Several friends have asked me what I think about the events celebrating the life of Pope John Paul II.  Is there a problem with the way in which this man's life is remembered and his death mourned?  I believe that Pope John Paul II represents to us one of the best examples of genuine Christian leadership that our world has seen.  He was a global leader influencing the world in a profoundly positive way over the course of his papacy.  When I think back about the recent funeral of Ronald Reagan and the way in which the United States of America honored this past president, it does not seem out of place at all for the Catholic Church to respectfully remember and mourn the death of the Pope through the many details of the funeral events taking place in Rome.  Why would we complain about the attention paid to this world leader if we do not complain of the attention paid to other world leaders?

The protestant community needs to recognize the great contributions that the God of Heaven and Earth allowed Pope John Paul II to make throughout the course of his life.  This pope did more than any other leader of our time to represent and strengthen the Christian world view on issues such as abortion, homosexuality, the ethics of medical research, and the sanctity of life.  Pope John Paul II was a prolific writer, a brilliant man, a humble and compassionate leader.  There is much to learn from his example and his leadership of the Catholic Church will be missed - and missed by conservative protestant Christians.

All of this said, there still remains a significant problem with the Roman Catholic Church.  My willingness to 'bless' the events surrounding the Pope's funeral does not need to be interpreted as an approval and acceptance of so many things that divide the Catholic and Protestant churches.  There is a reason that I spend so much of my time on this blog recollecting the contributions of the Reformation.  The Christian world must keep the Word of God as the central standard by which all of our practices are judged.  The traditions of the Catholic Church, including the understanding of the papacy and priesthood simply can not be defended by Holy Scripture.  Pope John Paul II was a great Christian leader - a leader appointed by men and holding an office that was created out of the traditions of men.  Certainly it is the case that our Sovereign God raises up leaders and in that we can see His hand at work in our midst.  We need to recall at the same time that God is no respecter of persons.  Although he walked a fine path and set a righteous example in many ways, Pope John Paul II is simply one of many Christians - no more holy and no more sinless than any of us that follow Christ.  Having personally visited the Vatican and toured the vaults under St. Peter's Basilica, I must admit that it is sad to see the great weath accumulated and stored as icons and relics - the poverty of millions of Catholics in Mexico City and other cities could so easily be reduced if the leadership in Rome would make a different use of the gold and jewels that sit behind glass - expensive idols cluttering the house of God. 

To my many Catholic friends I wish to extend sincere condolances as you grieve the loss of a truly great leader.  I know that there are many things upon which we may disagree but the blessings brought through the life of Pope John Paul II is not in question.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

          In my previous blog entries I have focused primarily on reformation events and people located on the mainland of Europe within the Protestant Church.  However, there were major events and people of the reformation located on the island of England as well as within the Catholic Church.  The English Reformation is really the political story of Henry VIII and his children.  Because England is an island the country was able to succeed in isolating itself from Roman Catholicism where her sister countries in mainland Europe could not.  Prompted by Henry’s desire to remarry, the king began seeking the church’s help to end his existing marriage with Katherine of Aragon.  When the pope, who was strongly influenced by Charles V—the ruler of Italy and relative of Katherine, refused to annul the marriage, Henry leaned on the legal and political wisdom of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer, both protestant sympathizers, and passed the Act of Supremacy declaring the King – not the pope – the Supreme Head of the Church of England. 

          With this legal power and the ability to isolate the kingdom, the King was able to find resolution to his marital dilemmas and the people were able to experience religious reformation.  The influence of the Lollards, followers of John Wycliffe, was still at work in England.  When William Tyndale published his English New Testament in 1526 a foundation was laid for the introduction of Scripture into the lives of the common people.           

          Under the reign of Henry’s first heir, Edward VI, Protestant ideas continued to take root.  The first Book of Common Prayer was introduced in 1549 and the Six “Bloody” Articles of 1539 were repealed.  These articles previously required the death penalty for those denying the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.  The English Reformation was temporarily interrupted when Mary Tudor came into power launching a personal crusade to return the Church of England to papal allegiance.  Many reformers were martyred under her rule.  Under Queen Elizabeth’s leadership (1558-1603) the 39 Articles of the Church of England were passed condemning Catholicism and confirming the Reform. 

          The revival of Catholicism under Mary Tudor was not an isolated event.  The Catholic Counter Reformation was marked by events and influences that sustained Catholicism in a time when the church was very much at war.  Ignatius Loyala recognized the pope’s need to under gird the church with followers willing to fulfill the request of Catholic leadership.  In 1540 Loyola founded the Jesuits – an order dedicated to strict obedience.  The Jesuit influence was widespread throughout Catholicism.   Their loyal leadership could be found in universities and on the mission fields and the ideals of the Catholic Church spread as a result. 

