Monday, September 17, 2018

Some light in the dark. . . ages that is. . .


The Middle Ages lasted about a millennium from the Dark Ages right after the Fall of the Roman Empire through the early, mid and high Medieval periods. Most of us were probably taught to write off the whole era as dark, brutal, uncivilized, and without much learning, art, music, or erudition.  I was.  But if we consider that this civilization lasted through great stresses and changes, perhaps we can learn something by going past the stereotype -- especially the upheavals of modernity we face.

Prof. Andrew Willard Jones, who teaches Church history, theology, and social doctrine at Franciscan University in Steubenville, suggests that our view of those dark ages may be more colored by anti-Catholic prejudice than the reality of history.  Jones said, “I was studying the papacy of the 13th century. I was inspired by what I was reading. It was a whole world that had not been investigated… We’re blessed in medieval history. They had advanced letter-writing operations. There were papal letters and manuscripts… It’s a treasure trove of court records, monarchial registries and chronicles.”  Jones sees the medieval era as a Christianized, sacramental civilization, quite unlike the usual way the period is treated by typical histories.  It is far too simplistic to see the period as one of only decay until the rescue of Luther for the Church, Erasmus for reason, and the Renaissance giants for art and music.  The truth is that during this period there were great advances in the arts and in learning and these provided the foundation for the flourishing of that Renaissance period.  Far from being stark, staid, and, frozen, the medieval period was a complex, dynamic culture.  Surely that does not suggest that this was some sort of mountain top achievement of humanity but it does mean that this time has been the victim of a characterization less than accurate.

It is one more testament to the fact that history is not the only thing that suffers from a stereotype that fails to scratch beneath the surface.  Once again I am reminded that we judge too much from a shallow sweep across the breadth of time than from the informed consideration of its reality.  Certainly this is true of Christians with respect to the Old Testament.  We have heard for so long that it is a different God than Jesus, a violent story without real peace, and a condemnation without hope that we began believing it.  For Christians it got to the point where some suggested the Old Testament was irrelevant and unnecessary to the Gospel.  In some respects, we have treated Christian history the way we treat medieval history, a distasteful distraction from the real story.  We are always the poorer when we succumb to such tempting but false characterizations.  That this is true of Scripture is one shame we ought to admit.  That this is true of the way we escape a more critical view of our own history is also something we should admit.

25 comments:

Carl Vehse said...

It will take more than one obviously pro-papist Franciscan University professor to make a convincing case for the European religion of the Middle Ages as a model of Christian orthodoxy interrupted by a rogue German monk.

Anonymous said...

Cue Vehse to rant on about the Antichrist. If he spent more time actually familiarizing him with facts, rather than an apparently mindless recitation of his favorite quips, quotes, and snark, he might learn a thing or two. He may be shocked to learn in fact how much of the Lutheran Reformation retained from the Middle Ages. But it is probably asking too much of him actually to think before clattering away on his keyboard like a nearly deranged madman any chance he gets.

Daniel G. said...

Anonymous,

Thank you. Let’s pray for each other and the world.

Carl Vehse said...

While dodging the usual Anonymous flinging of keister-produced ad hominems, I'm still waiting for a list of linked or referenced and referreed journal articles or books with documentation that support Jones' suggestion about the grand old time of the papist Middle Ages.

Cliff said...

If Carl makes it to heaven, and I say if, he is going to be one lonely soul all by himself in his little corner of heaven. Maybe one of the "good" popes will come over and console him or enlighten him?

Anonymous said...

"Good" popes? That's certainly an oxymoron!

Carl Vehse said...

Here's an example of some papal fun times in the Middle Ages:

Pope Stephen VI (896-897) decided to get revenge on his predecessor, Pope Formosus, who had died 9 months earlier.

