With one masterstroke after another, Pope John Paul II continues to amaze the world
with his political savvy. He continues to position the Catholic Church as the world wide
moral authority and spokesman for Christendom.
Once the Joint Declaration on Justification was signed with the Lutheran World
Federation, including the ELCA, on October 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany, the Pope
basically resolved the major dispute that led to the Reformation in 1517.
Most of the Protestant denominations may not have checked lately, but what is it
exactly that they are still protesting?
From the Catholic perspective, and finally the world perspective, Protestants just
can't get along and let go of the past. The current rise of non-denominational independent
churches can be viewed as an extension of the "Protestant problem."
These Protestants are such isolationalist Christians, if they can still rightfully lay
claim to the title "Christian," they can't get along with anyone. They view
public association or fellowship with just one other congregation as more than they can
tolerate. So what looks independent and innovative is really hateful and destructive.
Once, the Pope resolved the "justification issue" he didn't have to apologize
to any Protestant Churches. The events of October 31, 1999 cleared the way for public,
theologically non-substantive, apologies to Jews, Moslems, and, indeed, the entire world.
The more he apologizes, the more he gains.
In less than six months this Pope and put together a dazzling array of maneuvers that
define him as the most loving, accepting, and tolerant Christian on the planet for the
past 1000 years.
Having captured the public high ground, this Pope has prepared the ethical
"journey home" for many Protestants back to the Catholic Church for generations
to come. Catholic is now PC. Nothing is more respected in the post-modern era than
unconditional love and nothing is more despised than intolerance masquerading as doctrine.
As 1517 is viewed as the symbolic beginning of the Reformation with the nailing of The
95 Theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg, the events of March 2000 will be viewed
by future generations as the end of the Protestant Reformation.
How is it that the Lutheran World Federation didn't view the Joint Declaration as the
beginning of the end of the Lutheran World Federation?
This Pope has caught his advisories in complete disarray and outflanked them. They are
no match for him outside the arena of Reformation Theology. He is the past master of
"Church Growth and Leadership Training" and he has the real estate to back it
up.
We continue with a few comments from Luther on Church Growth.
"Let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith (Romans 12:6). The Greek
expression means "in agreement with, or according to faith." That is Christians
should not go beyond faith and its principles. Faith corresponds to prophecy (as it trusts
in it). From here on the Apostle unfolds the commandment of love toward the neighbor. It
is surprising how little people concern themselves with such important and self-evident
instruction, coming from so important and self-evident instruction, coming from so
important an Apostle, indeed, coming from the Holy Spirit Himself. Instead, we choose
vanities, such as erection of church edifices, the enlargement of parishes, the
accumulation of funds, and so forth. All this we regard as the greatest piety and are not
a whit concerned about what the Apostle here commands. Nor will I mention pride, boasting,
avarice, luxury, vainglory, and other things connected with these (vices)."
(Luther, "Commentary on Romans" Translated by J. Theodore Mueller, Kregal
Publications, Distributed by North Western Publishing House, Page 170)
Luther wrote extensively on how the Pope is the Anti-Christ, but the following are his
views on the Catholic Church itself.
"We on our part confess that there is much that is Christian and good under the
papacy; indeed everything that is Christian and good is to be found there and has come to
us from this source. For instance, we confess that in the papal church there are the true
holy Scriptures, true baptism, the true sacrament of the altar, the true keys to the
forgiveness of sins, the true office of the ministry, the true catechism in the form of
the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the article of the Creed." LW 40 232
"The Christendom that now is under the papacy is truly the body of Christ and a
member of it. If it is his body, then it has the true spirit, gospel, faith, baptism,
sacrament, keys, the office of the ministry, prayer, Holy Scripture, and everything that
pertains to Christendom." LW 40 232
"So it is of no consequence when these Anabaptists and enthusiasts say, 'Whatever
is of the pope is wrong,' or, 'Whatever is in the papacy we must have and do differently,'
thinking thereby to prove themselves the foremost enemy of Antichrist." LW 40 233
"So these enthusiasts. These ought to come to the aid of Christendom, which
Antichrist has in his grip and tortures. They take a severe stand against the pope, but
they miss their mark and murder the more terribly the Christendom under the pope. For if
they would permit baptism and the sacrament of the altar to stand, as they are, Christians
under the pope might yet escape with their souls and be saved, as has been the case
hitherto. But now when the sacraments are taken from them, [by the enthusiasts] they will
most likely be lost, since even Christ himself is thereby taken away." LW 40 233