The Luther movie
by on 29 September 2003
I’m really looking forward to the Luther movie and intend to see it with some friends (fellow former Lutheran-now-Catholics). Luther has long been — and remains — one of my heroes. I know this rankles with those of my fellow Catholics who ride the apologetic tide, but I believe Catholics have been horribly misled about Luther by the uncritical repetition of slanderous stuff from the Bad Old Days.
It’s also true that Protestants have bought into a gussied up version of the Luther story that downplays many of his faults, but many Protestants realize that the Oak (or boar, take your pick) of Saxony had rough edges — and thrashed them about at unsuspecting peasants and Jews.
Dear Br. Martin did the best that he could do in a Very Tough Place. Modern Catholic mythology would have it that the answer to his problems was simple and ready to hand, and that he was just an arrogant and troublesome maniac (or devil). And perhaps Luther would have behaved differently if he had had the advantage of reading Scott Hahn, Peter Kreeft and Tom Howard — but, alas, what he had was Tetzel, Erasmus, Eck, Cajetan et al.
The “Attitude Towards Luther” is one of those areas where, in my experience, the jealous Catholic Internet e-pologist has a very different perspective from the jealous priest. Most priests that I know — even the very conservative ones — have a sympathetic and charitable view of Luther. Apparently the seminaries have caught on to the fact that earlier anti-Lutheran stuff was mostly based on slanderous reports written by people who wanted to please the pope. Luther has enjoyed somewhat of a resuscitation in Catholic circles, and I say Bravo!
Luther forcefully promoted the idea that we come to God with open hands — as beggars — trusting in His mercy alone. Europe needed that message in 1517 (as it needs it today), and before criticizing Br. Martin, Catholics might think to ask themselves why — even to this day — Catholics aren’t very good at getting that message across to their flock.
2003-09-29 »