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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Does that warrant a prayer, it is a declaration.
There are numerous declarations like that in the Bible, do we worship Solomon, David, Abraham, Danial, Jeremiah like you do Mary?
Why pray to Mary, cut out the middle man and go to Jesus!
Man made due to all of the non biblical statements.
Protestant's worship the Bible, only, at least the ones I've belonged to. There's no elevating a man (Pope) or praying to folks other than God or Jesus. No man written Catechism, no numerous man made rules and regulations.
And, maybe Jesus (he's omniscient except for knowing the time of his return) maybe needed Peter to start the Church knowing how they would fall away from the true word and lead to Protestantism?
What religion was the Spanish Inquisition?
Obviously you’ve never been in charge of anyone. Having an underling do the work is SOP.
Nice poster, since I’m pretty sure you didn’t draw it so that makes you a plagiarist. Is that acceptable in Catholicism.
BTW, do you even know why fractals are mentioned in that pic besides the caption on the bottom?
I hope not, but Protestants aren’t the enemy of Catholics. We are the result of human frailty, and our existence helped Catholics overcome some of theirs. We made you better than you were. We don’t need to be like you to appreciate that.
The truth of our existence was to seek the same Truth we all look for.
Your staement is silly at best. What human pride is there in knowing for a fact that you have been redeemed by the Savior? What human pride is there in knowing the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I have the spirit of Jesus Christ living in me. You can rely on popes and icons and chants and beads. I rely on the cleansing blood of Christ. Period.
OH yeah, since you posted that pic a mere 32 seconds from my original post and you aren’t even the person I was responding to and I know you didn’t read it that fast either, nice.
Don’t worry, I’m sure the cool kids you suck up to will let you play with them, not.
Tell me, please, who was the intercessor at the Wedding of Cana?
What were the last words spoken by the intercessor?
The Marks of the Church [CATHOLIC CAUCUS]
Four Marks of the Church [CATHOLIC CAUCUS]
Lists Every Catholic Should be Familiar With: The 4 Marks of the Church
Radio Replies Second Volume - Holiness of the Church
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic: Marks of the Church Building as well as the Church Herself
The 15 Marks of The Church
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: The Marks of the Church, One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic
Four Marks of the Church
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic: The Marks of Christ's Church [Ecumenical]
From the 95 Theses still insufficiently answered, to the current pope inviting prayers to false gods from the Catholic pulpit of late, there has been much cause for confusion in Rome these 500 years.
A woman of faith, a lot like the woman who touched the hem of his garment and experienced deliverance from a flow of blood that had lasted many years.
Yes and No.
It was the Blessed Virgin Mary who asked her son (really told her son) they are out of wine.
And what are her last words in the Bible?
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary always directs everything back to her Son, Jesus, truly human and truly divine.
Mary told Jesus to perform a miracle by transforming water into wine. Did it occur to you that maybe it was Mary the mom who asked this?
Which intercessor? I’m not a Catholic so I don’t know all these man made rituals. And I don’t care, I cut out the middle-man and go to Jesus and God.
Worthy of great honor, but not worship.
Words have meanings, these mean, ignore Mary and go to Jesus.
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