PBS Special "Martin Luther: The Idea That Changed the World"

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Dear friends,

A friend let me know that PBS will air a special tonight titled “Martin Luther: The Idea That Changed the World”.

He also recommended a DVD, “Luther”, starring Joseph Fiennes, Saying Churches around the world are gearing up to celebrate the 500 year anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, a German monk called Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This precipitated the reform of medieval Christianity, which changed the world forever. We are all impacted by Luther, who has been called “the last medieval man and the first modern one.”

The program was 2 hours long that featured many professors of theology that were supporters of Luther to explain his life, teachings and struggle against Pope Leo. They did include some brief remarks from Cardinal Timothy Dolan and an adjunct professor from St. Joseph’s Catholic Seminary in NY. Taken in its entirety the program glorified and justified Luther’s reformation.

I would appreciate hearing your views.

Joe V
 
The program allows modern Lutheran scholars the opportunity to indulge themselves in Luther’s errors unopposed. Cardinal Dolan and another Catholic scholar speak briefly in the first part of the program but then disappear. The program exalts Luther’s intellectual victories based on the historical fact that he had no suitable opponents to point out his errors. Luther’s challenge to be refuted went unopposed.
 
the program depicts that Luther’s 95 theses were printed and distributed to the public. I think this is overstated, that the public couldn’t understand the Latin words. what was more likely was that most people couldn’t read to begin with – unless I’m missing something.
 
I caught some of the program; it seemed kind of fluffy. I think we have to reconcile ourselves to the fact that Martin Luther is a kind of folk hero to a lot of people, both religious and secular; having read about him I think the facts are a bit more complex than the ‘folk hero’ story conveys.
 
BayCityRickL said:
The program exalts Luther’s intellectual victories based on the historical fact that he had no suitable opponents to point out his errors. Luther’s challenge to be refuted went unopposed.
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It wasn’t meant to be a count, counter point show. Like his teachings or not, his life was an extremely important turning point in European history.
 
oh, yes, not a count/counterpoint show, but the fact in itself that rome sent no one to refute him was brought out almost as evidence that Luther was right.
 
the program dramatizes that Luther didn’t even agree to the rules of the game, to appear to defend his theses in Rome, when summoned. Luther became his own pope,which was at least an implicit point in the dramatization, a very correct dramatization. I’m not so sure that crediting Luther with the concept of public education is accurate - I need more data on that.
 
It’s funny how we like to idealize complex political history into a dramatic story about one compelling figure.

I somehow suspect that Landgrave Philip of Hesse had plenty of political and financial motivations for forming the Schmalkaldic League, and couldn’t have cared less about Martin Luther’s theological opinions.
 
the dramatization (I hesitate now to call it a documentary) indicated that there were a lot of financial interests that would be favored by the consequences of Luther’s rebellion.
 
Do they mention that Fr. Luther was likely manic-depressive? Do they mention that he had little intention of improving the Catholic Church, but rather had a radical, revolutionary theology which vastly differed from Christianity as Christ founded it? His waking up in a cold sweat, asking “Am I alone correct?” Do they mention Luther’s condemning of those who had the temerity to oppose him? Is note taken of his massive ego and will: “Doktor Luther will es so haben!” His utter disdain for several books of sacred scripture (I will have the Epistle of James in my fireplace!). Do they mention that his alliance was as much political/military as theological? Do they mention that he is the first recorded instance of an ordained Priest renouncing his vows, convincing a religious sister that her vows were invalid, then marrying her and engaging in sexual relations with her? Do they mention the counter-reformation which began before Luther was born, and which preserved the faith as Christ taught it? Do they mention the rampant division that the “reformation” sowed in the Body of Christ?

No. None of that is useful in attacking the Catholic Church.

Everything about him has been so utterly whitewashed, I fear that Hitler will be seen as a reformer in 500 years.
 
I wonder if the show will be repeated.
What night was the show on and was it on a certain program?
 
I would also like to know if the show will be repeated. Good grief, what is there to celebrate with this 500th anniversary of the “reformation?” A divided Church even among the mainstream Protestants including the Lutherans?

The show sounds 1 sided though.
 
7_Sorrows said:
I wonder if the show will be repeated.
What night was the show on and was it on a certain program?
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I noticed it was on again (or were there multiple episodes?) last night - I would check the schedule posted on the website of your local PBS affiliate. They usually repeat these things multiple times.
 
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I am watching this show right now. I am glad I noticed it was on even though it is midnight and it won’t be over until 2 am.

So far it looks interesting.

Not to be confused with another program called Luther.
 
I thought the 2 hour show was pretty good
and honest. Dolan did mention the corruption of the Catholic Church, but I wish
he would have brought up the Counter Reformation.
It did deal with Luther’s antisemitism.
He certainly did a lot of writing.
I liked the part where he defended the Eucharist and said it was not just a symbol.
It seemed in the beginning he suffered from
scrupulosity.
 
PBS is taxpayer funded, like our public shcools. Both SHOULD make historical presentations “POINT/COUNTERPOINT.” The fact that the Cristian world was radically changed is not in it self, worthy of admiration. As noted in the post referencing hitler.
 
It’s ironic that western civilization’s “Great Apostasy” from Christianity occurred in the centuries following the Reformation, not before it.

You shall know them by their fruit. Matthew 7:16
 
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