May 5, 2017
Devotions – Personalities of the Reformation – Precursors
Peter Waldo

“We do not even know for sure that Peter Waldo’s first name was Peter; he was a rich merchant of Lyon France, who, while listening to a troubadour, came under deep conviction for sin in the latter part of the 12th—century. Troubadours (who had become popular in the 11th century) often sang ballads about saints. This particular troubadour recounted the story of Alexis, a fifth century mystic who abandoned wealth to live by begging and returned home unrecognized. The story touched Waldo, who immediately sought the surest path to heaven, which he saw in Christ’s words to the rich young ruler, “Go sell all you have, give to the poor, and come, take up your cross and follow me.”

As he gained spiritual maturity, Waldo began to preach and teach in the streets. Followers gathered around him. These were known by many names, such as the Poor Men of Lyon, The Poor of God, Waldensians, or Waldenses. At some point Waldo commissioned a scholar to translate parts of the New Testament into Provençal, the local language. Lay preachers carried this word from place to place. Later, Waldensian peddlars also spread the gospel. Bishops became upset that Waldo and his followers were encroaching upon their turf and doing the tasks they had left undone. In 1179, to counter their objections, Waldo and a disciple went to Rome to seek papal approval for their work. Pope Alexander III had them explain their position to a panel of three clergymen. No one seems to have taken them seriously and the pope did not approve their work, although he seems to have authorized them to preach wherever local bishops approved. This, of course, was to say nowhere. Shortly afterward, the Third Lateran Council condemned Waldensian teaching, but without excommunicating them. Driven from Lyon, the Waldensians settled in the high valleys of Piedmont, and in the Luberon region of France. In 1184, Pope Lucius III excommunicated Waldo, and in 1215 the Fourth Lateran Council agreed. For three centuries, Rome persecuted the Waldensians savagely. Driven from place to place, they clung to Scripture, and their lay preachers continued to spread reform views, which were far from heretical and in agreement with much that would later be found in the Franciscan movement and in Protestantism. Indeed, most Waldensians united with Protestants during the Reformation. Those who remained in the Alps, however, retained their separate identity. Italy finally awarded the Waldensians religious freedom in 1858.” (Waldo Sought a Truer Faith, christianhistoryinstitute.org)

Lay preachers and their efforts to spread the Gospel were upsetting the clergy – this is part of the story with Peter Waldo. How dare someone who is not clergy preach, teach, or share the sacrament? This is an argument that has proliferated in the church for quite a while. Just recently one of our lay ministers was confronted by a retired pastor who was “unhapy” that he, a lay minister, was distributing “consecrated” elements to shut-ins. How are we supposed to set aside those called to the ministry – or to Christian Education? The tradition of the Lutheran Church is to set aside those called to the rostered ministry by having them complete seminary education and appropriate other experiences as directed by “call committees”. But that does not mean that all christian education and related ministry should be completed only by those called to rostered ministry. There is plenty of space, and necessary involvement for lay leaders to help spread the Gospel – through word and deed – as long as there is appropriate efforts for them to be trained for “right practice”.

Without the help of lay ministers, the Lutheran Church of the 21st century will continue to struggle to meet the spiritual needs of the faithful, and to evangelize to seekers.

Pastor Dave

* Collect bottles of shampoo and conditioner this week for Trinity’s Table.

May 4, 2017
Devotions – Personalities of the Reformation – Precursors
Savonarola

“Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar and puritan. He was the moral dictator of the city of Florence, and he made a reputation for austerity and learning, and became prior of the convent of St Mark. A visionary, prophet and hellfire preacher, he was obsessed with human wickedness. He preached that the wrath of God was about to fall upon the earth, and he detested practically every form of pleasure and relaxation.

His opponents called Savonarola and his followers ‘Snivellers’ and he grimly disapproved of jokes and frivolity, of poetry and inns, of sex (especially the homosexual variety), of gambling, of fine clothes and jewellery and luxury of every sort. He denounced the works of Boccaccio, nude paintings, pictures of pagan deities and the whole humanistic culture of the Italian Renaissance. He called for laws against vice and laxity. He put an end to the carnivals and festivals the Florentines traditionally enjoyed, substituting religious festivals instead, and employed street urchins as a junior Gestapo to sniff out luxurious and suspect items. In the famous ‘bonfire of the vanities’ in 1497 he had gaming tables and packs of cards, carnival masks, mirrors, ornaments, nude statues and supposedly indecent books and pictures burned in the street. The friar also disapproved of profiteering financiers and businessmen.

Not surprisingly, Savonarola made many powerful enemies. Among them was the Borgia pope, Alexander VI, who had good reason to feel uncomfortable with the Dominican’s denunciation of the laxity and luxury of the Church and its leaders, and who eventually excommunicated the rigorous friar. On Palm Sunday in 1498 St Mark’s was attacked by a screaming mob and Savonarola was arrested by the Florentine authorities with two friars who were among his most ardent followers, Fra Dominico and Fra Salvestro. All three were cruelly tortured before being condemned as heretics and handed over to the secular arm by two papal commissioners, who came hot foot from Rome for the purpose on May 19th. ‘We shall have a fine bonfire,’ the senior commissioner remarked genially on arrival, ‘for I have the sentence of condemnation with me.’

On the morning of May 23rd a crowd of Florentines gathered in the Piazza della Signoria, where a scaffold had been erected on a platform (a plaque marks the spot today). From the heavy beam dangled three halters, to hang the friars, and three chains, to support their bodies while they were subsequently burned to ashes. Wood for the burning was heaped up below. Some of the crowd screamed abuse at Savonarola and his two companions, who were formally unfrocked and left in their under-tunics with bare feet and their hands tied, before their faces were shaved, as was the custom. It is said that a priest standing near asked Savonarola what he felt about this approaching martyrdom. He answered, ‘The Lord has suffered as much for me,’ and these were his last recorded words.” (Execution of Florentine Friar Savonarola, historytoday.com)

“The Lord has suffered as much for me”….were the last recorded words of Savonarola. These words should make us pause and catch our breath when we hear them. We are not people who like to think about our own suffering – in fact we try as hard as we can to avoid suffering – at least the day to day aches and pains that we have to endure. But to suffer our own martyrdom, that is another level of faith few will face in their lives. However, a Christian is martyred in the world every five minutes. Christians are the most martyred religion in the world. That again should catch our breath, and appreciate the freedom we have to express our faith. So, shouldn’t we take and cherish every opportunity when presented to us?

Pastor Dave

* Collect bottles of shampoo and conditioner this week for Trinity’s Table.