Roman Catholics, do you know why Martin Luther wanted the RCC to change?

Question

Christians please tell our brothers and sisters in christ the Truth.
†

Answer 1

Luther had problems with the following

1. Indulgence - at the time there was a scandal with that
2. Authority of the pope
3. Purgatory
4. Apocrypha
5. Blessed virgin Mary although he had a strong devotion he felt that asking saints to pray for us was worship
6. The bible as the only authority for doctrines
7. Faith alone

However he believed in confession, immaculate conception, ever virginity of Mary and her divine Motherhood, the Mass...

Answer 2

It should be noted, that one interpretation of the thousand year earthly reign of Christ, mentioned in the Book of Revelation, holds that this reign was a function of the church, and that it occured between the fall of Rome in the 5th century, and the beginning of the protestant reformation in the 15th century, at which time Satan would again be loosed, and a "falling away" would occur.

This may be the primary reason that Luther wanted to banish the book from his canon of scripture. It struck just a bit too close to his personal reality.

With that distinct prophetic and historical possibility in mind ...

Luther applied his own personal limitations and vices to the Catholic Church, and figured that if he was guilty of them, than so was the Pope.

The Pope had his own set of vices and limitations, and didn't appreciate Luther's criticism. Plus, the Pope had genuine and authentic power, so he called Luther on the carpet, and asked for an apology.

Others urged Luther not to recant, and provided support for his position ... the same ones who would later benefit most from all the chaos that would ensue ... so Luther stood firm, ended up getting excommunicated, and a number of Bavarian princes subsequently got very, very, rich, and even more powerful.

Christianity however, would never be the same, as it's now been splintered into over 30,000 different, largely ineffective and competetive groups, while evil remains firmly consolidated behind one traditional leader, who is Satan, the enslaver of humanity, and the sworn enemy of God and his Church.

Luther's primary mistake was attempting to go it alone, with the "help" of outsiders, who used him for their own purposes.

Luther (plus the church, and today's world) would have been much better off if he had the discipline, the presence of mind, and the political skills to work for reform from within the church. The church was "ripe" for reform at that time, anyway.

Unfortunately, he didn't. The forces of evil took full advantage of the situation, and the rest is history.

Welcome to the 21st century, where evil is called good, and good is called evil, where apostacy is the norm, the Church is weak, and where all the variations in the Christian creeds bring to mind the story of the Tower of Babel ... only this time, it's not God who's doing the confusing.

Was there some "other truth" you had in mind?

Answer 3

Yes, we know why. Although the institution of the Church is divinely inspired, and begun by Christ, who is it's ultimate head, it is carried on by men, who are imperfect. At that time, the Church had slipped into a worldliness that eventually had terrible consequenses for all Christians, then and today. The negative was that the Church ended up being divided, and is still fragmented today, something which goes against unity, which is mentioned in Scripture as what the Church should possess. The positive was that it was a wake-up call to reform and getting back to and focusing on what the Church's real mission on earth should be.

I think that it would be more productive if we as Christians, instead of fighting one another, reached out to one another, and recognized the common ground we have.

Answer 4

Everybody knows the historical reasons - they were posted to a door in Wittenberg.

Knowing what the reasons are, and agreeing with them are two different things. We in the Catholic camp simply disagree with many of the Wittenberg conclusions. Luther was not infallible.

Many of the corruption aspects Luther spoke to were addressed at the councils of Trent and Vatican II. Many of the theological challenges Luther posed were addressed by the Lutheran and Catholic churches a few years ago, when the two churches signed the "The Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration"

Some things remain. We Catholics simply do not agree that there are only two sacraments. It is not likely we ever will adhere to Luther's belief on that matter.

Incidentally, Luther was far more Catholic than today's protestants are. You might find yourself less than comfortable quoting him were you aware of the extent of his Marian devotion, and the salvific grace he was willing to accord the sacraments (according to his "Small Catechism.")

Answer 5

Yes, we know. And if Martin Luther had tried to reform the Church from within...he would now be a great saint.

Instead he is a heretic. He said, on his death bed that he had tried to bring down one Pope and instead had created hundreds. He also asked to go to confession and always maintained his love of the Virgin Mary. He prayed to her and believed that she was ever virgin and assumed into heaven.

The Church has never claimed that all who are part of her are "good" only that she has been given the authority from Jesus Christ himself. This is scriptural. Jesus said..."the gates of hell will not prevail against it." This has also been true.

I used to be Protestant and all I ever learned about Martin Luther was how he went up against the evil Catholic Church. Now that I'm Catholic I've learned more about him. My question back to you...is what do you know about Martin Luther? Do you really know what type of things he said and wrote? You'd be very shocked at some of his thoughts and actions.

Answer 6

Thanks for asking this question -- it shows just how little most Protestants know about their own religion or the early Church.

I especially enjoyed the comment that Martin Luther didn't like the Pope's claims of infallibility. Since those claims came three hundred years after Luther's death, are we to assume that ML was clairvoyant?

Martin Luther felt that the Bible was the sole source of knowledge. He also believed that Jews should be put to death and that Witches should be burned.

Answer 7

Even better do you want the lowdown on your friend Luther?
Here we go, Luther was a virulent anti-semitic and his quotes are well documented; `The Jews deserve to be hanged on gallows, seven times higher than ordinary thieves`and another of the dozens is this; `If I had to baptize a Jew I would take him to the river Elbe,hang a stone around his neck and push him over with the words,I baptize thee in the name of Abraham`.
Luther was always a renegade and even had affairs while still a Priest,he impregnated his lover( a nun) and later married her, and died in the state of mental insanity.
And you have the nerve to ask Catholics why this neurotic hate monger wanted to change our church, are we now expected to believe that this was the shining example that Christ was to use to render the church that He himself founded on St.Peter null and void?
Give us a break please, and stop preaching your anti- Catholic sermons, you people are like the Pharisee`s you strain at a Gnat and yet swallow a Camel.

Answer 8

Okay, I'll tell them the truth. Martin Luther was PIG! The Church was selling indulgences, but ML (Martin Luther), instead of helping the Church reform, went and decided "Oh! I want to start my own church!" He slaughtered (directly and through others) thousands of Catholics. He pillaged monasteries and beat and murdered thousands of Catholic nuns, priests, monks, brothers, and sisters. He was bribed by the German princes to attempt to destroy the Church. The only reason the Church is still existing today is because it is THE Church, the one founded and instituted by Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, and because He told Peter "Your are Peter [rock], and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against her." ML was a rude, disgusting pig! But I must pity the poor thing because he must have been seriously misguided and confused.

Okay, I told them the truth. Happy?

Answer 9

Catholics weren't "protecting" the Bible from the human beings. before everything, very few human beings besides clergy could desire to even examine. later on what the Church needed replaced into to stay away from undesirable translations of the Bible. no longer purely *all and sundry* could desire to do a physically powerful pastime of it. Luther quite did no longer intend to pass away the Church; he needed reform. the merchandising of indulgences replaced into no longer a Catholic coaching; it replaced into approximately some monks in Germany doing it. all of us who has examine Luther's scatological writings has to have some intense questions approximately his psychological stability. i'm no longer asserting that to be insulting. It replaced into area of my analyze for my Ph.D., and that i will inform you had a different preoccupation with poo. do no longer take my be conscious for it; seem it up.

Answer 10

Who are you? a protestant? I dont see much difference in the service of catholics and protestant. The only difference is mother mary. SDA, Pentecosts, jehova witness, have more changes. But one thing no martin luther or anybody can change is the "holier than thou" attitude of all chiristians, irrespective of which denomination you are from.