"Pope Stephen ordered the grave of Formosus to be opened and the body exhumed... The pope ordered the body to be clad in the full vesture of a pope and set on a chair in the basilica of St. John Lateran, where a Roman synod in January 897 sat in judgment... Unable to speak to respond Formosus was represented by a callow deacon, whose arguments lacked persuasion. Formosus – or, rather, the body of Formosus – was condemned, and he was literally defrocked as the vestments of his office were one by one torn from his decaying body. The fingers of his right hand used in blessing were hacked off and his body thrown into a common grave... [Formosus' body was disturbed apparently by grave robbers, who seeing this fresh grave, dug it open in the hope of finding treasures. Instead they found a mutilated, unadorned body. In disgust they cast it into the Tiber River... It is said that a monk, following the instructions given to him in a vision, found the body and secretely buried it at Porto. Meanwhile, back at Rome, Stephen VI had been seized by his enemies, put in chains, placed in prison and strangled to death."

A later pope recovered the body of Formosus and had it reburied in papal vestments in St Peter's.

Carl Vehse said...

The image shown with the column above is a 2015 environmental concept artwork, "Dark Ages," by Jason Felix.

Anonymous said...

Ugh, Carl is a hopeless case of puffed-up spiritual pride and at the same time a tortured soul.

Cliff said...

Carl, I am well aware of "papal history". If you noticed I said "good popes" meaning there was a FEW good ones, such as Benedict VI.

But Carl, an enlightened person such as yourself forgot to mention the Borgia's, especially Rodrigo who would have made Hugh Hefner look like a saint.

Don't give up Carl, if you want I can pray for your troubled soul?

Daniel G. said...

Cliff, are you a Lutheran or Eastern Orthodox? Either way, kudos for your intelligent answers. You would be a person, despite our differences, that I could converse with. God bless.

Carl Vehse said...

Beside the personal immorality of numerous popes, corruption of Christian teaching was also a major activity during the Middle Ages... and since then in the Roman Church.

Some examples of papish false teachings and practices included purgatory, praying to Mary and other Mariolatrist practices, relic worshipping, forbidding priest to marry, the Inquisition, and Indulgences.

Another papish teaching was the very first reason Martin Luther gave in his 1520 tract, "Why the Books of the Pope and His followers Were Burned by Doctor Martin Luther":

"'It is not required of the pope and his adherents that they be subject to God's commandments and obey them.' He clearly writes this abominable teaching in the chapter 'Solitae, de majoritate et obedientia*' where he expounds Peter's words You ought to be subject to every authority, by declaring that St. Peter did not mean himself nor his own successors, but their subjects." [Bertram Lee Wolf, Reformation Writings of Martin Luther Vol. II (London: Lutterworth Press, 1956), p. 78].

In his September 16, 2018, article, "Luther: The Pope is not Subject to God's Commandments?," James Swan explains Luther's reason.

Daniel G. said...

Mr. Strickert, aka, Carl,

I am stuck between ridiculing and pitying you. Clearly you are one of those "Christians" who see nothing but bad or as the cliché goes, the glass half full.

That Luther had a strong devotion to Mary is unquestionable. You sir make the same mistake as all fundamentalists in stating that we worship Mary. It's a pointless argument. Do you ask your fellow Christians to pray for you? That's what we ask of the Mother of God. She doesn't save us, she prays for us. But I'm sure that will fall upon your deaf ears.

Pity.

Pastor Peters said...

Carl Vehse is dead. Rick Strickert is the name of the fellow who goes by that name. He is from Austin, TX, and apparently has nothing to do but comment on blogs and forums. He has the uncanny ability to ignore what it is that I say and create a dust up out of something I neither said nor implied. He uses the comments for his own agenda and likes nothing more than stirring up trouble. I appeal to you who read the blog to ignore him. Nothing will irritate him more than to be ignored. Unless we learn to do that, I may have to do something radical to deal with the comments. He does not shed light but only generates heat. Let us all conspire against him by ignoring his comments, no matter what he says. It is a shame that one person is able to spoil something for the rest of us but the truth is that he does so only because we allow him.

Carl Vehse said...