          Pope Paul III recognized that the age-old Church practice of Inquisition carried a potent power.  He placed six cardinals in charge of the Inquisition within the Catholic Church with the sole aim of securing a loyal and growing Catholic faith.  Many members of other faiths and ethnic heritage were singled out and tortured.  Fear of the Inquisition had a dramatic effect on the people.  Very few were willing to stand up for a doctrine counter to that of the Roman Catholic Church and even fewer were willing to attack the views held by the Roman Catholic Church.

          The written word was especially dangerous during the time of the Inquisition.  The Index was established as a list of prohibited books that included the humanist reforms of Erasmus and any translations of Scripture into the native tongue of the people.  The world was at war in the eyes of the pope and measures such as the Inquisition and Index were necessary in order to strengthen the foundation of the Catholic Church. 

          In order to reaffirm Catholic doctrine and theology in the minds of the common people, the Church used the Council of Trent to their advantage.  The council took place in three stages from 1545-1563.  In these sessions most of the church views based on tradition were reestablished.  Regarding penance the council stated, “For on behalf of those who fall into sins after baptism, Christ Jesus instituted the sacrament of penance when He said:  ‘Receive ye the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained’ {John 20:22}.”  The common people hearing the results and votes of the council decided to stay within the Catholic Church rather than leave in favor of Protestant churches with new and uncertain ideas. And those who decided to stand firm on protestant ideas were strongly attacked.  In response to Lutheran faith the council said, “If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification and that it is not in any way necessary that the be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema.”

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

          John Calvin introduced to the reformation a high view of God’s sovereignty that was the basis for his defense of the biblical references to predestination.  His view of the church was influenced by this theology of predestination in that he believed the people of God should be held to a high standard and kept in check by strong church discipline.  Calvin introduced a view of double predestination asserting that God determines everyone for either salvation or damnation.  God’s decision is based solely upon His own sovereign will rather than by His foreknowledge of a free will decision on the part of an individual.  Those whom God chooses for salvation are referred to as the elect. 

          Calvin’s theology regarding the elect were summed up in five statements of belief by his followers.  First, he believed in the total depravity of all people.  He believed in an unconditional election.  He believed in limited atonement.  He believed in irresistible grace.  Last, he believed in the perseverance of the saints. 

          The church or the congregation of the elect is held to a high standard of discipline according to Calvin’s view of the Scripture.  In Scripture, Calvin finds four orders of church leadership:  pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons.  Pastors were responsible for preaching the word.  Teachers were responsible for the instruction of true doctrine.  Elders were responsible for oversight of discipline in the life of all.  Deacons were responsible for the ministry of compassion.  The elect were to be known by three tests:  profession of faith, an upright life, and participation in the sacraments. 

          Calvin upheld only two sacraments, the Lord’s Supper and baptism.  He called for infant baptism as a sign of the New Covenant like the circumcision of the Old Covenant.  He believed that the congregation as a thanksgiving remembrance and confession of faith should remember the Lord’s Supper at least once a month. 

          In his Institutes of the Christian Religion Calvin provides for us one of the first systematic theology from a reformed theologian in one document.  The Apostle’s Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer are each used as outline tools within the Institutes. “In Calvin’s view, the ‘kingdom of Christ’ was developing at Geneva, but in a completely different way.  The city of Geneva is not the ‘Christian corporation’ – according to his political testament, set down a year before his death – but rather a bridgehead for the expansion of the kingdom of Christ.  The walls of the city do not protect a piece of Paradise from the harsh post-lapsarian reality outside, nor do they fence in the civic monastery, where God’s will is carried out and where holiness guides daily life.  The walls do not surround monks with the security of the cloister, but mark the exterior boundaries of a theological armory, in which the main arteries leading out of the city are more important than the defensive towers . . . Calvin reformed from Geneva.  Calvin characteristically closes his sermons with this prayer:  ‘Let him work this miracle of grace not only here and for us, but for all the peoples and nations on earth . . .”

          It is important to mention here in our blog entry devoted to John Calvin’s contribution, those contributions of one of Calvin’s followers.  Arminius departed from Calvin’s theology of predestination in favor of a theology that held to human free will.  His views are summed up in the document entitled The Remonstrance from which the followers of Arminianism take the name, Remonstrants.  Arminius derived his views from Calvinism differentiating his theology in that he strongly believed in the free will of the individual as opposed to the view that God’s sovereign will chose some to be saved and others to be lost.  He instead asserts that God provided salvation through Christ to all that believe on Jesus and continue in faith throughout their lives in faithful obedience to Christ. 

          Based upon the Scripture of John 3:16 he further asserts that Jesus died for all people everywhere and Christ’s death on the cross has purchased forgiveness of sins for all.  However, the only ones that will partake of this forgiveness are those who believe on Jesus Christ.  Arminius places upon the person of the Holy Spirit the responsibility for regeneration of the corrupt person.  Men and women can do no good in and of themselves but only by being reborn in Christ by the Holy Spirit are we able to follow after the example set by Jesus in the Scripture.

          Another central feature to the theology of Arminius is his view that grace, though it is clearly God’s grace to provide the Holy Spirit, is not irresistible.  He states firmly that many have resisted the Holy Spirit as recorded in Scripture.  Finally, Arminius held that all who believe on Jesus Christ are given the ability through the Holy Spirit to resist temptation such that they will not be taken out of Christ’s hands.  The issue of humankind’s choice is the predominant theme of each of these theological points.  Arminius believed that every person had the ability to choose for themselves to believe in the saving power of Jesus and, therefore, participate as members of Christ’s kingdom.  God had provided the sacrifice and the way for all to be saved.  The responsibility for salvation lay with the individual and not on God.

          This blog entry devoted to John Calvin has also included the views of some who came after him.  Calvinism has continued to this day along with other theological lines that draw their ancestry to the early days of the Reformation.  A blog dedicated to the Reformation could include entries on many other reformers but summarizing the contributions of Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin is essential.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

          This blog entry will focus on the contribution of Zwingli as well as the first protestant groups that rose up in and around Zurich with whom Zwingli was forced to interact.  It has been said of Ulrich Zwingli that his theology was a life work in progress.  He was influenced by the Christian humanism of Erasmus addressed in the first chapter.  This understanding of humanism led to Zwingli’s early awareness of the abuses of the Roman Church such as indulgences.  His salvation stemmed from his early understanding that the remission of sins could be found only in the death of Christ and not in the work of the church.  Zwingli claimed to have come to his understanding of reformation issues as well as his approach to reform independent of the influence of Luther and others.

          Zwingli referred to his Christian faith as “the philosophy of Christ” and in teaching the Scripture’s directly to the people he came to eloquently convey the gospel to his congregation.   It was this preaching that found prominence in the overall worship experience of the church.  The focus and foundation of Zwingli’s theology was clearly based upon Scripture.  This focus on Scripture was cause for Zwingli’s challenge and ultimate rejection of obligatory fasts including those of Lent.  His Sixty-Seven Articles focus on several of his points of theology.  First, he asserted that the person of Jesus Christ was the central and most important element of our faith.  Christ is the only means by which we are released from death and reconciled to God.  Believers in Christ are His body, the children of God, or understood as the church. 

          Zwingli taught that the Lord’s Supper should be observed along with infant baptism.  The Lord’s Supper was a spiritual feeding upon Christ and the Eucharist should be understood as a symbol and not as a literal eating of Christ body, or a corporal presence.  Zwingli said of the Lord’s Supper, “It is evident then that the flesh is not there literally and corporally.”  This was a notion that Luther could not entertain.  They argued at Marburg and after their confrontation Zwingli pronounced, “The truth prevailed so manifestly that if ever anyone was beaten it was the foolish and obstinate Luther.  He was clearly defeated, as any wise and fair judge would agree, although he now makes out that he was not beaten.  We have, however, achieved this much good, that our agreement on the rest of the doctrines of the Christian religion will prevent the papal party from hoping any longer that Luther will be on their side.” 

          Zwingli spoke out fiercely against those that introduced believer’s baptism and explained pedobaptism as the New Testament parallel to the Old Testament sign of circumcision.  All people born into the church were to receive the sacrament of baptism as a sign of God’s covenant.  This infant baptism did not remove sin and was not to be understood as a statement of the infant’s faith.  It was this point in the Schleitheim Confession (1527) with which Zwingli took issue:  “Baptism shall be given to all those who have been taught repentance and that amendment of life and who believe truly that their sins are taken away through Christ, and to all those who desire to walk in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and be buried with him in death, so that they might rise with him; to all those who with such an understanding themselves desire and request it from us; hereby is excluded all infant baptism, the greatest and first abomination of the pope.”  Those who believed this theological principle were termed Anabaptists, a term that implies a rebaptism or second baptism reserved only for the regenerate believer.  Since infant baptism was a nearly universally observed sacrament, the Anabaptist would be one who, convinced of the need for believer’s baptism, would ask for a second baptism upon the conviction of salvation as an adult. 

          Early Anabaptists rejected pedobaptism, or the infant baptism that Zwingli and others affirmed, on several grounds.  First, they believed that the nature of baptism as an act rules out infant baptism.   Second, they asserted that baptism is a symbol of faith, therefore requiring faith and not a sacrament.  They reject the notion that faith can belong to an infant.  Third, since Christ set the example of baptism as an adult, we should also observe baptism as adults.  Fourth, the Great Commission of Jesus to His disciples requires baptism of the converts to the gospel.  Last, they argue that baptism is not analogous to the Old Testament symbol of circumcision as a mark of faith on the community under covenant with God. 

