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What Caused the Reformation?
The Cripplegate, New Generation of Non-Conformists ^ | Oct 28,2014 | Nathan Busenitz, professor of theology at Cripplegate's The Master’s Seminary

Posted on 02/05/2015 9:29:51 AM PST by RnMomof7

What caused the Reformation?

Many people might answer that question by pointing to Martin Luther and his 95 Theses.

But if you were to ask Luther himself, he would not point to himself or his own writings. Instead, he would give all the credit to God and His Word.

Near the end of his life, Luther declared: “All I have done is put forth, preach and write the Word of God, and apart from this I have done nothing. . . . It is the Word that has done great things. . . . I have done nothing; the Word has done and achieved everything.”

Elsewhere, he exclaimed: “By the Word the earth has been subdued; by the Word the Church has been saved; and by the Word also it shall be reestablished.”

Noting Scripture’s foundational place in his own heart, Luther wrote: “No matter what happens, you should say: There is God’s Word. This is my rock and anchor. On it I rely, and it remains. Where it remains, I, too, remain; where it goes, I, too, go.”

Luther understood what caused the Reformation. He recognized that it was the Word of God empowered by the Spirit of God preached by men of God in a language that the common people of Europe could understand and when their ears were exposed to the truth of God’s Word it pierced their hearts and they were radically changed.

It was that very power that had transformed Luther’s own heart, a power that is summarized in the familiar words of Hebrews 4:12: “The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.”

During the late middle ages, the Roman Catholic Church had imprisoned God’s Word in the Latin language, a language the common people of Europe did not speak. The Reformers unlocked the Scriptures by translating them. And once the people had the Word of God, the Reformation became inevitable.

We see this commitment to the Scriptures even in the centuries prior to Martin Luther, beginning with the Forerunners to the Reformation:

In the 12th century, the Waldensians translated the New Testament from the Latin Vulgate into their regional French dialects. According to tradition, they were so committed to the Scriptures that different Waldensian families would memorize large sections of the Bible. That way, if Roman Catholic authorities found them and confiscated their printed copies of Scripture, they would later be able to reproduce the entire Bible from memory.

In the 14th century, John Wycliffe and his associates at Oxford translated the Bible from Latin into English. Wycliffe’s followers, known as the Lollards, went throughout the countryside preaching and singing passages of Scripture in English.

In the 15th century, Jan Huss preached in the language of the people, and not in Latin, making him the most popular preacher in Prague at the time. Yet, because Huss insisted that Christ alone was the head of the church, not the pope, the Catholic Council of Constance condemned him for heresy and burned him at the stake (in 1415).

In the 16th century, as the study of Greek and Hebrew were recovered, Martin Luther translated the Bible into German, with the New Testament being completed in 1522.

In 1526, William Tyndale completed a translation of the Greek New Testament into English. A few years later he also translated the Pentateuch from Hebrew. Shortly thereafter he was arrested and executed as a heretic—being strangled and then burned at the stake. According to Fox’s Book of Martyrs, Tyndale’s last words were “Lord, Open the King of England’s Eyes.” And it was just a couple years after his death that King Henry VIII authorized the Great Bible in England—a Bible that was largely based on Tyndale’s translation work. The Great Bible laid the foundation for the later King James version (which was completed in 1611).

The common thread, from Reformer to Reformer, was an undying commitment to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, such that they were willing to sacrifice everything, including their own lives, to get the Word of God into the hands of the people.

They did this because they understood that the power for spiritual reformation and revival was not in them, but in the gospel (cf. Rom. 1:16–17). And they used the Latin phrase Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) to emphasize the truth that God’s Word was the true power and ultimate authority behind all they said and did.

It was ignorance of Scripture that made the Reformation necessary. It was the recovery of the Scripture that made the Reformation possible. And it was the power of the Scripture that gave the Reformation its enduring impact, as the Holy Spirit brought the truth of His Word to bear on the hearts and minds of individual sinners, transforming them, regenerating them, and giving them eternal life.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Charismatic Christian; Evangelical Christian
KEYWORDS: catholicbashing; reformation; scripture
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To: CynicalBear

Are you really going to claim that a reference to “the Vatican”, along with the phrase “effin’ Catholics” and “should be destroyed” is a simple reference to a section of real estate in the city of Rome?


41 posted on 02/05/2015 1:13:24 PM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: DuncanWaring; CynicalBear

What is your evidence that the poster is a ‘protestant?’

.


42 posted on 02/05/2015 1:30:42 PM PST by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: MamaB
I never knew about the anti-Protestant hatred until I read it on here.

I saw it as a child, the son of a Mehodist minister. I saw it throughout my last 6 years from some of my fellow students and school teachers.

Of course, what I saw was mostly anecdotal and just mocking, but in one instance my coach told me flat out that ministers were equivalent to priests, and so since I was a priest's son, I was a bastard. That's hard to forget.

43 posted on 02/05/2015 1:40:23 PM PST by imardmd1 (Fiat Lux)
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To: editor-surveyor

Since he was advocating the extermination of Muslims and Catholics, he probably wasn’t either of those, and the odds of him being a Buddhist or Hindu are very small.


44 posted on 02/05/2015 1:47:03 PM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd; daniel1212; metmom; Springfield Reformer; boatbums; CynicalBear; BlueDragon; ..
The sociopolitical reshaping of Europe as a result and the effect on government and governance, the resulting warfare (which was often a continuation of previous warfare), and the sometimes abrupt shift in national interests in numerous countries is a topic of endless fascination from so many angles. The process as it occurred in Scotland is of particular interest, IMHO.

