Posted on 06/30/2017 4:43:54 PM PDT by Gamecock
The year 2017 is the year of Martin Lutheror at least it should be. Nearly 500 years ago on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed (or mailed, for some historians debate this point) his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle Church.
Even so, Luther didnt become a full-fledged protestor of the church in that single moment. It took him about eight years (1513-1521) to challenge and hammer out a more robust understanding of the gospel.
Have you ever wondered what Martin Luther was reading during this crucial time in his life? Maybe Im just a nerd, but I thought at least someone else might be interested in what Luther was reading during his slow, but steady, transition out of the medieval church and into the world of reformation.
Remember, Luthers goal wasnt to invent or start an entirely new church. His goal was to reform the church and call her to repentance and faith in the abiding Word of God.
Here are four books Martin Luther read that made him question everything:
1. The Psalms Luther spent time studying and lecturing through the Psalms in the Bible. He began to realize that the Bible teaches we are not generally sinful, we are totally sinful. Here, Luther had the beginnings of what theologians later would refer to as total depravity, meaning that we are sinful in our thoughts, words, and deeds.
2. Romans After that, Luther lectured through Pauls letter to the Romans. He came across Romans 1:17, For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith. The last part of this verse is a direct quotation from Habakkuk 2:4.
Luther began to see something that he never saw before. He began to see the doctrine of imputationthat we are declared right before God not by our own righteousness, but by the righteousness of another. He began to understand that the righteousness of God that was such a terror to him as a priest (because it told him that he was unholy and unworthy), was actually the righteousness from God that told him he was holy and worthy. God gives this right standing by faith alone. It is a righteousness that is received as a gift and not earned.
3. Galatians It wasnt until Luther started lecturing through Galatians that he began to realize that faith does not justify us before God. Faith is merely an instrument that God uses. Faith is a tool by which we embrace Jesus Christ as he is offered to us in the gospel.
Faith is, as John Murry once said, extrospective. It looks outwardnot inwardto embrace the God who gives himself. In other words, faith is only an empty hand. It justifies because it grabs hold of the Jesus who justifies (Rom. 3:26).
4. Hebrews The last book that turned a medieval priest into a true Reformer was the letter to the Hebrews. Luther began to embrace an entirely different understanding of how the Old and New Testaments relate to one another. He realized that the law is not simply the Old Testament and the gospel is the New Testament, but that the gospel of God can be seen as preached throughout both Old and New Testaments.
The same Jesus of the same gospel was offered freely to both Jew and Gentile alike, throughout the whole Bible. Sure, there was a greater and fuller proclamation of that message, such that it went out to the whole world instead of only Israel and their close neighborsbut the gospel was preached nonetheless!
In short, reading and studying the Bible is what ultimately made Martin Luther protest the medieval church. Luther was convinced that the Bible was worth listening to. So this year we celebrate the anniversary of a recovery of the bright light of the gospel. To God alone be all the glory (Soli Deo Gloria).
If you were to reject membership in all denominations which have homosexual members, you would very likely not belong to any of them, as there are mostly likely some homos in all of them.
According to Catholic doctrine, the proximate criterion of the Biblical canon is the infallible decision of the Church. This decision was not given until rather late in the history of the Church (at the Council of Trent). Before that time there was some doubt about the canonicity of certain Biblical books, i.e., about their belonging to the canon. (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, McGraw Hill, Copyright 1967, Volume 3, Canon, Biblical, p. 29)
6He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
7On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
8Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:5-8 NASB
The single focus on relying upon God, and only God, for salvation, refuge and prayer is clearly noted in this passage.
As I remember, I questioned his hubris, not his credentials
Trent would have been the perfect time for Roman Catholicism to incorporate all of the writings they base their "Sacred Tradition" upon as Canon at Trent.
That they didn't is telling.
I would like to discuss this with you. It is late and one figer typing makes for lots of mistakes.
If you would contact me privately, maybe we could do better tomorrow.
In 1521 Henry the 8th published a book attacking Luther and his ideas. He referred to Luther as "a venomous serpent, a pernicious plague". For this Pope Leo X awarded Henry the title "Fidei defensor" defender of the faith.
Much later, during the time of Henry's marriage problems, Henry the 8th's spiritual adviser was Thomas Cranmer, whom he appointed Archbishop of Canterbury.
Thomas Cranmer had been previously appointed ambassador to the court of Holy Roman Emperor Charles the 5th. During his travels in Europe Cranmer came in contact the the reformers, who might be called the Lutheran reformers.
Upon return to England Cranmer brought back the ideas of Luther's reforms. Subsequently Henry the 8th received these ideas favorably.
With Henry's encouragement, Cranmer wrote the famous Book of Common Prayer which incorporates the Lutheran Augsberg Confession as the basis for the Anglican 39 Articles of Faith. To this day, these 39 articles can be found in the prayer books located in every pew of every Anglican (and Episcopal Church). They are the Anglican confession of belief.
A close reading of the Articles not only reveals its Lutheran roots but also a strong Calvinist influence too.
Henry, a theologian in his own right, had been aware and conversant with Luther's ideas. Certainly his spirtual advisor Thomas Cranmer would have counseled him on this very matter.
And those attacking Luther as a flawed man is hardly an argument. We are all flawed. As Paul reminded us in Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."
“But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the church. As if the eternal and inviolable truth of God depended upon the decision of men!”- John Calvin
“The Scriptures obtain full authority among believers only when men regard them as having sprung from heaven, as if there the living words of God were heard.”- John Calvin
“Do you not distinguish between the official teachings of an organization, and the practices of some of its members?”
This is known homosexuality - AT THE VATICAN - and known about by Popes and not eliminated.
Theoretical teaching has little effect when it is ignored by the people in charge.
“According to Catholic doctrine,”
That there’s yer problem ma’am. All that clunkin’ sound and knockin’ is coming cause yer puttin’ the wrong fuel in yer vehicle!”
I will pray for you.
That’d be great! Thanks.
I’ve prayed for you many times.
No, you questioned Luther's credentials when you initially asked:
I argue from logic. Can you tell me where , in the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church any of Luthers accusations were taught? I think people, including Luther think much of what as spoken as opinion by some Catholics were authentic and infallible teachings when they were not.
He disputed the teachings of the church on indulgences and Purgatory - things that were part of the official teachings and actions associated with those teachings. If Luther didn't know "official" teachings, then no one did.
If Luther thought indulgences as practiced in his lifetime were Church teaching, he did not understand the teaching.
As practiced, they were against the teaching.
Purgatory has Scriptural and Traditional and logical bases.
“Purgatory has Scriptural and Traditional and logical bases.”
It has none of these in Christianity.
It does have a pagan traditional background.
That's what all these other Lutheran denominations claim too! :)
(I don't think they all agree on their teachings, otherwise there would be only one united denomination, wouldn't there?)
If you do a quick search, you can find this list of Lutheran denominations, and it appears that there is a lot of diversity in their teachings.
LINK: "List of Lutheran denominations"
List of Lutheran denominations
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"This is a list of Lutheran denominations grouped by affiliation with international Lutheran bodies. The denominations' relative size is not evident from this list. The list may not be comprehensive, but intends to be an accessible overview of the diversity and global scope of modern Lutheranism. This list does not include groups that have been merged into other groups, e.g. Hauge Synod, nor groups that have become defunct, e.g. Eielsen Synod."
Lutheran World Federation
Batak Christian Protestant Church (Indonesia)United and uniting churches with Lutheran roots
Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras
Church of Denmark (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark)
Church of Iceland (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland)
Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway)
Church of Sweden
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY)
Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania
Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in Poland
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia
Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
Evangelical Church in the Republic of Croatia
Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ecuador
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN - GELC)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Central Asia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (Cape Church)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand (ELCT)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway (Associate member)
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Brunswick
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Mecklenburg
India Evangelical Lutheran Church
Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church
Japan Lutheran Church (associate member)
Lanka Lutheran Church
Lutheran Church in Chile
Lutheran Church in Great Britain
Lutheran Church in the Philippines
Lutheran Church of Australia (associate member)
The Lutheran Church of Senegal
Lutheran Costa Rican Church
Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy
Malagasy Lutheran Church (Madagascar)
Mexican Lutheran Church
Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope
North Elbian Evangelical Church
Protestant Church of Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine
Salvadoran Lutheran Church
Silesian Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession
United Evangelical Lutheran Church (Argentina, Uruguay)
Evangelical Church in GermanyInternational Lutheran Council
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC) (India)
United Church of Christ (United States)
United Protestant Church of France
American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC)Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference
China Evangelical Lutheran Church
Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
