The Reformation​—Can They Repair the Breach?

THE Germany of Martin Luther is politically divided today. But both the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany were united on at least one thing​—celebrating 1983, the 500th anniversary of Luther’s birth, as “the Luther Year.” Once again the question is: Can the breach between Lutherans and Catholics ever be successfully repaired?

At the very beginning of the Protestant Reformation the followers of Martin Luther had met with representatives of the Catholic Church in an effort to avoid a break between them. The meeting was not their idea. Charles V, the emperor, insisted on it. He was worried about the Turks and wanted his empire to be united religiously. So in 1530 the Protestants and the Catholics met in Augsburg, Germany.

During the negotiations at Augsburg, the Protestants presented a lengthy document that stated their beliefs in a way designed not to offend the Catholics. This statement is known as the Augsburg Confession and is important to Lutheran doctrine to this day. The Confession emphasized common beliefs of Lutherans and Catholics, such as the Trinity doctrine, while leaving out most Protestant complaints about the abuses of the Catholic hierarchy. The Protestants said that they were asking only for a few reforms, such as permission for priests to marry and for the people to receive wine as well as bread at Communion.

Nevertheless, the Catholic emperor and his advisers rejected the Augsburg Confession, and the conference ended in failure.

Time for a Change?

In 1980, during celebrations of the 450th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, another meeting between Lutherans and Catholics took place on German soil. It was between the pope, who was visiting the Federal Republic, and seven officials of the Lutheran Church. Before the meeting, both Lutheran and Catholic negotiators had issued a joint statement saying that the Augsburg Confession “in large measure . . . can be regarded as an expression of the common faith.” Would it finally be possible to mend 450 years of religious disunity?

When he met with the Lutheran officials, the pope sounded encouraging. He said: “Contemplation on the Confessio Augustana [the Latin term for the Augsburg Confession] has caused us . . . to become newly aware of the beliefs and confessions we hold in common.” But the pope stopped short of embracing the Confession. Instead, a joint commission was formed to continue investigating the possibilities of reunification. For those favoring ecumenism the meeting was a disappointment.

“The 450th anniversary year did not see the recognition of the Augsburg Confession by Rome that some had hoped for,” admitted a Jesuit scholar. “A trial balloon fell back to earth.”

Even the unprecedented visit of Pope John Paul II to a Lutheran Church in Rome last December did not presage reconciliation in the foreseeable future. In his sermon the pope stated: “We long for unity, and we strive for this unity without letting ourselves be discouraged by the difficulties that may pile up along the way.”

One of the difficulties was hinted at by the pastor of the Lutheran Church, Dr. Meyer, who is reported as saying on several occasions that the visit of the pope did not imply any measure of recognition of papal authority.

What Price Unity?

Perhaps, like many people, you are unhappy with the divisions among people who claim to be Christians. Even if you are not a Lutheran or a Catholic, you may feel disappointed that the two churches were unable to put aside their differences. After all, doesn’t the Bible encourage all Christians to “speak in agreement” and to “be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought”?​—1 Corinthians 1:10.

This leads to a very important question: Upon what basis should Christians be united? Catholics claim that unity should come from accepting the pronouncements of the church hierarchy. Many Protestant denominations make the same claim, only they substitute their own creeds, like the Augsburg Confession, for Catholic creeds, and their own hierarchy for the Catholic one.

True, it is possible to enforce unity based on the pronouncements of men, but what if those imperfect men are wrong regarding fundamental and vital Christian beliefs? What good is that sort of unity? Is it pleasing to God? How could it be when, as Jesus Christ pointed out, God desires to be worshiped “with spirit and truth”? (John 4:23, 24) The first-century Pharisees were unified in their beliefs, but Jesus said that their worship was vain “because they teach commands of men as doctrines.”​—Matthew 15:9.

Yes, all Christians must be unified in their belief, but what they believe must also be true. Loss of the truth is far too high a price to pay for achieving unity among different churches. Where is truth to be found? Not in the creeds of religious organizations but in God’s Word, as Jesus verified in prayer to his Father, saying: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) The apostle Paul put it this way: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.” (2 Timothy 3:16) The standard of religious truth for Christians can only be God’s Word, the Bible.

Truth and the Augsburg Confession

When the Augsburg Confession is compared with the Bible, how does it stand up? Could it be used as a basis for Christian unity? Let us see.

Regarding the Trinity doctrine, the Augsburg Confession states that “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” are “three Persons, of the same essence and power.” Yet the Bible clearly quotes Jesus, the Son, as confessing that “the Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) Jesus also said that “the Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he beholds the Father doing,” indicating his submission to his heavenly Father, Jehovah God.​—John 5:19.

The Augsburg Confession recommends infant baptism, while the Bible indicates that only persons old enough to become disciples should be baptized.​—Matthew 28:19; Romans 10:13, 14.

The Augsburg Confession allows for Christians to “engage in just wars.” Jesus said: “My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews.” (John 18:36) He warned that “those who take the sword will perish by the sword.”​—Matthew 26:52.

The Augsburg Confession accepts the non-Biblical doctrine of hellfire, stating that “ungodly men and the devils” will be condemned “to be tormented without end.” But the Bible says that “the wages sin pays is death,” not torment. (Romans 6:23) In fact, the Bible makes it clear that dead people cannot be tormented, for “they are conscious of nothing at all.”​—Ecclesiastes 9:5.

Actually, in most doctrinal matters the Augsburg Confession accepts the beliefs of the medieval Roman Catholic Church. Yet today many scholars, both Catholic and Protestant, will admit that such beliefs are not found in the Bible. Such a stand may have made the Confession more palatable for 16th-century Catholics but certainly makes it a shaky foundation for Christian unity today.

Can the Reformation’s gap be bridged? More important, should it be? If both Catholics and Protestants continue to hold to unbiblical doctrines, then a papering over of differences between the two groups is not going to do anyone any good. The real gap today is between all these sectarian members of Christendom and God’s Word, the Bible. It is a gap that cannot be bridged, for the two are in uncompromising conflict with one another. Hence, Revelation 18:4 says to all Bible readers, “Get out of her, my people.”