[4] A Summary of the History of Christianity: A "Paradigm Shift" Approach (Part 4)

A Summary of the History of Christianity (by Hans Küng)

(with annotations and revisions done by Julius-Kei Kato)

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Part 4 - Paradigm #4 : Martin Luther & The Protestant Reformation Paradigm

We will refer to sub-divisions of this article by the section numbers within square brackets (e.g. [1]).

Resources:

Original Link to this Summary (in the public domain / accessed 2020-09-20): https://www.global-ethic-now.de/gen-eng/0b_weltethos-und-religionen/0b-01-02-christentum/0b-01-0201-jesus.php

Paradigm Shifts in Christianity (a one-page visual diagram) https://www.global-ethic-now.de/gen-eng/0b_weltethos-und-religionen/0b-pdf/paradigm-shifts-christianity.pdf

 

[12] Martin Luther - Life

1483  Birth in Eisleben.
1505  Entry into the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt.
1512  Professor in Wittenberg.
1517  Publication of the “Ninety-five Theses” against indulgences.
1520  Papal bull threatening excommunication if he does not retract. Luther publicly burns the papal bull.
1521  Luther is excommunicated. He stands up to his writings at the Diet of Worms, he and his followers are put under the ban (Edict of Worms). Luther is hidden till 1522
in Wartburg Castle, where he begins his translation of the Bible.
1525  The Peasants’ War. Luther got married and broke with Erasmus of Rotterdam.

1529  Marburg Colloquy with Huldrych Zwingli and Martin Bucer.
1541  Jean Calvin established a theocratic republic in Geneva.
1546  Luther dies in Eisleben

 

 

[13] Luther’s Program

Luther’s program: Return to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Bible

In place of innumerable ecclesiastic traditions, laws and authorities, the Holy Scriptures alone serve as the criterion of being Christian – translation of the Bible into the language of the people so that everyone could understand it

Christ

In place of innumerable saints and official mediators, Jesus Christ alone serves as the Mediator of humans before God

Grace

In place of ecclesiastically imposed pious deeds to merit salvation, believers find justification before God not through their works, but through grace alone, which cannot be earned, but is received through faith alone. Grace is unconditional.

Church

In place of the medieval clerical hierarchy, the Church is the community of believers, a congregation that prays and sings together.

 

 

[14] Further Divisions in the Western Church

 

Ulrich Zwingli (1484–1531, Zürich)

·         Broke with Luther over the question of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper:
Luther insisted on a real physical presence; Zwingli held for a mere symbolic and memorial presence.

·         Called for a radical reform of the Church, abolishing everything that could not be justified by the Bible.

Jean Calvin (1509–64, Geneva)

·         Produced the classic “reformed” synthesis, taking a middle position in the Lord’s Supper Controversy.

·         Inspired and organized an international network that helped Protestantism to become a world power.

 

 

[15] The Protestant Churches

The Protestant Churches today can be considered as heirs of the Reformation (Reformation Protestant Paradigm #4):

A “new” form of church stressing the community of all believers.
Worship services stressing the primacy of the word (scripture reading, preaching, hymnody) over ritual and other visual symbols, and stressing active participation by the congregation.
Impressive artistic achievements especially in the field of church music.
Spirituality emphasizing a personal relationship to Jesus.
Strict morality stressing personal integrity, sobriety and hard work, but also social responsibility.

Impressive engagement in education and charitable work among the sick, the poor and the outcast.
Experience of division into numerous rival denominations gave rise to ecumenism to promote fellowship in faith and worship, and cooperation in practice.

 

 

[16]  Anglicanism – a Third Way?

John Wyclif (1328–1384),
led a biblically motivated protest against the papal church.

King Henry VIII (1491–1547),
broke with Rome in 1532–34, establishing an Anglican state church, which at first held fast, for the most part, to Catholic faith and practice.
 
Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556),
Archbishop of Canterbury: pursued a more reformation-oriented course under Henry’s successor Edward VI, but retained the office of the bishop. He was executed for heresy under the short-lived Catholic restoration under Queen Mary.
 
Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603),
restored Protestantism, but did not go far enough for the so-called “Puritans”. Thus in England the Protestant Movement became split. After 1620, many Calvinist-minded Puritans migrated to America, where they established Presbyterian, Congregationalist and later Baptist churches. Such “free churches” arose in England as well. 

Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658),
The Puritan general Oliver Cromwell took control of England after 1648/49. Under his rule the Anglican Church was reformed in a Calvinist-Presbyterian direction. With the Restoration of the monarchy (1660) and the episcopate, the Anglican Church returned to the Elizabethan via media (“middle way”). 

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