That darn Pope is such a sourpuss because he does not jettison everything Catholics believe in some naive gesture of ecumenism toward an ecclesial community that probably won’t even be around in a hundred years. He will never be appointed that “honorary spokesman” for Christianity if he keeps this up.
I swear, I laughed out loud when I read this article. I sincerely hope that this is just bad reporting and that Lutheran in Germany aren’t this dumb.
PARIS – Pope Benedict will honour the 16th century Protestant reformer Martin Luther on his state visit to Germany next month, but Roman Catholic officials are warning Lutherans not to expect breakthroughs on issues dividing them.
During the Sept 22-25 visit, the German-born pontiff plans to stress ecumenical co-operation, meet Protestant leaders and tour a monastery in Erfurt where Luther once worked and prayed. He will also address the German parliament in Berlin.
The visit has prompted calls from Protestants for him to allow joint communion services and grant their churches full recognition. The tone is mostly positive — one theologian even suggested making him “honorary spokesman” for all Christianity.
But senior Catholic clerics have begun warning Protestants not to get their hopes up too much.
“Hopes about this visit have gone wild,” Rev. Hans Langendoerfer, secretary of the German Bishops Conference, said in Monday’s edition of the weekly magazine Focus.
“There’s talk Pope Benedict could grant the Protestants a new status or could just say ‘OK, let’s completely change those rules about communion services. It doesn’t work that way.”
Catholic Bishop Joachim Wanke of Erfurt said last week that Benedict’s meeting there with Protestant leaders in the St Augustine Monastery could foster closer ties, but also ruled out any breakthroughs on basic differences.
It is just a piece of bread after all, what is the big whoop? Right?
Ugh. Since the author of this silly piece does not directly quote anyone who holds these silly hopes and dreams, I hope that he just made them up or at least exaggerated. If not, Luther must be writhing in pain in a purgatory that doesn’t exist (if he is lucky) for listening to the silliness that passes for Lutheranism these days.
All that said, it must break the Pope’s heart to know that he will not be appointed honorary spokesman for Christianity. Guess he will just keep having to cling to those keys.
August 30, 2011 at 11:47 pm
"This would indeed bother a certain Martin Luther's sensibilities if he wasn't too busy screaming in soul crushing agony in a very warm corner in Hell." Yes, with a significant number of past popes. I am a Catholic and given that we live in a glass house, it is not wise to throw stones.
August 31, 2011 at 12:39 am
As a Lutheran, I must say that it was enlightening reading some of the comments to this post.
Yes, the Lutheran Church has it's problems…as does the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Presbyterian Church, and every other denomination of Christianity on the planet.
And yes, we disagree on points of doctrine.
I would hope that the negative comments – as Deacon Don called them, the 'adolescent sarcasm' – aren't the majority opinion of Roman Catholics worldwide; otherwise, why in the world should ANY non-Roman Catholic Christian denomination even want to extend a hand in a gesture of friendship to the Roman Catholic Church?
August 31, 2011 at 2:18 am
I'm a Lutheran, and I don't care for the snide, chauvinistic attitudes on display in some of these comments.
I have never once heard anyone in any Lutheran circles speak of the Roman Catholic Church in any way other than respectfully; we generally have enough class to refrain from making criticisms of the faith practices of others that we may or may not understand. It would be nice if the favor would be returned.
August 31, 2011 at 6:07 am
Mike,
As Catholics we need to learn to be humble and acknowledge the fact that Luther had some legitimate grievances. I think that's all the Pope is trying to point out. In the same manner, Lutherans should also be humble and admit that some of the things Luther said, did and wrote are to a certain extent no kosher. I'm a student that's recently written several papers on Luther and his theology, and i have to admit that at times I was frightened to read some of the things he wrote and think that this man is an honored Christian. But, we must not think with the mind of man, but try to see it in a charitable sense. Pope Benny is, in my opinion trying to take the charitable road. If you've read his Jesus of Nazareth vol. 3, you would understand that Ben XVI is a man that gives people the benefit of the doubt. This may be naive (just look at how nice he is with the Neocatechumenal way), but I think that he's just trying to be charitable, like Christ would be. We all know Luther's errors. We all know his failures. But they don't fully define him.
We need to stop bashing the Lutherans. They are our friends. They may be more liberal, but that is exactly why we should extend the hand of friendship to them. Let's face it, who would you rather hang out with; a Lutheran or the Hill Song crowd? At least the Lutheran won't call your relationship with Jesus merely a "religion."
August 31, 2011 at 9:31 pm
it's not like a Pope ever did something REALLY ecumenschical, like kiss a Koran or something.
September 1, 2011 at 4:37 am
Honor Luther for what exactly? leading thousands of souls away from the One Church? That IS crazy as are the expectations mentioned in the article.
September 2, 2011 at 10:26 am
@Michaelangelo: "Pope Benny"? "Ben XVI"? Civility is demanded and due. Who gave you the intimacy of such cutesy. Only Pope Benedict XVI can and may, if he wishes to, give anyone permission to use his name.
Mary De Voe
September 2, 2011 at 10:45 am
Anonymous said…
"it's not like a Pope ever did something REALLY ecumenschical, like kiss a Koran or something. "
Pope Benedict XVI, as the Vicar of Christ on earth prays for every soul with every breath he takes in communion with the saints in heaven, the just on earth and the suffering souls in purgatory. Do the Luthans believe in the doctrine of purgatory? As the Vicar of Christ on earth, Pope Benedict cannot kiss a Koran because the Koran preaches a God without a son to love and to love him, a god who may not be able to accept love. The Blessed Trinity is God the Father, Who loves His Son and God the Son, Who loves His Father.
Mary De Voe
September 2, 2011 at 10:56 am
@Michaelangelo "We need to stop bashing the Lutherans." There is a difference between Lutherans and Luther. The Pope may be trying to heal the wounds left in the church by error by the finite mind of Luther. The devil offered to Adam and Eve a change in their human nature to become infinite "like God", what could not be even when Adam and Eve ate the apple. Infinity of Being only God has and something the devil did not have to give as Lucifer was a creature with a finite beginning. So finite minds make mistakes and charity demands that human beings love one another as God has loved us.
Mary De Voe
September 2, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Pope Benedict cannot kiss a Koran because the Koran preaches a God without a son to love and to love him, a god who may not be able to accept love.
So, Mary, why did John Paul II do it? I'm not saying that Benedict should; in fact, I'm glad he hasn't. I'm deploring the double-standard inherent in your comment.
Pope Benedict XVI, as the Vicar of Christ on earth prays for every soul with every breath he takes in communion with the saints in heaven, the just on earth and the suffering souls in purgatory,
You know this how, exactly? I'm not saying that isn't what he should be doing, but whether he does it is another question.
Honor Luther for what exactly? leading thousands of souls away from the One Church?
First, Laura, Luther fought against the corruption of Tetzel's practice. Second, Luther attempted to re-establish faith as a priority among Catholics. Third, the "One Church" (as are other churches) is leading people away from Christ by its collective arrogance, sense of entitlement, and love of power, money and prestige. Not for nothing did St. John Chrysostom say, "The floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops."
I shook my head sadly that some Catholics seem to adopt this type of adolescent sarcasm so easily.
Deacon Don, I don't know what the atmosphere on Protestant blogs is like but I can tell you from personal experience that the "adolescent sarcasm" you criticize is par for the course on Catholic blogs. So is the kind of excessive pride in group loyalty that you've seen here. Catholics mistakenly equate such groupthink with salvation; therefore, they render Jesus' blood of no account.