Evangelical Lutheran Church of England
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile
Evangelical Lutheran ChurchSynod of France and Belgium
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Denmark
Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa
Gutnius Lutheran Church
Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church
India Evangelical Lutheran Church
Japan Lutheran Church
Lanka Lutheran Church
Lutheran ChurchCanada
Lutheran ChurchHong Kong Synod
Lutheran Church in Korea
Lutheran Church in the Philippines
Lutheran Church in Singapore and Malaysia
Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod
Lutheran Church of Australia (associate member)
Lutheran Church of Guatemala
Lutheran Church of Nigeria
Lutheran Church of Venezuela
Lutheran Ministerium and Synod USA
Lutheran Synod of Mexico
All Saints Lutheran Church of NigeriaEvangelical Catholic
Bulgarian Lutheran Church
Christ the King Lutheran (Nigeria)
Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church (Mexico)
Confessional Lutheran Church (Latvia)
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (Czech Republic)
Evangelical Lutheran Church "Concord" (Russia)
Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Church (Finland)
Evangelical Lutheran Confessional Church (Puerto Rico)
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany) (Germany)
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Australia
Evangelical Lutheran Synod (Peru)
Evangelical Lutheran Synod - United States
Gereja Lutheran Indonesia
The Lutheran Church of Cameroon
Lutheran Church of Central Africa Malawi Conference
Lutheran Church of Central Africa Zambia Conference
Lutheran Confessional Church (Sweden and Norway)
Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church (Japan)
Ukrainian Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (United States)
Anglo-Lutheran Catholic ChurchUnaffiliated Lutheran denominations
Association of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Churches
Evangelical Catholic Church
Evangelical Marian Catholic Church
Lutheran Episcopal Communion
Lutheran Church-International (formerly International Lutheran Fellowship)
The Lutheran Orthodox Church
Alliance of Renewal Churches (ARC)
American Lutheran Synod (ALS)
Apostolic Lutheran Church of America
Apostolic Lutheran Church of Myanmar
Association of Free Lutheran Congregations
Augsburg Lutheran Churches (ALC)
Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Brotherhood of Popular Pastoral Action - Lutheran Coordination (Panama)
Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations
China Lutheran Gospel Church
Chinese Lutheran Brethren Church
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Chad
Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC)
Concordia Lutheran Church (Sweden)
Concordia Lutheran Conference
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Augsburg Confession in Russia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Congo EELC-Brazzaville
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Côte d'Ivoire
Evangelical Lutheran Church on the Faroe Islands
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Gambia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Guinea
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sudan
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Togo
Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium of North America (ELCM)
Evangelical Lutheran Congregations of the Reformation (Australia)
Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America (ELDoNA)
Evangelical Lutheran Mission (Liberia)
Federation of Lutheran Churches in Middle Germany
Good Samaritan Evangelical Lutheran Church (India)
Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua
Istanbul Lutheran Church (Turkey)
Japan Lutheran Brethren Church
Kosovo Protestant Evangelical Church
Laestadian Lutheran Church
Laos Evangelical Lutheran Church
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tamil Nadu
Lutheran Alliance of Churches in renovation (ALIA) - Brazil
Lutheran Church of Cameroon
Lutheran Church of Central Africa (Malawi & Zambia)
Lutheran Church of Eritrea
Lutheran Church of Ethiopia
The Lutheran Church of India
Lutheran Church of New Zealand
The Lutheran Church of the Republic of China
Lutheran Church of Togo
Lutheran Churches of the Reformation (LCR)
Lutheran Churches of the Reformation in Nigeria
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (USA)
Lutheran Ministerium and Synod - USA
Lutheran Mission in Thailand (LMT)
North American Lutheran Church (US and Canada)
North Western Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church (India)
Old Apostolic Lutheran Church
Old Lutheran Church (Asia)
Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Tagakaulo Lutheran Church of Christ in the Philippines
United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA) (USA)
Also, keep in mind that if all the sinners were to be expelled from all the denominations in the world, there would not be one person left in any of the denominations (including yours), as "All have sinned...".
So, what do you propose should be done with sinners in a given denomination?
And if we have learned anything from Trump's short presidency so far, it is that many of the public charges against him as a leader have turned out to be proven false, and there have been a great number of "fake news" stories presented about him already. It is not wise to believe everything you encounter in the press or on the internet.
(Another thing to keep in mind is that God always knew there would be some bad "shepherds" in His "pasture", and promised that they will have a bleak future to look forward to. "Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!" declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:1.)
(I have to wish you goodnight now. Please pray for me, and I'll pray for you.)
Sorry. Legitimate argumentation cannot be made on basis that one rejects the original Canon nor because they differently interpret historical interpretations.
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