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Lesson 79

THE REFORMATION (Part 1)

The history of religion in general and of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in particular in the sixteenth century can be summed up in the one expression "The Reformation"; but called by Roman Catholics "the Rebellion". The Reformation is the name commonly given to the religious movement of the sixteenth century which resulted in the overthrow of the then all-powerful authority of the Roman popes in a large portion of "Christendom", so called.

Fusion religion at this time began to split into countless sects, though all still adhered to many of the fundamental Babylonish pagan doctrines as introduced down through the era of the Hierarchy. The Reformation brought about a change in church government from hierarchic to that of episcopal and congregational. The original Theocratic form of the early church was not restored. Contrary to that which is generally held, the Reformation did not bring in many reforms as to fundamental church doctrines, which continued to be heavily tainted with paganism. Devilish doctrines, such as the "trinity", "immortality of the soul," "hell fire," traditions of men, and creature-worship, continued unchanged, these being left for destruction by the true light in the latter part of the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century, when the Elijah and the Elisha work were divinely purposed to be performed.

The Reformation, as it broke in the year 1517, brought to the fore several leading reformers, such as Martin Luther in Germany, John Calvin in Geneva among the French, giving rise to the Huguenot movement, Ulrich Zwingle, founder of Protestantism in Switzerland, John

Knox in Scotland, and the Protestant martyrs Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer in England. Foremost among these reformers was Martin Luther.

Martin Luther was born in a village of Saxony in 1483, of stern, conscientious parents. He was well schooled, trained for the profession of the law. In 1505 he decided to enter the priesthood, presenting himself for admission at the convent in that year. In 1507 he was consecrated to the Roman Catholic priesthood. In 1508 he was appointed to a chair in the University of Wittenberg. Later Luther traveled to Rome on a pilgrimage where he saw at first hand the pomp and corruptions of the Roman Hierarchy and its system. His career at the university enabled him to make a thorough study of the teachings of the church and of the Bible. He wrote several treatises on Psalms, Romans, and the Lord's Prayer.

In the year 1517 the traffic in indulgences was brought to the neighborhood of Wittenberg by Tetzel, a Dominican monk. The sale of indulgences was a form of bribery wherein it was claimed that the remission of temporal punishment due to divine judgment was granted upon a money consideration. This blasphemous doctrine enraged Luther. At midday, October 31, 1517, he nailed his 95 theses or points of protest to the door of the Wittenberg church. He proposed to defend at the university his 95 denials on the merits of indulgences. Little did Luther realize this would set ablaze the whole Roman Catholic realm. An authority says: "The theses ran clear through all Germany in fourteen days, for all the world was complaining about the indulgences; and because all the bishops and doctors were silent, and nobody was willing to bell the cat, Luther became a renowned doctor, because at last somebody had come who took hold of the thing."

Shortly thereafter many influential men, students, professors, and princes of the German states began to rally around Luther as their champion. In December, 1520, the pope issued a bull of excommunication after Luther re-

fused to recant. Luther dramatically burned this bull of excommunication in public. The pope pressed the "Holy" Roman emperor Charles V to put Luther under the ban of the empire to thus prevent his spreading this "pernicious heresy". Luther appealed to the "Holy" Roman emperor, who agreed to hear his case at the Diet sitting at Worms, April 17, 18, 1521. Luther stood alone before this Diet, which comprised the emperor, the archduke, six princes, twenty-four dukes, eight margraves, and thirty bishops. Following are Luther's closing words of defense:

"Unless I shall be convinced by the testimonies of the Scriptures or by evident reason (for I believe neither pope nor councils alone, since it is manifest they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is held captive by the word of God; and as it is neither safe nor right to act against conscience, I cannot and will not retract anything. Here I stand; I cannot otherwise; God help me. Amen."

An obedient tool of the pope, the "Holy" Roman emperor judged that the ban of the empire be placed on Luther, thus making him an outlaw. While on his way home from Worms under the custody of the emperor's guard, a band of masked horsemen overpowered them, taking Luther captive. His rescuers proved to be henchmen of his friend the elector of Saxony, who took him to his castle, the Wartburg. Luther lived in exile there for some time, enabling him to carry on his writings and studies. While at the Wartburg, Luther began his translation of the Bible into the German language of that day.

Luther's excommunication and banishment heaped fuel on the fire of controversy throughout central Europe. Luther still thought it would be possible for a reconciliation with Rome, the pope agreeing to make adjustments. But such was not the case. Many of the German princes and large numbers of the people clamored for tolerance from the Hierarchy. Finally, Emperor Charles V called

a German Diet to meet at Augsburg in April, 1530, to discuss the religious questions and other political matters. Luther and other theologians participated in these heated discussions and debates. The outcome was a formal and complete separation from the Roman Catholic Church by nine of the German princes, their provinces, and all of Luther's followers therein. The Augsburg Confession was formulated, containing 16 articles as the basis for the establishment of the Lutheran State Church of Germany.

From that time forward Protestantism began to sweep Europe and the power of Rome was on the wane. Other northern European states began to withdraw from the control of the Hierarchy, and the "Holy" Roman Empire commenced to disintegrate. The Roman Hierarchy was placed on the defensive, having to combat open religious revolution throughout her dominion. The pope and leaders of the Hierarchy realized they were in for a bitter and long war. They set themselves to organize a counter revolution with a view to undertaking open warfare on Protestantism and "heresy" on every front. The Inquisition had failed to prevent this open revolt. Rather it had provoked greater "heresy" and opposition to the Hierarchy. So some other instrument had to be devised. The answer was the organizing of the Jesuits.