THE PROTESTANT WAY - LUTHER�S LEGACY

Carolyn Howarth

Arguably one of the worst results of the many years of conflict in our country has been the adverse image gained by the Protestant religion. The views of the Northern Ireland Protestant have been misrepresented, misunderstood and maligned. Quite often those who claim to be defenders of the faith have in fact appeared to be its worst enemy and, largely as the result of this, many think of the Northern Irish Protestant as a ranting bigot, more often than not, clad in bowler hat and sash, spouting forth dire warnings which seem to be empty of the love of Christ and to contain little of the hope of the Christian Gospel.

There can be little doubt that the deliverers of these homilies are well intentioned, but their message is lost because of the style of presentation and the total lack of compassion in their plea. So, what is it all about and who is responsible for creating the circumstances which led to what has gone down in history as the greatest schism in the Christian church ? I would like to explain what being a Protestant means to me and also to explode some of the myths which surround my faith and the father of that faith, Martin Luther.

Martin Luther was not what some have come to believe, a failed Priest with a grievance against the Pope. He was, in fact, a man of great compassion who suffered from severe depression as he grappled with the realities of life and sought his own personal salvation and right relationship with God. It is true to say that he was the immediate cause of the Reformation but he simply gave voice to the concerns of many who were disillusioned with what the Roman Catholic Church had become. Luther�s duties as a parish priest opened his eyes to abuses in the church which he felt actually imperiled the souls of his flock. He was particularly concerned about the issue of the forgiveness of sins and the sale of �indulgences.�

An indulgence was the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin, it did not have the power to cancel the debt or guilt of sin itself. This fact was hidden from those who purchased these indulgences believing that they were in fact, �buying forgiveness.� The practice had thus been reduced to a� money making enterprise. The most damning part of the whole affair for Luther, was that the Pope reserved to himself the right to grant indulgences, when they became associated with the so called �treasury of merits,� and were sold for money rather than being granted in return for virtuous deeds. Luther recognized that the Church that he had loved and desired to serve had come to be governed by corruption and greed and was deluding the people in their search for salvation.

When Luther, driven by a desire to help the people he served, posted the 95 Theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg on 31st October 1517, it was not his intention to instigate the revolutionary consequences which were to be the result, not only for the church but for the political and cultural structure of the West. He actually wanted to provoke theological debate.� The ninety-five theses contained no attack on the church or the Pope, but were to lead to the excommunication of Luther in 1520, the Pope denouncing him as a heretic. I therefore regard Luther to be something of a reluctant Reformer. He wanted simply to change the corruption from within but this desire forced him to leave the church to which he could have been an invaluable asset. The loss suffered by the church at this time has proven to be the foundation of my faith.

It is interesting to consider the views of Luther which the Pope dismissed as heretical and which were destined to become the cornerstone of the Protestant faith. After studying the words of St. Paul and the writings of St. Augustine of Hippo, he came to the conclusion that salvation could be achieved through grace alone, not by any human activity but by the grace of God alone. This view remains the most important part of the Lutheran legacy for true protestants today.

There are many false images of Protestantism, perhaps the most prominent being that the name implies a protest against something and has only a negative quality. Nothing could be further than the truth. The term itself comes from the Latin, �Pro testari,� meaning to profess or to declare openly. It is therefore a positive protestation of a deeply held faith which is pure and open to all It is not merely an argument against Roman Catholicism. Neither is my faith just a diluted form of Roman Catholicism. It is often a misconception that it is less whole as it is referred to simply as the �catholic� faith and that the word �roman� has simply been omitted. The Catholic faith is in fact faith in its wholeness or totality with no need of any further additions or earthly labels. In the light of this statement, Pelikan has commented that Martin Luther was the first Protestant yet he was more catholic than many of his Roman Catholic opponents.

Protestants cherish the right to interpret the Gospel on an individual basis but this does not mean that we are free to make our own Gospel. We must make our own decision about the Gospel which is proclaimed to us. This need for a personal decision has a particular significance for the Protestant. The reformers, including Luther, cried with one voice �sola scriptura,� scripture alone, and this was and is the sole test of faith. Protestants believe that nothing can be asserted which contradicts or goes beyond Scripture. For the believing Protestant, therefore, the Bible should not be infallibly interpreted by Popes or earthly councils. The Bible is regarded as the word of God and its authority rests upon its content and central message of the saving love of Christ.

Just as Luther cried, �sola fide,� or faith alone, Protestants remain convinced that an absolute reliance upon God is the foundation of salvation. As a result, the Roman Catholic teaching that man possesses powers by which he can make himself acceptable to God, is totally rejected. If man was capable of this, Christ�s supreme sacrifice is belittled and made unnecessary. Our faith is a lively reckless confidence in the Grace of God whom we must serve in love. Man cannot be ascribed with any other source of merit and should not be regarded as having an intrinsic capacity for good. No credit can be gained by good works or any virtue conferred by the sacraments of the church.

It should not be implied that the Protestant is against good works but they speak out against a false understanding of their importance. They have no merit as to salvation but are the natural endeavour of the follower of God. For the Protestant, faith is stressed and is accompanied naturally by good works out of a desire to serve God in love. The Protestant faith is therefore not lacking in warmth or compassion, but has Christ at its very centre and love as its foundation. It is not only the legacy of Luther, but of Christ himself and the Protestant continues to hold on to the words of St. Paul and the central message of the Gospel.

Martin Luther is in relation to the Reformation rather like the opening notes of some great piano concerto, which states the theme, which is then taken up by other instruments. As a Protestant, I must ensure that the compassion is not lost in the struggle for survival which is facing the Protestant faith in our country today. I remain an instrument for the truth of Christ�s Gospel, following the example of Luther, the Reformer for truth.