My advice is that people should not dispute about secret and hidden things, but that they should stay simply by the Word of God and especially the Catechism, for therein is contained a good and true summary of the whole Christian religion and the most important articles put together in brief. For God Himself gave the Ten Commandments, Christ composed and taught the Lord’s Prayer, and the Holy Spirit set down the articles of the Creed in the shortest and most appropriate words.—Martin Luther, Table Talk
If you take the sacrificial idea out of Christianity, you deprive both Judaism and Paganism of all significance.—C. S. Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 270.
Luther did have this penchant for believing that the masses are simply unable to understand Scripture, and therefore they need a brief digest, which they can memorize and spout back on demand, without necessarily understanding “was das heißt.”
ReplyDeleteI still think the blessed Dr. Martin Luther is one of the greatest theologians, but even the greatest are not perfect.
Peace and Joy!
George A. Marquart