Coin depicting Rodrigo Borgia: Pope Alexander VI, Pontiff: 1492 - 1503

Objectives

By the end if this module you will be able to:

Introduction to Module 6

In this module, which is historical rather than theological, we will concentrate on the major splits in Christianity, that is, the East-West split and the sixteenth century Reformation. These were the two most serious disruptions in Christianity although their origins were quite different.

Note that the Protestant Reformation does not strictly speaking include the reforms in England that led to the formation of the Church of England. Although many people think of them as one, the reform on the continent that led to the Lutheran and Calvinist churches was very different to that which occurred in England under Henry VIII and Archbishop Cranmer.

It may be of help to remind ourselves that the church is by nature a human as well as a divine institution. The human aspect is all too clearly seen in the abuses, disputes and fights that went on over time and that inevitably led to the Reformation.

Introduction to Reading 6.1

J.Meyendorff, "Schism and Attempts at Reunion", in The Orthodox Church: Its Past and Its Role in the World Today, (New York: St.Vladimir’s Seminary, 1981), 39-60.

Note in this reading that "Byzantium" is another name for Constantinople, or today, Istanbul. The author is an Orthodox Christian so that his perspective is quite different to that of most history books written in the West.

A recurring theme in this chapter is that of "caesaropapism". This word is made up of "Caesar"(the Roman Emperor), and pope, so that "caesaropapism" refers to the authoritarian, arrogant way some popes acted. The Eastern Christians had in the meantime developed a system of patriarchates where no one patriarch lorded it over the rest. Thus any form of caesaropapism was totally unacceptable to the East.

 Exercise: 6.1

6.1.1 What does it say about papal primacy?

6.1.2. What role does the Filioque clause play in this history?

6.1.3 What role did the Crusades play in the East-West schism according to Meyendorff?

Introduction to Reading 6.2

"The Protestant Churches and the Roman Catholic Church", in Bringing Churches Together, (Sydney: E.J. Dwyer, 1993), 61-89.

This reading is meant to give the reader an overview of the causes of the Reformation. Prior to doing that some knowledge of the kind of world that Luther and Calvin and others were living in, is necessary. Hence the importance of knowing about the Renaissance and all the changes that were occurring in Europe at that time.

The causes of the Reformation are varied and it is not wise to try to single out one. In many ways it was a combination of all of them. The time was ripe for the Reformation - which is especially true considering that nothing concrete was done to reform the church.

The repercussions of the Reformation were felt down the centuries in the West and in all parts of the Western world. In Australia in 1977 (more than four hundred years after the Reformation) the movement to restore some unity was begun with the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches coming together and forming the Uniting Church in Australia. There is still a long way to go to restore full Christian unity.

The great Reformers of the sixteenth century - were they good or bad people? One has to decide for oneself. Suffice it to say that the church history books written after the event painted them as very good or very bad depending on whether the author was Catholic or Protestant. Today history scholars are more balanced in their assessments of the Reformers. Note in passing how thoroughly immersed in the Bible the Reformers were.

The internal reform of the Catholic Church (Counter Reformation) started with the Council of Trent - but that was after the split with the Protestants had occurred. It was too late to heal the rift but the Catholic Church did try to fix up all the abuses that led to the Reformation.

The chapter ends with an overview of the facts and figures relating to the Christian Churches as they are today. Note how Christianity is moving away from Europe numerically and becoming more a church of the southern hemisphere and of the poorer countries.

Exercise 6.2

6.2.1. What reforms are needed in your church today?

6.2.2 Do you feel any sympathy for the Reformers? Explain you answer.

6.2.3 Note down some points of similarity and dissimilarity between Luther and Calvin.

6.2.4 What aspects of the Christian faith do you admire most in the Christian churches you know best?

Introduction to Reading 6.3

This extract by Martin Luther will give one some idea of the sharpness and anger that he felt within himself towards the abuses as he saw it in the church at the time and especially in the way the church was administered by the pope. This reading, Address to the German Nobility, is known as one of the Reformation Treatises (the others being, The Babylonian Captivity and The Freedom of the Christian Man). The reading is the first part of the Address to the German Nobility.

In 1510 Luther had gone to Rome and been scandalized by what he saw there in the church. In this reading, written in August 1520, the "Romanists" are those living in Rome especially the administrators of the church who support a kind of absolute papal supremacy. Luther maintains that Christians are being limited, held in by the walls of captivity. In this writing he describes these three walls: the first is that the Romanists deny that temporal powers have any jurisdiction over them; the second, that only the pope may interpret scriptures; and the third, that only a pope may summons a council to judge alleged abuses. His attack on the popes and their worldliness is particularly strident. His criticism of the size of the papal court has a familiar ring to it today with contemporary criticism about the size of governments. In some ways little has changed!

Note that in those days essays were often addressed to some prominent person in public life such as a prince or abbot or bishop. Here Luther is firstly addressing Nicholas von Amsdorf, Canon of Wittenberg in the introduction and then the Emperor Charles V in the main writing. Luther wrote in German so one must bear in mind that one is reading a translation of sixteenth century German.

While one reads this address, one can observe how frequently Luther uses scripture like the Fathers of the church did. Luther was thoroughly familiar with the Bible. The footnotes should be used as aids to some of the difficult references.

Luther was concerned with the enormous gulf between the laity and the priests in sixteenth century Europe. He thus attacks the role of priests and this argument later develops into the Lutheran stance on the understanding of the minister/pastor. It varies from the Catholic understanding of priesthood although Vatican II distinguishes between the baptismal( or common) priesthood of all the baptized and the ministerial priesthood of those ordained.

Exercise 6.3

6.3.1. What do you notice about the use of scripture in this writing?

6.3.2 What is the first wall he refers to? Describe it.

6.3.3 What does he say about priests?

6.3.4 What is the third wall?

6.3.5 Throughout this writing, what are Luther’s main complaints about the papacy?

6.3.6 What forms of corruption does he mention?

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