          The roots of the Anabaptist movement are found in the beliefs of Thomas Muntzer and the Zwickau Prophets.  These earlier forms of the growing Anabaptist theology believed in new revelation from the Holy Spirit as well as eschatology that called for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  The most important influence of the Anabaptist theology can be described as the argument for separation of church and state.  Because baptism was only for the believer and the church was the community of believers, the state, therefore, should do nothing to assert a coercive religious belief on the state’s inhabitants.  The notion of separation of church and state did not go over well with the city-state reformers such as Zwingli and Calvin.  However, this argument furthered the cause of religious toleration and eventually provided a starting point for several other religious groups with Anabaptist ties such as the Mennonites and Amish.  Among their theological beliefs were the practices of shared property, strict church discipline, and the emphasis on the importance of the family. 

          The protestant division over the purpose and mode of baptism led to significant persecution from both Protestant reformers and Catholics.  Menno Simons was quoted regarding the persecutions of Anabaptists as saying, “The murderous world seeks to kill me, just as all those who seek your honor have been hated, persecuted, burned and murdered.”  Simons and thousands of other Anabaptists were hunted down for their theological beliefs and many were burned at the stake for their beliefs.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

           This blog entry will be dedicated to the contribution and impact of Martin Luther on the Reformation and on Christianity at large.  His theology was reforming.  Luther’s theology of Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone must begin with the words from Scripture that brought him to salvation, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith . . . For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’”  In these words Luther would find the basis for his theology of the cross replacing the theology of works that had plagued him for so many years. 

          Luther’s attack of the indulgence system stems from his belief that the people of God are not accepted because of merit based on works or something that could be purchased with money.  Instead, Luther asserts that we are justified by faith alone through Jesus Christ as a gift from God.  Regarding justification, Luther said, “It is also taught among us that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God by our own merits, works, or satisfactions, but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us.  For God will regard and reckon this faith as righteousness, as Paul says in Rom. 3:21-26 and 4:5.”  In other words, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.  A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”

          Luther suggests that we should “Let God be God”.  This thought reflects the heart of his belief that our salvation is predestined and not something we humans choose for ourselves.  Salvation is a gift to be received and not a goal to be achieved.  We are judged righteous only because of the righteousness of Christ.  Based on our own merits, each of us will always appear sinful.  The relationship of works to faith is described in Luther’s own words with, “Not that the righteous person does nothing, but that his works do not make him righteous, rather that his righteousness creates works.”  These works that are created by the righteousness of the faithful are daily challenged by our fleshly temptation to sin – a temptation that must be overcome in our daily battles with sin.  His theology is based entirely from Scripture and not from ecclesiastical tradition because Luther believed that the Bible was the Christian’s supreme authority.  He made this clear even in the face of opposition that asserted the Pope’s supreme authority.  Luther stated, “I deny that the pope is above Scripture.  His holiness abuses Scripture.”  It was this reliance on Scripture that drove Luther’s reform of the church that he so loved.

          Luther also advanced the idea of the priesthood of believers.  In his own words he states,

“Therefore, just as those who are now called ‘spiritual,’ that is, priests, bishops, or popes, are neither different from other Christians nor superior to them, except that they are charged with the administration of the Word of God and the sacraments, which is their work and office, so it is with the temporal authorities.  They bear the sword and rod in their hand to punish the wicked and protect the good.  A cobbler, a smith, a peasant – each has the work and office of his trade, and yet they are all alike consecrated priests and bishops.  Further, everyone must benefit and serve every other by means of his own work or office so that in this way many kinds of work may be done for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the community, just as all members of the body serve one another {1 Cor. 12:14-26} . . .”

What Luther contributes with these words is the idea that the common Christian is a priest on behalf of others.  We are all to intercede on behalf of one another.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

          Humanism was especially important to the Reformation because of the increased awareness and importance it placed on the individual.  Humanism suggests that men and women are the pinnacle of God’s creation rather than merely the world or planet upon which He placed us.  This shift can be seen in the artwork of the Renaissance where landscapes are replaced with nudes.  The individual human body becomes a focal point in art just as the individual human soul becomes a focal point in religion.  People began to ask the question, “What’s in religion for me?” 

          When Erasmus began writing, his goal was to harmonize his humanist learning with a virtuous life style.  In his own words he promotes these two merits with the comment, “Distinguished learning and an exceptionally high moral tone, qualities which, when they are combined, are as peerless in beauty and perfection as their combination itself is rare.”  For Erasmus, the goal of combining these elements could only be accomplished through a return to the sourcebook of his faith, the Bible.  In his study and imitation of the teachings of the Bible he would find a perfect marriage for his humanism and his Christianity.  The focus, therefore, of his life’s work was the Scripture.  “Let everything be related to Christ.”  Christ, the Christ of the Scriptures was supreme.

          Erasmus used humor as a tool to cool the hot edge of reform.  “What is the matter in saying truth with a smile?”  Erasmus desired to stay the course rather than be caught up in a movement or a cause.  “As for me, I keep myself uncommitted, so far as I can, in hopes of being able to do more for the revival of good literature.”  While avoiding the charged center of the Reformation he was able to revive the greatest of all literature by completing his Greek New Testament.  His aim was to draw our attention back to the Word of God rather than the traditions of the church.  “You worship ashes, which are sometimes of some efficacy in removing bodily imperfections; why do you not honor the written word more, by which vices of the soul are healed?” 

