Think again and give Luther his due

by Letters Editor · June 12, 2014

From John Lee, Johannesburg – I refer to the excellent article in The Southern Cross (May 7) on Luther wanting to reform the Church he loved. Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk (1483-1546), was also a scripture scholar of note and was responsible for his monumental translation of the scriptures into German to make them accessible to the German lay Catholic. He would have rejoiced in Vatican II.

“The popular, widespread understanding of many was that salvation was achieved by good works. “

Luther, contrary to popular perceptions, saw the need for profound renewal in the Church, particularly in the lax lives of much of the clergy.

He railed against the shocking practice of selling indulgences, particularly for the rebuilding of St Peter’s basilica in Rome, and as a way of doing good works that would lead to salvation.

The popular, widespread understanding of many was that salvation was achieved by good works.

The Holy Spirit does, however, renew our hearts, equipping and calling us to good works. The wholesale traffic in the sale of relics, much of it fraudulent, was certainly one aspect of the superstition that was prevalent. A wrong perception of the basic gospel message in the Church is prevalent even today justification by one’s own efforts, a form of Pelagianism – be good and God will love you.

Luther’s personal struggle, it is true, was severely complicated by the way the authorities in Rome under Pope Leo X treated him. Would that the pope at that time had been a John Paul II or a John XXIII, the Protestant Reformation might never have occurred.

Luther’s heart’s desire was for an ecumenical council of the Church, which was long overdue.

His later overstressing of salvation by faith alone could very well have been the result, partially, of Rome’s defiance of him in the face of a genuine and important aspect of the basic gospel message.

Luther was blunt, bold, even vulgar, and mistakes were made, but he didn’t want schism. He wanted to reform the Church he loved.

Pope Leo X, the pope from 1513, squandered the fortune left by Julius II.

He clearly failed to understand what was involved in the revolt of Luther, whom he excommunicated in 1520.

It is noteworthy that Pope Hadrian, who succeeded Pope Leo X, acknowledged that abuses, sins and errors were made by Church authorities in dealing with Luther.

Many Catholics seem to regard Luther as the arch-demon.

Yet his love for the Blessed Virgin Mary is clear in his writings. His love of the Bible has had a great influence on the importance to us Catholics of the scriptures in our day.

Noteworthy too is the fact that both Lutherans and Catholics believe in the true presence body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord in the Eucharist, which is quite different to what Calvin taught.

But Catholics and Lutherans each explain it differently, Catholics in transubstantiation coined by St Thomas Aquinas, and Lutherans as consubstantiation or true presence, together with the wine and bread remaining.

Contrary to what we Catholics have believed of Luther in the past, we need to enjoy the current spirit of ecumenical hospitality between Lutherans and ourselves.