, proclaiming his inalienable right to believe what he wishes. His stand becomes a legend that inspires revolution across Europe, overturning the thousand-year-old hegemony of the Church. But as the reformation expands into a movement for social freedom, Luther finds himself overwhelmed by the pace of change and is left vainly protesting that his followers should be concerning themselves with God.

[rwfromkansas]

Amen.

For the record, Calvin's Geneva was a haven for Jews escaping Catholic Europe. While Calvin was a harsh dude, it is something that Geneva was a haven and it should tell you something about how bad the Catholics were at the time.

[rwfromkansas]

You are good for some laughs.

[rwfromkansas]

Martin Luther teaches the Gospel recovered from corrupt Popes.

You bring up James, all the while ignoring other Scriptures that make justification by faith an obvious doctrine.

Not convincing in the least.

[rwfromkansas]

You need to check your creed again. It is "catholic" with a little c.....

[rwfromkansas]

You still are too close to Rome.....become Calvinist.

[rwfromkansas]

Do you know the history of Maryland? Hint: MARY land....this shows the Catholics true colors, who settled Maryland. Instead of calling it "Jesusland," they go out and give Mary top billing.

It speaks volumes.

Anyway, the Puritans started coming into Maryland in droves and actually ended up becoming more powerful than the original Catholic settlers. Pretty cool.

[rwfromkansas]

Hey, people sin.

Furthermore, at that time, it was believed that the state had a role to destroy false religions. You could virtually talk to anyone and they would say this.

No doubt many Catholics would have said what Luther did as well. Yet you act like it is a novel statement.

The fact is, Calvin's Geneva was a haven for Jews fleeing Catholic Europe. It should make you wonder how that rigid man's city could become a haven for unbelievers.

[rwfromkansas]

Your knowledge of theology is embarrassing.

[rwfromkansas]

He did teach it in the book The Bondage of the Will.

It is not heretical, however, but plain as day in Scripture.

Furthermore, nobody can lose their salvation, for "nobody can snatch them out of My hand." Predestination simply means you will be saved in the end and since you can't lose your salvation, of course it will cointinue to the end.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Late in life, Luther apologized for his anti-Semitic remarks. Convenient for you to leave that out...

Do you have a source for that? I had understood that the opposite was true-- that Luther originally called for tolerance of the Jews, hoping to convert them, and became violently antisemitic later in his life.

[Bohemund]

The state of Maryland was named after Henrietta Maria de Bourbon, wife of Charles I.

Nice try at Catholic-bashing, though.

[rwfromkansas]

I should warn you about the lame attempts people have at explaining away the predestination passages. So, here is the list that he probably will pick from in response (I may have missed an option, but these three are what I remember from my discussions on this topic as being the top responses):

1. We are "all" predestined, but it is our "choice." LOL!!! This is probably my favorite. I wonder if these people actually believe this idiocy. They need to take a look at what predestination means before spouting this nonsense.

2. God "predestines" those he "foreknows" coming to salvation. While this seems Scripturally correct, as Scripture says predestination is based on foreknowledge, this is very simple analysis. A word study of what foreknowledge really is shows that it is essentially tied to God ordaining something to happen, therefore lending support to the Reformed view of predestination, that only a group of the elect is predestinatined to salvation from the foundation of the world accordingn to the purposes of God and due to nothing we did or ever could do, as we would never choose God if given the choice due to our black and sinful hearts.

3. It applies only to the Jews. This is one of the stupidest replies, as Romans 9 disproves this directly, with Paul stating that elect will come from both the Gentiles and Jews. Paul calls Christians elect, which means they are "chosen."

[rwfromkansas]

He will always leave a remnant of true believers.

[rwfromkansas]

I attend a church that sings only Psalms (you hymn-singers need to try it out...it really is something else and God commands us to sing his Word). Anyway, but I have to say, I love A Mighty Fortress. Such power and word imagery.

But, in corporate worship, it still is uninspired and I want to give God the best, only what is inspired.

But boy, I do enjoy hearing it on a CD or something.

[rwfromkansas]

Luther's demonology was very elaborate like most people of his day.

It was not until Calvin that it began to get more biblically-focused.

But, despite his faults, he started a great work of God.

[rwfromkansas]

Nonsense.

[rwfromkansas]

The Counter Reformation was a sham.

[rwfromkansas]

The truth hurts.

[rwfromkansas]

The ideals of the Reformation paved the way for an America. Luther's and Calvin's work allowed such American concepts as freedom to be born.

George Bancroft, America's first historian, called Calvin the father of our country.

[rwfromkansas]

I do like the current Pope and my attacks on him are more at the institution of the Papacy, not the man.