Throughout the history of the Church, the Holy Spirit has
blown fresh breezes of renewal and reform. For instance, there were many
attempts to seek purity and renewal through monasticism and through various
efforts to reform the whole church. Some of these attempts gained a measure of
success, but others failed miserably. Why, finally, did efforts at reform
become Reformation with a capital “R”? Why did a certain monk and university
professor and priest named Martin Luther blow breezes of reform that become a
whirl wind, when previous efforts could barely move a single leaf on the tree
of Christendom? That is why the reformation of the 16th century was
based on Jesus Christ alone as the rightful head of his Church and the Center
of Christianity and must always be acknowledged, worshiped and followed as
such; any ongoing Reformation of the church in my obedience must be focused on
Christ alone as Savior and Lord.
“Others have attacked the pop’s morals,” said Martin Luther,
“I have attacked his doctrine.” It is not difficult to find examples of
misbehavior in the life of the church throughout its history, from the Book of
Acts to past articles in the newspapers. Because we humans are sinners, it is
obvious that moral vigilance is constantly needed. But the reformation of the
sixteenth century was aimed at a deeper level, at the central doctrine of the
faith. Doctrine is deeper than behavior? Yes, when doctrine is understood as
describing our relationship with God. Crucial though human behavior is, God
comes first, and doctrine tells about God and his will and actions. At the
center of the reformation is the doctrine of Justification by faith. Any other
factor is only secondary compared to this because justification by faith has to
do with Jesus Christ and what he has done for us and everything else is
subservient to him!
Doctrine is not dry. That’s why when Luther discovered in
the scriptures that we are made right with God only through the loving
forgiveness of God at the cross; it was a “born-again experience” for him. Luther
was a professor of Biblical Theology at the time. Here’s how the professor put
it, in his own words: “Night and day I pondered the Bible, especially Romans
1:16-17, until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the
statement that ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Then I grasped that the justice
of God is theta righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God
justifies us through faith…Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have
gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new
meaning” and even after reading that,” I sometimes would ask myself Why, I may
not know till I die then in eternity you can explain it to me.”
Events happened rapidly a few years later. In 1517, Luther
posted “95 Theses” on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany,
protesting the abuse of papal authority and the selling of indulgences
(designed to release time of punishment in “Purgatory,” as the Church now
taught) Luther’s theses were based on scripture’s revelation of the role of
Christ in making sinners right with God by grace through faith. After various
hearings and debates, he was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church in December
1520. Luther did not want to found a new church. But one was soon to begin, especially
after Luther risked his life in taking a bold stand at the Diet (convocation)
at Worms, Germany, in 1521, when he refused to take back what he had written.
Many doctrinal implications resulted from Luther’s central scriptural
discovery. Although originally intended as a teaching movement within the
Catholic Church, eventually the “Protestant” wing of Christianity took on an
identity of its own, with the following at the center of its theology:
justification by grace alone (God’s love, not our goodness) through faith alone
(not works), with Scripture alone (not popes or councils) as supreme authority,
exalting Christ alone as Lord and Savior. Instead of a hierarchy of priests
dispensing merit through a complex system of seven sacraments, only the two
sacraments actually commanded by Christ (Baptism and Communion) were retained
as free gifts of God’s grace (although confession came close to this status).
Also, the “priesthood of all believers” means that all Christians (not just
clergy) are priests in the sense of helping one’s neighbor to receive God’s
grace in Christ, and bringing God’s forgiving word to the world. In addition,
the daily vocations of all Church members really matter to God not just those
of priests, monks, and other “religious types.”
Church and state were not often totally separated as the
Reformation spread. Luther taught that there are “two kingdoms,” which means
that God works in both civil rule and Church and Christians are to do so also. Influential
princes aided his Reformation immensely. John Calvin, who became the
theological father of Presbyterianism and the “Reformed” churches, felt that
the Church should dominate the state; for a time Calvin himself was ruler of
Geneva, Switzerland. In England, King Henry the 8th, whom the pope
wouldn’t allow to divorce, married a new wife anyway, and when excommunicated,
founded the Church of England. By the mid 16th century, the
evangelicals (Lutherans) had spread the Gospel to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and
Finland. After armed conflict, the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 allowed both Roman
Catholicism and Protestantism to exist in the Holy Roman Empire. Whether a
region was to be Catholic or Protestant was usually based on the decision of
the local ruler. Only in the “left wing” of the Reformation was there
significant protest against governmental involvement. By whatever means, a
sweeping Reformation had taken place in amazingly short time.
Doctrine is crucial. Martin Luther once said he would gladly
be a Catholic and would even “kiss the pop’s toe “ if the pope would accept and
teach “justification by faith alone.” Is the Roman Catholic Church today ready
to do this, and, if so, would we, like Luther be ready for reunion? For some
people to say “I’m a Protestant” really means, “I’m not a Catholic” (and proud
of it!). On the other hand, some pastors and theologians wanted the word
“catholic” to appear in the name of the church that eventually became many “
Lutheran Churches”. Some suggested that we are “The Evangelical Catholic
Church.” I ask, what are the differences between “Catholicism” and
“Protestantism” today? Is there any sense in which we could be called “catholic”?
When the Church most needed reform, God provided the means of reform. May the
Holy Spirit continue to do so!
God Bless You and This Ministry!
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