Are you saying the reformation, while well intended was/is miss guided?
__________________ For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. (Romans 14:11- NASB)
Are you saying the reformation, while well intended was/is miss guided?
I guess I wasn't saying anything, really CJ. It's just PP said "beginning right after Constantine..." and the first "reformer" that came to mind "right after Constantine" was his nephew Julian.
... but crakjak asked about my thoughts on the Reformation ...
The Reformation that we generally look at was the movement instigated by Martin Luther's revolt against Rome. The subject is complex and already fills volumes, one can't help but resort to generalizations here. The Protestant Reformation was of course preceded by many attempts at reform. Most of those reformations (including Luther's) ended up being associated with social reform movements like the Peasant Revolt.
In the 1200-1300's there was the Hussite reform that was centered in Bohemia. This reform was accompanied by a movement to reform the election of the Holy Roman Emperor and a communistic movement that became known as the Taborites. Land reform was their goal more than Spiritual concerns. It took three crusades to put this down.
Luther's reform led inexorably to the 30 Years' War; perhaps the most destructive European conflict up until WW1.
To say any of this was "misguided" would imply that other historical events are guided. At the risk of creating offense, and because there's no way I could adequately explain myself; let me say that human movements such as these are best understood by looking at the causes and their results. A storm is not "misguided" even if you have to bear the brunt of its surge. An earthquake isn't misguided. So also, in the political realm, storms like the Protestant Reformation were neither guided nor misguided - they just happened when there was enough pressure behind them to cause the event.
We can "judge" the individuals and look for heroes and villians. But we cannot judge the storm. It just happens.
We can "judge" the individuals and look for heroes and villians. But we cannot judge the storm. It just happens.
Are you a Deist, Pelathais? Did God get the ball started and then take his hands off it and let come what may? Or is He intimately involved in the direction of events of the world we live in?
Nah 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear