St. Mary's Church Elizabeth, IL

8/23

A Closer Look at Faith and Works (2)

Have Catholics and Protestants resolved their differences?

Yet Luther's reaction is quite understandable given Catholic abuses of the 16th century.  The "vending machine" distortions of hte high Middle Ages had left many of the faithful with the strong impression that while baptism may have spared them from the eternal damnation of Hell, There would still be much to alone from the termporal punishment for their sins in purgatory.  In modern Catholic theology, Purgatory is understood as a process that occurs outside of time and space; in Medieval theology it was understood much more as a place with torments rivalving those of Hell!  This primitive understanding of Purgatory coupled with a Church hierarchy generally fixated more on material wealth than on spiritual wealth created an unholy alliance manifested most scandalously in the buying and selling of Indulgences.  Doing good deeds as a demonstration of Faith was increasingly replaced by paying large sums of money to Rome in order to shorten the time of punishment in Purgatory.  "As a coin in the coffer sings," so went the chant of a most notorious seller of indulgences, "a soul from Purgatory springs."

Healing Words

"The present Joint Declaration has this intention: namely, to show that on the basis of their dialogue the subscribing Lutheran churches and the Roman Catholic Church are now able to articulate a common understanding of our justification by God's grace through faith in Christ" (Joint Declaration, sect 5).  With these words, the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification provides the healing balm on a wound in the body of Christ that is five centuries old.  The reason for this coming torgether is not a denial of history, but a recognition that both the Catholic and Lutheran churches have matured in their theology: 'this Joint Declaration rests on the conviction that in overcoming the earlier controversial questions and doctrinal condemnations, the CHurch neither takes the condemnation lightly nor do they disavow their own past.   On the contrary, this Declaration is shaped by the conviction that in their respective histories our churches have come to the new insights" (sect 7).

Having introduced its essestional premise the document then goes on to explain in some detail the proper theological understanding of the relationship between Justification through Faith and demonstrations of faith through good works.  "The foundation and presupposition of justification is the incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ...Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works" (sect 15).

Fr. Joachim