We contend that’s exactly what happened, we’re still in the church, just not in communion with the Bishop of Rome.
This is problematic. If you believe in the communion of saints, how can you not be in communion with other Christians? How many communions are there, or can there be? To be sure, I think Catholics and Lutherans can all easily agree that exactly what is and what is meant by communion becomes important at this point. Do we, or do we not, have an obligation to even be in communion with other Christians?
For us - our small churches preach the gospel and they are where we receive the sacraments.
And here is where we part ways, because we do not believe that “the Gospel”
according to Luther or Lutherans - or being ‘pointed to’ by them - is fully worthy of the name. We have never heard of
the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Martin Luther.
Moreover, define “the Gospel.” If a man were to say to me, “I hear the Lord’s Gospel, and know it,” and then informed me he was a Lutheran, then I know he does not know the Gospel, at least not in full and in many places incorrectly, and is perpetually in danger of having or hearing a deformed or corrupted Gospel, owing to his having no certain or infallible final authority. He has a copy of the Constitution, but no Supreme Court. He may or may not even have any legal training to interpret the Constitution though, to be very fair, I know the Lutherans have a very scholarly and serious tradition in approaching the Scriptures, and this much to their benefit and credit.
Finally, Luther had no warrant from God to reform or correct His Church. If Luther was doing God’s work, then God would have accredited Him so every Christian could know for certain and without doubt that Luther truly was the bearer and defender of Christ’s Gospel in all its fullness, free from any error or defect. As it is, we have to take his word for it; and that contrary to the words of so many other at least equally credible men, then or now contemporary who, at least, could very often and in all seriousness claim to be the real and direct successors of no other authority than the Apostles of Christ.
At this point, Ben, who would you believe? Who would you expect the ordinary Christian to believe? Is it even reasonable to insist they believe Luther over so many others whose authority was at least equal to his?
P.S - Ben, I really, truly do admire your patience here and willingness to help us understand Lutheranism. It requires a commitment on your part to bear through it all and thank you for that.
Just askin lol
