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Monday 17 February 2014

Martin Luther and the Reformation

     On the 31st October 1517 Martin Luther a Chatolic Monk nailed 95
Theses(or ideas) on the north door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
Therein, spurred the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. There
are some misconceptions that have to be addressed.

    The idea that there was one Papacy in Rome that oversaw the
 Ecumenical Body of Christendom as a whole. This is a myth.
Christendom had two large bodies consisting of the Western Churches
(Roman Papal Body) and the Eastern Churches (Orthodox, Assyrian Body).
 Suffice to say, both bodies separated via mutual excommunication
 in 1054 (Filioque clause). Some refer to the Eastern Movement as the
(Early) Jesus Movement which should not be confused with the Jesus
Movement in the 60's ~ 70's i.e. Christian Revival in the US. Another
 myth, lays the blame on Martin Luther for the formation of a new
ecumenical protestant body.  

  
   Martin Luther did not advocate against Catholicism. He didn't say we
needed a new Biblical Canon, or a new Church. His 95 Theses (or ideas)
was his objection against the Papal Authority, of using indulgence money to
build a great church in Rome, and to the Pope's claim that he had power over
souls in purgatory. The Theses argued that religion was a personal matter
between God and man and that the Gospel of forgiveness in Jesus Christ was
 all-important. The Reformation happened as result of peasant uprisings
when Rome would not reconcile with this recalcitrant monk. He had the
backing of German Prince's. The Church was going to split anyway over small
 differences. There were other rising Theologians the likes of John Calvin,
 Michael Servetus, Huldrych Zwingli,.........etc etc etc (See Wikipedia
Reformation and Frederick Nohl's, Luther) Martin Luther himself a vehement
anti-semite was 'not a perfect man but an imperfect man'.

 What began as doctrinal differences, to me, is a non-issue. What is troubling
the Church today is compromise, and the acceptance of a foreign doctrine.

 

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