          In addition to these contributions, Erasmus helped the world rediscover the Church Fathers.  He edited and worked to publish the writings of Jerome, Origin, Augustine, Ciprion, and Basel the Great to name a few.  His hope was that the church would turn their attention back to the Scripture and their spiritual forefathers and reform from within.  Rather than leave the Catholic Church as others would do, he remained a part of the Catholic Church despite the fact that his works would be placed on the Index of forbidden books in the years to come.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

          There are events in history without which we would have no Reformation.  This blog entry will include a summary of the Renaissance (1300-1517) and the key factors within this period of history contributing to a political and religious environment where the world was ready for reform.  Although humanism could be included within this chapter as a section among these factors, I have chosen to dedicate Chapter 2 to the topic of humanism and the specific contributions of Erasmus. 

          The printing press was developed and made accessible through the work of Johannes Guttenburg (1396-1468).  It is interesting and significant that the first printed book was copy of Psalms printed in 1457.  Scripture was the first written words to be sent to the printing press and it would Scripture and the interpretation of Scripture that would dominate the presses of Europe in the years to follow.  Without the printing press, the Bible and the words of reform would not have been made available to the common person.  It has been suggested that the reforms of Wycliffe and Huss would have been far more effective if only their ideas could have been disseminated more broadly via the printed word.  It would be instead, Erasmus and Luther that would first tap the reforming power of the press.

          Monasticism was a growing force within the religious world of the Renaissance.  The Rules of Peconius, Benedict, Francis of Assisi, Dominic, and others each provided the members of their monastic community with a framework for individual religious fervor.  The 12th and 13th Centuries were considered an Age of Faith and in the 14th Century the Brethren of the Common Life provided an even higher level of Christian devotion and learning steeped in Christian mysticism and the importance of the individual’s relationship to God.

          Within the Roman Catholic Church the traditions of saints, relics, and pilgrimages were never as popular as during this period of history.  The people all of Europe were praying through saints, incorporating relics of saints into their worship, and journeying to see holy places all over the Christian world.  The greatest pilgrimage of all was the journey to Jerusalem.  However, because of the occupation of Muslims in Jerusalem, this journey became part of a war to liberate Jerusalem from the hands of the Infidel and take the land of the Savior back in the name of the pope.  Crusades became a popular means of winning religious favor, political power, and material wealth.  Along with the land and money that were captured from the Muslims, the Christian world also gained access to intellectual capital in the form of classical Greek studies.  Philosophy, medicine, and technologies all came as booty from the Muslims sparking the Renaissance.

          The political history of the Renaissance begs the question, “who is really in charge?”  Popes and Kings both vied for authority and power during this period.  Examples such as Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire speak to this question.  Was Charlemagne greater than the one who had the power and authority to crown him?  In 1077 Pope Gregory VII excommunicated Henry IV and all those showing allegiance to him.  It was not long until Henry came begging to be reinstated.  With acts like these the pope was saying that it was ultimately the church that was in charge. 

          Controversy within the Catholic Church was commonplace.  At first there was the argument over investiture regarding who had the authority within the feudal system to invest abbots or bishops – the church or the state?  Then there was the controversy over where the pope would reside – was it France or Italy?  Eventually there was even the question of who held the position of the papacy itself.  During the Great Schism multiple popes were elected and as many as three popes held the title at one time.  So, as the church entered the 1500s there were many issues and events being called into question.  Men like John Wycliffe and John Huss were already turning to the Scriptures and not to the traditions of the church to find their answers.  Again, if Wycliffe and Huss had been given access to the printing press, there is good reason to believe that the Reformation could have begun even earlier.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

“The pope or bishop anoints, shaves heads, ordains, consecrates, and prescribes garb different from that of the laity, but he can never make a man into a Christian or into a spiritual man by so doing.  He might well make a man into a hypocrite or a humbug and blockhead, but never a Christian or a spiritual man.  As far as that goes, we are all consecrated priests through baptism, as St. Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9, ‘You are a royal priesthood and a priestly realm.’”  ~ Luther

 “Therefore, just as those who are now called ‘spiritual,’ that is, priests, bishops, or popes, are neither different from other Christians nor superior to them, except that they are charged with the administration of the Word of God and the sacraments, which is their work and office, so it is with the temporal authorities.  They bear the sword and rod in their hand to punish the wicked and protect the good.  A cobbler, a smith, a peasant – each has the work and office of his trade, and yet they are all alike consecrated priests and bishops.  Further, everyone must benefit and serve every other by means of his own work or office so that in this way many kinds of work may be done for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the community, just as all members of the body serve on another {1 Cor. 12:14-26} . . .” ~ Luther

“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.  A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” ~ Luther