And out of such morass, eventually, brave men and women from the American colonies in 1776 declared their independence from the King of England. And the Pope had nothing to do with it.

45 posted on 02/05/2015 2:23:18 PM PST by redleghunter (Your faith has saved you. Go in peace. (Luke 7:50))
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To: RnMomof7

Amen.


46 posted on 02/05/2015 2:27:33 PM PST by Gamecock (Joel Osteen is a minister of the Gospel like 0bama is a POTUS.)
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To: redleghunter
And out of such morass, eventually, brave men and women from the American colonies in 1776 declared their independence from the King of England. And the Pope had nothing to do with it.

Dang Presbyterian Rebellion!

47 posted on 02/05/2015 2:32:02 PM PST by Gamecock (Joel Osteen is a minister of the Gospel like 0bama is a POTUS.)
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To: caww
The reformation wasn't caused by Luther or any other Christians...it was a response to the unbiblical changes and leadership that continued to escalate within the church....evil had risen from within....

I always thought that the reason for the reformation, was because of the false doctrines that had crept in.

48 posted on 02/05/2015 2:44:16 PM PST by Mark17 (Calvary's love will sail forever, bright and shining, strong n free. Like an ark of peace and safety)
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To: Moonmad27
Previously Catholic, now Lutheran. Never ran into anti-Protestant hate until FR. I’m proud that Martin nailed those theses to that door all those years ago!

The more they are opposed and refuted, the more desperately driven some become in posting more of the same manner of propaganda.

49 posted on 02/05/2015 3:03:09 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: edwinland
The Tate estimates we lost 90% of our religious art. It was probably even more than that.

You would think they learned that type of thing from somebody. Burning Christian literature and people also.

50 posted on 02/05/2015 3:06:19 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: DuncanWaring; metmom; boatbums; caww; presently no screen name; redleghunter; ...
Apparently you’ve missed the call here a couple of weeks ago for the extermination of Catholics.

Indeed i did. I have seen certain RCs here commending the Spanish Inquisition and the burning of heretics, and calling for the extermination of Prots, but missed the like by a Prot. here.

51 posted on 02/05/2015 3:10:53 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: Mark17
I always thought that the reason for the reformation, was because of the false doctrines that had crept in. And also see • The context of the Reformation
52 posted on 02/05/2015 3:13:43 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: RnMomof7

Luther


53 posted on 02/05/2015 3:19:29 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: daniel1212

I figured there were more reasons. It appears to me that Luther was a great man, regardless of what some may say, but I wonder if he would be spinning in his grave, if he knew people would use his name, as a denominational name? Somehow, I doubt he ever had that in mind, and I am pretty sure he would not approve at all.


54 posted on 02/05/2015 3:44:05 PM PST by Mark17 (Calvary's love will sail forever, bright and shining, strong n free. Like an ark of peace and safety)
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To: edwinland
"The Tate estimates we lost 90% of our religious art. It was probably even more than that. The destruction was on a scale that far outstrips the modern efforts of Islamist extremists. And it was not only art we lost, but also books and music."

Just fewer idols that all

55 posted on 02/05/2015 5:48:38 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: editor-surveyor

I hear ya!


56 posted on 02/05/2015 5:58:46 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Mark17
I always thought that the reason for the reformation, was because of the false doctrines that had crept in.

no, No, NO!!!

The 'doctrines' remained as PURE as the driven snow.

It was the PRACTICES that got sullied.

57 posted on 02/05/2015 6:00:41 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: RnMomof7

“My God, what have I done? Even the milkmaids think they can interpret Scripture!” - Martin Luther.

At least he got that one right.


58 posted on 02/05/2015 6:27:25 PM PST by Cap'n Crunch
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To: RnMomof7

“In 1526, William Tyndale completed a translation of the Greek New Testament into English. A few years later he also translated the Pentateuch from Hebrew. Shortly thereafter he was arrested and executed as a heretic—being strangled and then burned at the stake. According to Fox’s Book of Martyrs, Tyndale’s last words were “Lord, Open the King of England’s Eyes.” And it was just a couple years after his death that King Henry VIII authorized the Great Bible in England—a Bible that was largely based on Tyndale’s translation work. The Great Bible laid the foundation for the later King James version (which was completed in 1611).”

Hang on a minute. (no forthcoming pun intended) We are berating the Catholic Church for burning folks at the stake, etc., etc. etc. Yet pointing to Henry VIII as a paragon of Protestant virtue? Didn’t he lop off a couple of his wives heads? Put to death a few dozen (or hundred) folks?

But it’s all good because Ol’ Hen put together the “Great Bible?”

Come on man.


59 posted on 02/05/2015 6:37:00 PM PST by Cap'n Crunch
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To: RnMomof7

“During the late middle ages, the Roman Catholic Church had imprisoned God’s Word in the Latin language, a language the common people of Europe did not speak. The Reformers unlocked the Scriptures by translating them. And once the people had the Word of God, the Reformation became inevitable.”

Here’s another whopper. Who writes this stuff anyway? So, every Catholic walked around preaching in Latin? No catholic saint, and there were many, preached to the people in their native language?

“Imprisoned God’s Word in the Latin language.” I suppose dishonesty doesn’t really matter when your attacking Rome.


60 posted on 02/05/2015 6:51:29 PM PST by Cap'n Crunch
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