Al Kresta interviews Ben Wiker about his book on the Reformation

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I can’t keep up with all the books that Kresta recommends. Wiker was an informative guest, addressing the topic of the Reformation: what led up to it, what the political backdrop was (which was very significant), etc. Wiker packs a lot of information about the history of the Church, which he says has always been in need of “reformation” and will likely always need reformation.

There’s so much in this book. He says Lucretius came up with the idea of evolution 2,000 years before Darwin. Martin Luther had the Koran published in Europe (he was worried it would destroy Christianity). The Catholic Church had books published on atheism, like today, to show how to refute it. Atheism and neo-paganism were large precursors of the Reformation.

A guy by the name of Misilius of Padua developed and promoted the idea of sola scriptura, two hundred years before Luther, to undermine the need for a magisterium (and the papacy), as a philosophical way of attacking the Church.

Add to this the corruption of the papacy (practicing simony and nepotism), and the reformation, some reformation, any reformation of the Church was bound to occur, sooner or later.

Here’s the interview (roughly an hour): Kresta in the Afternoon – October 31, 2018 – Hour 2 : Ave Maria Radio
 
Wiker’s is a short book, but the last couple chapters are about how religion was used as an excuse, coming and going, to cause division and even wars in Europe. My mind glazes over on reading lots of history – there is so much of it, even in one chapter of this short book.

In the chapter focusing on Martin Luther himself, Wiker describes how Luther’s ideas about sola scriptura (the bible alone) got away from him. So many other reformers took the Bible and, so to speak, ran with that. Luther did not approve of a lot of the variations.

To stem the unraveling of the faith, when Luther published versions of his Bible, he put in his own interpretations, to head off people giving other interpretations. Well, that genie was already out of the bottle, so to speak. And the point Wiker makes is that Luther was pushing his own traditions (interpretations of scripture) just like the Catholic Church had its traditions. Even if he didn’t admit it, he had to proceed exactly like the Catholic Church had done.

Luther emphasized what Paul had said in Roman about submitting to civil authorities.

Romans 13:1-4 New International Version (NIV)
Submission to Governing Authorities
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

I think some context is needed to understand Paul here in Romans. Briefly I think this was a signal for the Christians to not rise up against the Romans. But, the Christians certainly could not worship as the Romans did, for example. And, like the other apostles, Paul considered himself a slave of Christ.

But Luther used this text to promote national churches, where the sovereigns controlled the church, in each country. This was, of course, to undermine the control of the papacy.

Wiker clearly shows and relates how Luther and the Reformation allied themselves with the secularizing influences (atheists) in Europe to undermine not only the Church, but Christianity itself.

Wiker puts forth that the next reformation if and when it comes should be to reunify the Church against the Islamic and secularizing forces in the West.

P,S. The book leaves me with a more vivid perception of the religio-political forces that have been confronting the world for hundreds of years. Little has changed. As irrational as they may seem to Catholics, they are still here. Catholicism. atheism. Protestant churches. Islam.
 
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Al Kresta is great to listen to on Sirius radio channel 130 from 4PM to 6PM, as well as local Catholic stations, and his free audio downloads on Ave Maria Radio or itunes websites.
 
In my opinion, you will like listening to faithful Catholic, Al Kresta, if you like:
  • Raymond Arroyo
  • Teresa Tomeo
  • Patrick Madrid
  • Jimmy Akin
  • Tim Staples
  • Lauren Ashburn
  • Fr. Mitch Pacwa
 
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