Shibboleth the problem with (orthodox) Lutheranism is not that it rejects one’s free will to
deny God, this is clear. The problem lies in that Lutheranism, as put forth in the Formula of Concord, denies one’s free will to
choose God, to cooperate at all in our own salvation. Even though faith is most certainly a gift of grace by God, it does not follow that we have absolutely no part to play in the accepting of this faith, and the increasing of grace.
the pure teachers of the Augsburg Confession have taught and contended that by the fall of our first parents man was so corrupted that in divine things pertaining to our conversion and the salvation of our souls he is by nature blind, that, when the Word of God is preached, he neither does nor can understand it, but regards it as foolishness; also, that he does not of himself draw nigh to God, but is and remains an enemy of God, until he is converted, becomes a believer [is endowed with faith], is regenerated and renewed, by the power of the Holy Ghost through the Word when preached and heard, out of pure grace, *without any cooperation of his own *(Cf. Solid. Declar. IV, sec. v).
That last line is the key to the problems with this doctrine. It is further developed, explaining that we can work absolutely no personal righteousness. If one reads the extensive article in the (old) Catholic Encylopaedia on
Justification it explains the subtle differences, and how the Lutheran view destroys the dignity of the person, and replaces his soul–which is inherently good and yet stained by original sin–with such a depraved nature that it is hardly different from the “Evil Substance” of the Manichaeans. This is clearly heretical. Such an extreme doctrine is no longer held by the majority of Lutheran churches. Only those who are really Old Orthodox are adamant in maintaining it.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Scandinavian churches, and the Evangaelische-Lutherische Kirche in Germany, have all gone through a “quiet reformation” in recent centuries towards a more Catholic understanding of Justification. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification signed a few years ago is testament to this. Some hardcore Confessional Lutherans object to it, however, but they are all anti-ecumenical anyhow.
Early Lutherans primarily relied on St. Augustine’s writings to support their viewpoints, but on the whole they are against Tradition and opposed to Natural Reason. The proposition that one is completely unable to accept faith without the Holy Ghost, before he even has the possibility of receiving grace (before Baptism) doesn’t make sense. This is the logical outcome, however, of Luther’s “Faith Alone” anomaly. In a sense Faith becomes God’s gift to the Elect, to the Predestinate, and the only way it differes from Calvinism is in the fact that one can lose this gift of faith.
I doubt St. Augustine himself would support the Lutheran view that God makes “willing of the unwilling” (Cf. Epitome III, sec. 15). The Catholic Encyclopaedia retorts
With what little right [Lutherans] in defence of their doctrine appeal to St. Augustine, may be seen from the following brief extract from his writings: “He who made you without your doing does not without your action justify you. Without your knowing He made you, with your willing He justifies you, but it is He who justifies, that the justice be not your own” (Serm. clxix, c. xi, n.13).
The differences between the Lutheran view of Free Will and the Catholic are subtle, but profound. This was one of the major points that personally led me away from Lutheranism. It is too passive, and leads one to spiritual sloth.
Insofar as Luther’s personal faults go, yes he was a profound sinner, but he knew this (he referred to himself as a worthless “bag of worms.”) I think he kind of hated himself. He couldn’t deal with his low self-esteem and felt that he was such a terrible sinner he could never please God, and yet he wondered who could ever please God? (hence “faith alone”).
There is no doubt in my mind that he was a few apples short of a full basket. He was still a genuinely devout Christian, however, and he wanted what was best for the Church. He just resented the fact that he had been so alienated by it. The question isn’t whether he is in Heaven or Hell, but whether he is still in Purgatory (what a suprise he must have had when he got there, too!)
If Luther were alive today, he would be a pious Catholic, that’s for sure.
Thanks.
