Papal Preacher Praises 'Theological and Spiritual Enrichment' of Reformation

The Catholic Herald (UK) ^ | 11/25/15 | Madeleine Teahan

[marshmallow]

Fr Raniero Cantalamessa preached during the inauguarion of the Tenth General Synod in Westminster Abbey

The Pope's personal preacher has praised the Reformation and said that moral issues such as sexuality, should not "divide us more than Jesus unites us."

Speaking at Wesminster Abbey, during the inauguration of the Church of England's Tenth General Synod, Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, who has served as Preacher to the Papal Household since 1980, praised the "theological and spiritual enrichment" of the Reformation.

He said: "We need to go back to the time of the Apostles: they faced a pre-Christian world, and we are facing a largely post-Christian world. When Paul wants to summarise the essence of the Christian message in one sentence, he does not say, "I proclaim this or that doctrine to you." He says, "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor 1:23), and "We preach . . . Jesus Christ as Lord" (2 Cor 4:5). This is the real "articulus stantis et cadentis Ecclesiae", the article by which the Church stands or falls.

"This does not mean ignoring the great theological and spiritual enrichment that came from the Reformation or desiring to go back to the time before it. It means instead allowing all of Christianity to benefit from its achievements, once they are freed from certain distortions due to the heated atmosphere of the time and of later controversies."

Addressing the Queen and the whole Synod, Fr Raniero Cantalamessa reflected on the preparations for the fifth centenary of the Protestant Reformation, saying, "it is vital for the whole Church that this opportunity is not wasted by people remaining prisoners of the past, trying to establish each other's rights and wrongs."

[vladimir998]

Nothing new. That’s been happening for over a century on certain points.

[GreyFriar]

It is good to hear this address. I especially liked these two paragraphs:

“Addressing the Queen and the whole Synod, Fr Raniero Cantalamessa reflected on the preparations for the fifth centenary of the Protestant Reformation, saying, “it is vital for the whole Church that this opportunity is not wasted by people remaining prisoners of the past, trying to establish each other’s rights and wrongs.””

“He added: “Rather, let us take a qualitative leap forward, like what happens when the sluice gates of a river or a canal enable ships to continue to navigate at a higher water level.””

We must, as Christians, focus on what unites us, now even more than in the last couple of hundred years, for Christianity is being threatened as much now as it was in the first 3 centuries and then in the 600 years after Islam arose and went on it campaign to eradicate Christianity from the Holyland, northern Africa, Spain, Turkey and the Balkans.

[ebb tide]

From the same Catholic Herald website:

Plans for an ecumenical Luther 2017 are breaking down. That is no disaster

And an oldie but goldie from Catholic Family News:

Catholics and Lutherans Prepare to Commemorate 2017

[zot]

Thanks for the ping and for your comments.

[aimhigh]

said that moral issues such as sexuality, should not "divide us more than Jesus unites us."

1 Thes 4:1-8 clearly states we are commanded to avoid sexual immoratliy, and that those who reject that command have rejected God.