Expert: John of AllFaith - 11/3/2010

Question
Dear John,
I commend your apprehension to halloween. It is also the anniversary of Martin Luther's attack on the the Church in 1517. Do you think his attack was Biblical since 1 Timothy 3:15 says the Church is the pillar and bulwark of the Truth?  

Answer
Hi Glen,

Thanks. Samhain has been a difficult issue for many Believers since the Catholic Church first brought the Pagan practices into the congregations as All Saints Day and Eve.

What attack did Martin Luther do to the Church?
In 1517 the Catholic Church began selling indulgences to the German Catholics. These Catholics were told that in exchange for their assistance in building Rome's St. Peter's Cathedral, they would receive full pardon for all sins, past, present and future. Furthermore, all their loved ones who reside in purgatory would be granted immediate access to Heaven! That heresy was too much; Luther and his compatriots had to speak out in opposition. At the Diet of Speyer in 1529 this group of Catholic Reformers signed and posted a petition consisting of ninety-five theses to express their dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the Roman Church and its doctrines.

Luther was a loyal Catholic priest who along with others had important questions the Papacy refused or could not address. The Ninety Five Thesis of Reformation were not intended to create a Church split but to force dialogue on important doctrinal errors held sacrosanct by the ruling Bishops in contrast with their understandings of the Scriptures. Luther was but one of several priests, bishops and lay persons concerned about these issues. They were seeking to reform the Church from within (hence the term reformation) not to fragment it. It was Rome that overreacted and began excommunicating, imprisoning and in some cases even killing faithful Christians simply for asking questions.

The Church (ekklesia) refers to all those who have been "called out" or "set apart" by God. The word does not refer to any particular denomination or hierarchy. The Believers are the Church of God regardless of their denominational affiliations.

Maranatha,
~ John of AllFaith