Chapter 8 – 1500’s – Reformation

Division in the church is never desirable or pleasant but sometimes it is necessary. In the 1500’s the Reformation was one of the largest church separations ever. Today we honor some of these reforming Protestants and separatists and consider others marginal or worse.

• Martin Luther – German lawyer-turned-monk was plagued by guilt and received no solace in the confessional. He turned to the Scriptures and was transformed by them (Rom 12:2). Tacked 95 theses to the church door. Particularly opposed indulgences. Pope Leo X published Ex Surge Domine and called Luther to Diet (Imperial council) at Worms, Germany (pp82-83). “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, God help me, I can do no other.”
• John Calvin – French lawyer. Wrote a speech about Erasmus and Luther and was forced to flee Paris because of it. Wrote Institutes. Wound up in Geneva and was not allowed to leave because they needed his preaching talents.
• Ulrich Zwingli – Swiss Reformer. Defied the church during Lent (a diet of sausages – p83). Opposed Luther (“This is my body”) over a detail of the Lord’s Supper.
• Felix Manz – Started the Swiss Brothers because he thought the Reformers did not get far enough away from the government and the Catholic Church. These Swiss Brothers started re-baptizing themselves and were reviled as “Anabaptists.” Manz was the first non-Catholic to be martyred by the Protestants (Munster Massacre).
• Menno Simmons – Yet another priest who turned to the scriptures and got convicted by them. He was led to start an Anabaptist sect (the Mennonites) despite the severe danger (“The Anabaptist minister’s only payments are fire, sword, and death.”) Dies a natural death instead of being martyred.
• William Tyndale – Translated the Greek New Testament into English. Was martyred praying, “God, Open the eyes of the King of England.”
• Henry VIII – was named “Defender of the Church” by Pope Leo X, but later started the Church of England so he could get a “legal” divorce. This started a long series of violent flip-flopping of the English Government between Protestant and Catholic.
• John Knox – Scottish pastor that got tricked into being pastor at St. Andrews when a group of men murdered the Cardinal in revenge for George Wishart’s execution (another Protestant Reformer). Exiled to France as a galley slave. Released and returned to Scotland via England where he influenced the Puritans. Helped to make Presbyterianism the state church of Scotland.
• Ignatius Loyola – Part of the Catholic counter-reformation. Founded the Jesuits along the lines of Catholic counter-reformed piety. The Jesuits were, and are, great missionaries (i.e. they were in Japan 150 years before the Protestants).

Many people left the Catholic Church in the 1500’s because they thought the Church’s teachings were no longer Biblical. Others left because of the Church’s political corruption. A few left because they disliked the Church’s moral standards.

The following Scriptures give some reasons for division within the Church.

• 1 Cor 5:9-13
• Gal 1:6-9
• 1John2:18-23

What are some other reasons (good or bad) that churches split?

What are some other scriptures dealing with this topic?

Which of these do you consider essential? Inessential? Not sure?

Pray for God to give you wisdom to know which of these are essential differences. Pray for God to help you accept the inessential differences in Christians. Post your own “95± Theses” as a commitment to follow Christ’s leadership when faced with division in the Church.