German Lutheran Church prepares to celebrate 500th Anniversary

[Dale_M]

I just heard on the radio that the Lutheran church in Germany is preparing the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation for 2017. It is currently being discussed at their synod near my place. Former bishop of the EKD (Evangelische Kirche Deutschlands) Margot Käßmann is said to have asked how Catholics could be invited to take part as well.

Catholic Bishop Gerhard Feige, who is responsible for relations with the Protestant churches, issued a lengthy explanation of the Catholic position.

bistum-magdeburg.de/upload/2012/121031_thesen-zur-oekumene.pdf

(NB: its written in German)

In summary, he said he the participation of the Catholic Church will depend upon what exactly is planned.

“Catholic Christians consider the division of the western Church as a tragedy and - at least until now - do not think they can celebrate this merrily.”

 

[Usbek_de_Perse]

If you are having a party, don’t you want to invite your friends?

You don’t sound crazy to me. I completely agree. I find it rather strange that they would even want Catholics to participate…from their side, it’s like, “hey, you guys were soooo wrong and we had to break off from you, wanna come play?” and from the Catholic side, why in the heck would we want to celebrate heresy?! hmm… auf jeden Fall, schlechte Idee.

 

[gcnuss]

There is a Reformation Sunday service held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. All Lutherans are invited as well as anyone else who wishes to come. A few years back, the homilist for the service was Cardinal McCarrick. He and our ELCA bishop had a good relationship and he graciously preached on that occasion.

I have to say that, in my experience, Reformation services are no longer celebrations of “victory” against the Catholic Church. In my own preaching, and in the prayers that are offered, I focus on our Lord’s desire for unity among his followers and on our responsibility to treat our fellow Christians with respect even when we can’t agree on everything.

 

[Usbek_de_Perse]

The Protestant Reformation quite obviously was good for the Catholic Church. Without it, the church would have not been challenged to fortify itself for the modern age. It is hard to imagine the world without the Reformation having happened. So much of our history, including the establishment of the American republic and the enumeration of rights of man happened in consequence of this.

The Roman Catholic bishops who go around talking about “religious liberties” to whomever will listen are talking about a concept that was condemned in the Catholic Church until Vatican II.

If anyone has grounds to celebrate the Reformation, I would say the Catholic Church does.

There is a Reformation Sunday service held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. All Lutherans are invited as well as anyone else who wishes to come. A few years back, the homilist for the service was Cardinal McCarrick. He and our ELCA bishop had a good relationship and he graciously preached on that occasion.

I have to say that, in my experience, Reformation services are no longer celebrations of “victory” against the Catholic Church. In my own preaching, and in the prayers that are offered, I focus on our Lord’s desire for unity among his followers and on our responsibility to treat our fellow Christians with respect even when we can’t agree on everything.

 

[CutlerB]

There is a Reformation Sunday service held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

I have to say that, in my experience, Reformation services are no longer celebrations of “victory” against the Catholic Church.

I am not talking about the ordinary Reformation Day, although I do not approve of observing that either. This is a 500 year anniversary specifically celebrating the Reformation – which is a nice way of saying, and still includes, the split from the Catholic Church.

The Protestant Reformation quite obviously was good for the Catholic Church. Without it, the church would have not been challenged to fortify itself for the modern age. It is hard to imagine the world without the Reformation having happened.

If anyone has grounds to celebrate the Reformation, I would say the Catholic Church does.

A schism is never good for the Church. While discussion about certain ideas can be, heresy and schism are in no way productive.
Usbek de Perse; 9994529:

If you are having a party, don’t you want to invite your friends?

Actually it is more than friends. It’s a family that has been destroyed, certain brothers and sisters dishonouring their father and asking the others to join and celebrate the day that happened. You just cannot take away the fact that deep division occurred. It is always connected to the event, no matter what “good” might have come from it. (The analogy itself has a few problems here and there, concerning the person of the father)