Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Germany: Catholics And Protestants Mark 500th Anniversary Of Martin Luther’s Reformation


Luther’s provocative theological musings ― particularly his critique of indulgences and his insistence that salvation was granted by faith and grace alone ― would have lasting effects on Christianity and on Europe. 

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Huffington Post
By Carol Kuruvilla | October 31, 2017

Centuries later, these two Christian groups are working towards unity. 

Five hundred years after German theologian Martin Luther published a diatribe against some of the practices of the Catholic Church, Catholics and Lutherans marked the historic anniversary with a strong display of unity.

Pope Francis’ Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Lutheran World Federation, a global network of Lutheran churches, issued a joint statement on Oct. 31, expressing thanks for the “spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation.”

“Likewise, we begged forgiveness for our failures and for the ways in which Christians have wounded the Body of the Lord and offended each other during the five hundred years since the beginning of the Reformation until today,” the statement read.

The global Catholic Church, the Lutheran World Federation, and other Protestant denominations have been preparing for the Reformation anniversary over the past year, beginning with a common prayer service in Sweden on Oct. 31, 2016 attended by Pope Francis and the LWF’s then-President, Bishop Munib A. Younan.

There have also been other prayer, worship, and educational events in Luther’s native Germany, and throughout the world.

In the statement, both groups reiterated a desire to achieve greater unity ― including the ability to celebrate the Eucharist together, despite theological differences about the nature of this sacred Christian ritual.

“We recognize that while the past cannot be changed, its influence upon us today can be transformed to become a stimulus for growing communion, and a sign of hope for the world to overcome division and fragmentation,” the statement read. “Again, it has become clear that what we have in common is far more than that which still divides us.

The Protestant Reformation is traditionally believed to have begun in 1517, when Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church ― although some historians have disputed the historical accuracy of that story.

Nevertheless, Luther’s provocative theological musings ― particularly his critique of indulgences and his insistence that salvation was granted by faith and grace alone ― would have lasting effects on Christianity and on Europe.

Copies of the 95 Theses were distributed throughout Germany. Luther was later excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, the movement he helped spark soon resulted in the splintering of the church, and the birth of Protestantism.

Luther’s life story is marred by the virulently anti-Semitic writings he completed near the end of his life ― views that were later used by the Nazis to justify their persecution of Jewish people.

On Tuesday, German politicians and leaders gathered in Wittenberg to attend church services and a ceremony at city hall. Wittenberg’s city center has been transformed into a medieval-era town, complete with performers and visitors dressed in period attire.


Read original post here:  Catholics And Protestants Mark 500th Anniversary Of Martin Luther’s Reformation


This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Times of Ahmad. Times of Ahmad is not an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for your comments. Any comments irrelevant to the post's subject matter, containing abuses, and/or vulgar language will not be approved.

Top read stories during last 7 days

Disclaimer!

THE TIMES OF AHMAD is NOT an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites. Times of Ahmad is an independently run and privately managed news / contents archival website; and does not claim to speak for or represent the official views of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The Times of Ahmad assumes full responsibility for the contents of its web pages. The views expressed by the authors and sources of the news archives do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Times of Ahmad. All rights associated with any contents archived / stored on this website remain the property of the original owners.