“It is also taught among us that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God by our own merits, works, or satisfactions, but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith, when we believe that Christ suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us.  For God will regard and reckon this faith as righteousness, as Paul says in Rom. 3:21-26 and 4:5.” ~ Luther  

“The truth prevailed so manifestly that if ever anyone was beaten it was the foolish and obstinate Luther.  he was clearly defeated, as any wise and fair judge would agree, although he now makes out that he was not beaten.  We have, however, achieved this much good, that our agreement on the rest of the doctrines of the Christian religion will prevent the papal party from hoping any longer that Luther will be on their side.” ~ Zwingli

“If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification and that it is not in any way necessary that they be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema.” ~ Council of Trent – Counter Reformation

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

John Calvin’s church in Geneva provides perhaps the best and most clearly documented model for the use of excommunication within reformed circles.  The strongest form of punishment that the church could inflict upon her members was the use of excommunication.  “An offender would be first admonished privately by the elders.  If that was ineffective, he was to be admonished in the presence of witnesses.  If that failed, exclusion from the Lord’s Table followed.  Finally, excommunication was to be exercised by the whole body of elders, but restoration was possible if the offender repented.”[1]  Each of these progressive forms of punishment strictly followed from the Scripture.  Calvin defended the use of excommunication from 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber.  Do not even eat with such a one.  For what have I to do with judging those outside?  Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge?  God will judge those outside.  ‘Drive out the wicked person from among you.’”[2]  It was the motivation of protecting the church from contamination that led the church to exhort and admonish those with theological and doctrinal opinions that were not in sync with Scripture and historic orthodoxy.  This principle was made law with the signing of the Ecclesiastical Ordinances in Geneva.  The Ordinances reflect, “If there shall be anyone who lays down opinions contrary to received doctrine, he is to be summoned.  If he recants, he is to be dismissed without prejudice.  If he is stubborn, he is to be admonished from time to time until it shall be evident that he deserves greater severity.  Then, he is to be excommunicated and this action reported to the magistrate.”[3]  It is clear that excommunication was the most severe measure of punishment afforded to the church.  Calvin explains,

The three purposes of correction and excommunication are:  first, to remove the insult offered to God of flagrant and deliberate sinners being called Christians.  For the Church is the body of Christ; to condone sin is to disgrace the Head of the body.  Moreover, to admit flagrant sinners to the Lord’s Supper is to profane that holy Institution.  Ex-communication is banishment from communicating.  Secondly, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:11, the good must be kept from contamination by the bad.  And thirdly, in regard to the offender himself, the purpose is that he shall repent and be restored.[4]

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

The meaning of this term implies a rebaptism or second baptism reserved only for the regenerate believer.  Since infant baptism was a nearly universally observed sacrament, the Anabaptist would be one who, convinced of the need for believer’s baptism, would ask for a second baptism upon the conviction of salvation as an adult.  Early Anabaptists rejected pedobaptism, or infant baptism, on several grounds.  First, they believed that the nature of baptism as an act rules out infant baptism.   Second, they asserted that baptism is a symbol of faith, therefore requiring faith and not a sacrament.  They reject the notion that faith can belong to an infant.  Third, since Christ set the example of baptism as an adult, we should also observe baptism as adults.  Fourth, the Great Commission of Jesus to His disciples requires baptism of the converts to the gospel.  Last, they argue that baptism is not analogous to the Old Testament symbol of circumcision as a mark of faith on the community under covenant with God.  The roots of the Anabaptist movement are found in the beliefs of Thomas Muntzer and the Zwickau Prophets.  These earlier forms of the growing Anabaptist theology believed in new revelation from the Holy Spirit as well as eschatology that called for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  The most important influence of the Anabaptist theology can be described as the argument for separation of church and state.  Because baptism was only for the believer and the church was the community of believers, the state, therefore, should do nothing to assert a coercive religious belief on the state’s inhabitants.  This argument furthered the cause of religious toleration and eventually provided a starting point for several other religious groups with Anabaptist ties such as the Mennonites and Amish.  Among their theological beliefs were the practices of shared property, strict church discipline, and the emphasis on the importance of the family.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

Some have argued that the revival within the medieval Roman Catholic Church was already underway before the events of the Protestant Reformation first began.  Just as there was a Protest Reformation, some have suggested we should call this a Catholic Reformation since it occurred independently rather than in response to what was taking place in the Protestant Church.  Ignatius Loyala founded The Society of Jesus (or Jesuits) in 1540 as an order dedicated to strict obedience.  Because of the Jesuit’s willingness to follow orders – especially the orders of the pope, their influence was widespread throughout Catholicism.   Jesuits dominated the universities and mission fields and the ideals of the Catholic Church spread as a result.  Another influence in the Catholic Reformation was the power of persuasion in the form of Inquisition.  Pope Paul III placed six cardinals in charge of the Inquisition with the aim of securing a Catholic confession of faith from the people under the pope’s domain.  Jews, upper-class citizens, and members of the general public with ideas counter to Catholic doctrine were singled out and systematically tortured.  Fear of the Inquisition had a dramatic effect on the people.  Associated with the Inquisition, the Index was established as a list of prohibited books that included the humanist reforms of Erasmus and any translations of Scripture into the native tongue of the people.  The world was at war in the eyes of the pope and measures such as the Inquisition and Index were necessary in order to strengthen the foundation of the Catholic Church.  One final measure of the Catholic Reformation was the Council of Trent that reaffirmed Catholic doctrine and theology in the minds of church members.  The council took place in three stages from 1545-1563.  The common people hearing the results and votes of the council decided to stay within the Catholic church rather than leave in favor of Protestant churches with new and uncertain ideas.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

