May 9, 2017
Devotions: Personalities of the Reformation – Martin Bucer

Martin Bucer lived from November 11, 1491 (8 years almost to the day after the birth of Martin Luther (November 10, 1483). Bucer was a German reformer for the Protestant movement who was influenced by both Luther and Calvin. He also was influenced by Anglican doctrines. Interestingly enough, Bucer was a part of the Dominican Order, but after meeting Martin Luther sometime around 1518, one year after Luther’s famous 95 Theses episode, Bucer left the Order and annulled his monastic vows. Here is what Wikipedia says about our friend Martin Bucer…

(c) The University of Edinburgh Fine Art Collection; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

“Bucer’s efforts to reform the church in Wissembourg resulted in his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church, and he was forced to flee to Strasbourg. There he joined a team of reformers. Bucer believed that the Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire could be convinced to join the Reformation. Through a series of conferences organized by Charles V he tried to unite Protestants and Catholics to create a German national church separate from Rome. He did not achieve this, as political events led to the Schmalkaldic War and the retreat of Protestantism within the Empire. In 1548, Bucer was persuaded, under duress, to sign the Augsburg Interim which imposed certain forms of Catholic worship. However, he continued to promote reforms until the city of Strasbourg accepted the Interim, and forced him to leave. In 1549, Bucer was exiled to England, where, under the guidance of Thomas Cranmer, he was able to influence the second revision of the Book of Common Prayer. He died in Cambridge, England at the age of 59. Although his ministry did not lead to the formation of a new denomination, many Protestant denominations have claimed him as one of their own. He is remembered as an early pioneer of ecumenism.”

Schmalkaldic War – At the 1521 Diet of Worms Emperor Charles V had Martin Luther banned and the proliferation of his writings prohibited, which in 1529 provoked the Protestation at Speyer by several Lutheran estates. The tensions culminated to an open conflict over the Lutheran Augsburg Confession of 1530, the Apology of which, written by Philipp Melanchthon, was rejected by the Emperor. In turn several Lutheran states led by Elector John Frederick I of Saxony and LangravePhilip I of Hesse met at the town of Schmalkalden, where they established the Schmalkaldic League in 1531.In June 1546, Pope Paul III entered into an agreement with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V to curb the spread of the Reformation. Shortly thereafter, Maurice, the Duke of Albertine Saxony (also Elector), invaded the lands of his rival and stepbrother in Ernestine Saxony, John Frederick, beginning the brief, but devastating, conflict known as the Schmalkaldic War. The military might of Maurice combined with that of Charles V proved to be overwhelming to John Frederick and the Protestant Schmalkaldic League. On April 24, 1547 the armies of the Schmalkaldic League were decisively defeated at the Battle of Muhlberg.

Augsburg Interim – Charles V had won a military victory, but realized that the only chance he had to effectively contain Lutheranism as a movement was to pursue political and ecclesiastical compromises in order to restore religious peace in the Empire. The series of decrees issued by the Emperor became known as an “Interim” because they were only intended to govern the church temporarily pending the conclusions of the general council convened at Trent by pope Paul III in December 1545. Included in the provisions of the Interim was that the Lutherans restore the number of sacraments (which the Lutherans reduced to two – Baptism, the Lord’s Supper) and that the churches restore a number of specifically Roman ceremonies, doctrines, and practices which had been discarded by the Lutheran reformers, including also transubstantiation, and the rejection of the doctrine of justification by Grace, through Faith Alone. The God-given authority of the pope over all bishops and the whole Church was reaffirmed, but with the proviso that “the powers that he has should be used not to destroy but to uplift”. In stark contrast to Charles V’s past attitude, significant concessions were made to the Protestants. What was basically a new code of religious practices permitted both clerical marriage and communion under both kinds. The Augsburg Interim was rejected by a significant number of Lutheran pastors and theologians.” (Wikipedia)

And we worry about squabbles in the church today…..

Pastor Dave

Please bring in toilet paper or paper towels this week for Trinity’s Table.