Before the Mariolatrist trolls try to fling out Martin Luther's Worshippers of Mary membership card, Pastoral Meandering readers should review James Swan's (of Beggars All) previous articles:

• "Martin Luther’s Theology of Mary"
• "LUTHER’S THEOLOGY OF MARY: A RESPONSE TO CATHOLIC APOLOGIST DAVE ARMSTRONG"

And while one might find Luther mentioning the Romanist fairy tale of Mary's immaculate conception from early days, after 1529 there is no solid indication of Luther holding such a view, especially at the end of his life.

Carl Vehse said...

Mike: "Do you ask your fellow Christians to pray for you?"

Yes, I can speak to or write to fellow Christians here on Earth asking them to pray for specific concerns. But I cannot speak or write to those who are no longer bodily alive to pray for my specific concerns.

And Lutherans hold that praying to the saints is utterly futile, and worse (see AC.XXI; Ap.XXI; Ap.XXVII; SA, Part II, Article III).

Especially clear are the statements in the Apology, Article XXI: "But all these marvelous tales about statutes and pictures do not even compare with the fairy tales about the saints which are being taught in public on the highest authority" and in the Smalcald Articles, II: "The invocation of the saints is also one of the abuses of the Antichrist. It is in conflict with the first chief article and undermines knowledge of Christ... This is idolatry. Such honor belongs to God alone."

RMMV (Romanist mileage may vary)

Cliff said...

Mike, thanks for your kind comments, we do have our differences but we can still have respect for each other's view. I'm an LCC Lutheran who has Catholic family so I know first hand the struggles that are caused by our differences. It is a painful path to walk at times, but by God's grace we get by.

One of the good things happening is the fruitful dialogue between our church bodies. We have not reached the point where we agree 100 percent, but we have gained a mutual respect for each other's theology. That is encouraging, but we will not return to Rome anytime soon, but can cooperate on hot button items such as abortion, SSM & female ordination.

Keep praying for fruitful discussions and help us all be good witnesses for Jesus!

Daniel G. said...

Pastor Peters,

I love reading your commentary. I am edified often by what you say. As a Catholic I am impressed by your candor even if it is in disagreement with my beliefs. As a result I understand Lutheranism more. Why? Because you begin from a place that is void of rancor and arrogance. You are fighting the good fight and, well, I’m trying. I am edified by others, regardless of denominational lines who pick up the fight where others left off especially in regards to abortion, the culture. Christ did say he who is for us is not agsinst us. I trust at some point we will all be one as our Lord prayed. In the meantime I will take your words to heart and ignore Mr. Strickert snd others like him. And please pray for me as I struggle with SSA and for my dad who recently suffered a heart attack. I’d appreciate it.

Pastor Peters said...

Mike,

You have my prayers and encouragement that ours is a gracious God whose mercy answers all our need and whose grace is sufficient for all those needs. . .

PP

Daniel G. said...

Thank you. My real name us Daniel. Don’t know Why I chose a stage name but it is what it is now. Thank you Pastor Peters, I appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

Carl Vice is a good example of a man living in the 19th century
and desperately fighting the 21st century.

Daniel G. said...

To those who paint all Catholic clergy and their congregants as the lavender mafia:

https://apple.news/AyKyiECSrQqGXbFihus-vmw

As a good,Honest Catholic priest friend of mine said, “
The ship is sinking, and the rats are making a last attempt to save their own lives and agenda!“


David Gray said...

"Carl Vice is a good example of a man living in the 19th century
and desperately fighting the 21st century."

That makes Carl sound pretty good to me...

Daniel G. said...

David,

Isn't it nice to know that there is someone for everyone? I'm glad you found your spiritual soulmate.

James Swan said...

Mike Cannonball said...That Luther had a strong devotion to Mary is unquestionable,

What exactly is meant by "devotion"? Luther saying nice things about Mary is not the same thing as Roman Catholic Marian devotion, both then and now.

JS