Influenced more by politics and royalty than by theology, the English Reformation is really the story of Henry VIII and his progeny.  Because of England’s geographical identity as an island the country was able to succeed in isolating itself from Roman Catholicism where her sister countries in mainland Europe could not.  Prompted by Henry’s desire to remarry, the king began seeking the church’s help to end his existing marriage with Katherine of Aragon.  When the pope, who was strongly influenced by Charles V—the ruler of Italy and relative of Katherine, refused to annul the marriage, Henry leaned on the legal and political wisdom of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer, both protestant sympathizers, and passed the Act of Supremacy declaring the King – not the pope – the Supreme Head of the Church of England.  With this legal power and the ability to isolate the kingdom, the King was able to find resolution to his marital dilemmas and the people were able to experience religious reformation.  The influence of the Lollards, followers of John Wycliffe, was still at work in England.  When William Tyndale published his English New Testament in 1526 a foundation was laid for the introduction of Scripture into the lives of the common people.  Under the reign of Henry’s first heir, Edward VI, Protestant ideas continued to take root.  The first Book of Common Prayer was introduced in 1549 and the Six “Bloody” Articles of 1539 were repealed.  These articles previously required the death penalty for those denying the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.  The English Reformation was temporarily interrupted when Mary Tudor came into power launching a personal crusade to return the Church of England to papal allegiance.  Many reformers were martyred under her rule.  Under Queen Elizabeth’s leadership (1558-1603) the 39 Articles of the Church of England were passed condemning Catholicism and confirming the Reform.  The political motives that started the English Reformation paved the way for the concept of church separate from the one Roman Catholic Church that had so dominated Christian history.  A new model now existed and from it would come the reforms of Germany, France, Switzerland, and Scotland each providing more and more freedom and more and more biblical perspective to the people of Jesus Christ fellowshipping around the world.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

Here was a man whose chief desire seemed clear, to harmonize his humanist learning with a virtuous life style.  In his own words he promotes these two merits with the comment, “Distinguished learning and an exceptionally high moral tone, qualities which, when they are combined, are as peerless in beauty and perfection as their combination itself is rare.”  For Erasmus, the goal of combining these elements could only be accomplished through a return to the sourcebook of his faith.  In his study and imitation of the teachings of the Bible he would find a perfect marriage for his humanism and his Christianity.  The focus, therefore, of his life’s work was the Scripture.  “Let everything be related to Christ.”  Christ, the Christ of the Scriptures was supreme.  And since Christ, “who is Love, and who taught nothing, handed down nothing that is not love and peace” is our authority, then we must, “embrace the cause of peace, so that Christ in return may acknowledge us for his own.”  With this peace of Christ at his foundation Erasmus spoke out against war, against disunity, against conflict, and against the mistakes of the church.  He used humor as a tool to cool the hot edge of reform.  “What is the matter in saying truth with a smile?”  Erasmus desired to stay the course rather than be caught up in a movement or a cause.  “As for me, I keep myself uncommitted, so far as I can, in hopes of being able to do more for the revival of good literature.”  While avoiding the charged center of the Reformation he was able to revive the greatest of all literature by completing his Greek New Testament.  His aim was to draw our attention back to the Word of God rather than the traditions of the church.  “You worship ashes, which are sometimes of some efficacy in removing bodily imperfections; why do you not honor the written word more, by which vices of the soul are healed?”  Erasmus teaches that the best way to honor the written word of God is to imitate Jesus Christ.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

