David J. Murnaghan: Reformation – Then (16th Century) and Now (21st Century)
John Hus was strong in his denunciation of the corruption of the clergy, which echoed the convictions of many devout men and women. He seemed to have had no desire to challenge the fundamentals of Catholicism. His condemnation by the Council at Constance and his death by burning at the stake, even after he was assuredly given a safe conduct to his hearing, boded ill for the future of the Church.
Martin Luther, following his excommunication by the Pope, was summoned to appear before the Emperor Charles V to be examined and was provided with a safe conduct for the journey and attendance at Worms. Luther was fully aware of how the safe conduct given to John Hus was not honoured and that he had been burned at the stake. Bravely, Luther went to Worms, the safe conduct was honoured. However, after his refusal to recant he was banished by the Emperor and his life was now in jeopardy. Duke Frederick staged an ambush and so a safe haven was provided for Luther.
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, everyone that mattered in the Western Church was crying out for reformation.
It was Luther’s opposition to the many abuses in the Catholic Church that had led to his excommunication and banishment. In particular, the sale of indulgences to provide money to the Pope for the building work on St. Peter’s and to Prince Albreacht, Archbishop of Magdeburg, who was paying off loans and the bribes he had given when buying the archbishopric of Mainz. Initially Luther wrote his ninety-five Theses and sent them to a number of bishops as a document intended for discussion. It is likely that they were never nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, as is sometimes stated. Alas, there was no serious response and the archbishop sent the Theses to Rome where they were given little attention. Pope Leo X did not realise how serious the situation was and how much it was necessary to deal with the major questions raised by the reformers. It has been stated that Pope Leo X made the comments: “It is a drunken German who wrote the Theses; when sober he will change his mind” and later “Brother Martin is a man of fine genius and this is a mere squabble of envious monks”.
This is not the place to discuss Luther and the Reformation in great detail so the reader is referred to the following books:-
Owen Chadwick’s, “The Reformation”,
Lyndal Roper’s, “Martin Luther, Renegade and Prophet” and
P. Fintan Lyon’s, “Martin Luther His Challenge Then and Now”.
So, using the ‘challenge then and now’ theme as an historical question, it is seen that history repeats itself. Luther’s Theses were not discussed, as was their stated purpose. It was worse than that, for a considerable period they were not taken seriously and as a result the opportunity to resolve the differences between Luther and Rome was lost. This was at a time when Luther had no intention to leave the Catholic Church.
At the present time, there is a similar crisis in the Catholic Church. The various scandals such as sexual abuse by clergy and financial mis-management were not recognised or worse deliberately hidden, thus giving rise to real scandal. It is evident that the Catholic Church is today in great need of another Reformation.
In the 16th century Luther was under the threat of being burnt at the stake, though on that occasion the Church honoured the safe-conduct pass.
At the present time, when a new Reformation is necessary, draconian measures are still being taken against clergy who dare to ask serious questions relevant to the modern world. The treatment of Fr. Seán Fagan S.M. is a case in point. This elderly, ill priest was threatened with laicisation if he revealed that he had been silenced.
It is clear that the Inquisition of Luther’s time had continued to operate in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). This is shown in the horrific manner in which Fathers Sean Fagan, Brian Darcy and Tony Flannery were dealt with by the modern Inquisition.
There is hope going forward as Pope Francis has started the reconstruction of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Bibliography.
The Reformation, Owen Chadwick, Penguin Books, 1990.
Martin Luther-Renegade and Prophet, Lyndal Roper, The Bodley Head.2016.
Martin Luther-His Challenge Then and Now, P.Fintan Lyons OSB, Columba Press, 2017.
A Question of Conscience, Tony Flannery, Londubh Books, 2013.
What happened to Fr. Seán Fagan, Angela Hanley, Columba Books.
[1] Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners-A History of the Popes, Yale University Press, 2002, p172.
[2] ibid. p200
[3] Owen Chadwick, The Reformation, Penguin Books, 1990, p11.
[4] P Fintan Lyons, Food, Feast and Fast, Columba Books, 2020, p201.