The primary theological themes of Arminius and his followers are summed up in the document entitled The Remonstrance from which the followers of Arminianism take the name, Remonstrants.  Arminius derived his views from Calvinism differentiating his theology in that he strongly believed in the free will of the individual as opposed to the view that God’s sovereign will chose some to be saved and others to be lost.  He instead asserts that God provided salvation through Christ to all that believe on Jesus and continue in faith throughout their lives in faithful obedience to Christ.  Based upon the Scripture of John 3:16 he further asserts that Jesus died for all people everywhere and Christ’s death on the cross has purchased forgiveness of sins for all.  However, the only ones that will partake of this forgiveness are those who believe on Jesus Christ.  Arminius places upon the person of the Holy Spirit the responsibility for regeneration of the corrupt person.  Men and women can do no good in and of themselves but only by being reborn in Christ by the Holy Spirit are we able to follow after the example set by Jesus in the Scripture.  Another central feature to the theology of Arminius is his view that grace, though it is clearly God’s grace to provide the Holy Spirit, is not irresistible.  He states firmly that many have resisted the Holy Spirit as recorded in Scripture.  Finally, Arminius held that all who believe on Jesus Christ are given the ability through the Holy Spirit to resist temptation such that they will not be taken out of Christ’s hands.  The issue of humankinds choice is the predominant theme of each of these theological points.  Arminius believed that every person had the ability to choose for themselves to believe in the saving power of Jesus and, therefore, participate as members of Christ’s kingdom.  God had provided the sacrifice and the way for all to be saved.  The responsibility for salvation lay with the individual and not on God. 

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

Martin Luther’s theology must begin with the words from Scripture that brought him to salvation, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith . . . For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’”  In these words Luther would find the basis for his theology of the cross replacing the theology of works that had plagued him for so many years.  Luther’s attack of the indulgence system stems from his belief that the people of God are not accepted because of merit based on works or something that could be purchased with money.  Instead, Luther asserts that we are justified by faith alone through Jesus Christ as a gift from God.  Furthermore, Luther suggests that we should “Let God be God”.  This thought reflects the heart of his belief that our salvation is predestined and not something we humans choose for ourselves.  Salvation is a gift to be received and not a goal to be achieved.  We are judged righteous only because of the righteousness of Christ.  Based on our own merits, each of us will always appear sinful.  The relationship of works to faith is described in Luther’s own words with, “Not that the righteous person does nothing, but that his works do not make him righteous, rather that his righteousness creates works.”  These works that are created by the righteousness of the faithful are daily challenged by our fleshly temptation to sin – a temptation that must be overcome in our daily battles with sin.  His theology is based entirely from Scripture and not from ecclesiastical tradition because Luther believed that the Bible was the Christian’s supreme authority.  He made this clear even in the face of opposition that asserted the Pope’s supreme authority.  Luther stated, “I deny that the pope is above Scripture.  His holiness abuses Scripture.”  It was this reliance on Scripture that drove Luther’s reform of the church that he so loved.

Here are the words to his hymn, A Mighty Fortress:

A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing, For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, The man of God's own choosing.   Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His  name, From age to age the same. And He MUST win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us We will not fear, for God hath willed His Truth to triumph through us. The prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; his rage we can endure.  For lo! his doom is sure, One little Word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly powers - No thanks to them abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill; God's Truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever Amen!!

For more information on Martin Luther please see the links on my blog with his name in the title.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman

I’ve stated previously that John Calvin is one of my favorite theologians and that I agree with his take on most points of doctrine.  Perhaps it would be helpful to try to succinctly sum up John Calvin’s greatest contributions to the Reformation for those who may not be familiar with him.

In his Institutes of the Christian Religion John Calvin provides for us the first systematic theology from a reformed theologian in one document.  The Apostle’s Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer are each used as outline tools within the Institutes.  The most challenging and controversial feature of his theology is Calvin’s view of double predestination.  Double predestination asserts that God determines everyone for either salvation or damnation.  God’s decision is based solely upon His own sovereign will rather than by His foreknowledge of a free will decision on the part of an individual.  It is important to fully understand the nature of God, His love for His creation, His redemptive plan for salvation, and the truth about His sovereignty before jumping to a conclusion that this view paints God as cold, harsh, and lacking compassion.

Those whom God chooses for salvation are referred to as the elect.  Calvin’s theology regarding the elect has been summed up in five statements of belief by his students.  Those who came after Calvin suggested:  that he believed in the total depravity of all people, he believed in an unconditional election, he believed in limited atonement he believed in irresistible grace and he believed in the perseverance of the saints.  The church or the congregation of the elect is held to a high standard of discipline according to Calvin’s view of the Scripture.  This high standard was put into practice in Geneva, Switzerland where Calvin ministered during the later years of his life.

In Scripture, Calvin finds four orders of church leadership:  pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons.  Pastors were responsible for preaching the word.  Teachers were responsible for the instruction of true doctrine.  Elders were responsible for oversight of discipline in the life of all.  Deacons were responsible for the ministry of compassion.  The elect were to be known by three tests:  profession of faith, an upright life, and participation in the sacraments.  Calvin upheld only two sacraments, the Lord’s Supper and baptism.  He called for infant baptism as a sign of the New Covenant like the circumcision of the Old Covenant.  He believed that the congregation, as a thanksgiving remembrance and confession of faith, should remember the Lord’s Supper at least once a month.  Because he held so strictly to Scripture, Calvin preferred the congregation only to sing from the Psalms.

For more information about John Calvin please reference the list on my blog with his name in the title.

Blessings to you ~ Steadman