Denver Catholic

23 DENVER CATHOLIC | OCTOBER 14-27, 2017 PAUL HACKER FAITH IN LUTHER : MARTIN LUTHER AND THE ORIGIN OF ANTHROPOCENTRIC RELIGION, PREFACE BY POPE BENEDICT XVI (EMMAUS, 2017). Hacker's book provides an in-depth, theological analysis of the issue that stands at the heart of the Reformation: Luther's teach- ing on salva- tion by faith alone. Pope Benedict's preface tells us that the Reformation dispute fundamentally concerned Luther's "turning away from the center of the Gospel" (xxii). Emmaus released a new edition of Hacker's book for the anniversary this year. It was published originally in 1970 (in English translation), the fruit of Hacker's own intense study of Luther's teaching on faith that led him into the Catholic Church from German Lutheranism. Catholics agree with Protestants that salvation comes only through faith. The key issue of dispute, which Hacker reveals, is Luther's subjective emphasis of absolute, personal cer- tainty, which cannot be undermined even by serious sin. Hacker describes Luther's faith as refl exive, that is turned back on oneself, by empha- sizing subjective experience and per- sonal surety more than anything else. He describes how Luther di• ers from the Catholic position: "Faith is the way to, or the perquisite of, salvation, but Luther makes it coincide with sal- vation itself. This becomes possible because he has fi rst identifi ed salva- tion with the consciousness of being saved or the certitude of salvation, and then he equates this conscious- ness with faith" (71). Hacker shows us how this view of faith negated the Church's authority, the sacraments, and even the need to love God. BRAD GREGORY REBEL IN THE RANKS: MARTIN LUTHER, THE REFORMATION, AND THE CONFLICTS THAT CONTINUE TO SHAPE OUR WORLD (HARPERONE, 2017). For those looking for a more general and accessible book, Brad Gregory gives us a broader narrative of how Luther's troubled conscience exploded into the crisis that tore Christendom in two. The fi rst sec- tion looks at Luther's own story, tracing step by step his confl ict with Church authority. The second sec- tion explains how Luther's teaching spawned a multitude of new sects and divisions, all interpreting the Bible in their own fashion. Greggory explains: "What the early Reforma- tion shows so clearly is that scripture and the Spirt can be interpreted and applied in radically divergent ways. Once the papacy and the Catholic Church are thrown o• , there are no shared authorities to adjudicate dis- agreements" (137). The fi nal section looks at how the Reformation set the tone for the development of a sec- ular culture. Though not intending these consequences, Gregory argues that the Protestant Reformers "led indirectly to a profound diminishing of Christianity's public infl uence in Western societies. The religious disagreements and confl icts that fol- lowed the Reformation set the stage for religion's eventual separation from the rest of life" (2). ERIC METAXAS MARTIN LUTHER: THE MAN WHO REDISCOVERED GOD AND CHANGED THE WORLD (VIKING, 2017). Metaxas, who wrote a monumental biography of Dietrich Bon- hoe• er, provides us with a di• er- ent perspective on Luther. His book seems poised to cap- ture the largest audience for the anniversary this year. While I can't agree with his view of Luther as a hero of faith, I can appreciate his presentation of a more sympathetic and thorough look at a man who has inspired many Protestant Christians. It is helpful to recognize why Luther is such an important fi gure for so many people. This book defi nitely provides many more details on the life of Luther (with over 450 pages). However, I would exercise caution, because it unfortunately also contains many gross misrepresentations of the state of the Church at the time of the Reformation. For instance, even though Metaxas shows us many ways that Luther encountered the Bible in his early life, he still claims that the Bible and Church had no connection in the early 1500s and that "the study of the Bible per se was simply unheard of " (52). Luther himself was a theology professor and throughout the Middle Ages. the Bible was the primary text for teaching theology. Brad Gregory makes clear in his book on Luther that there were even "twenty-two editions of the complete vernacular Bible . . . published in German . . . by 1518" (29). Metaxas presents a false picture of Catholics as ignorant, afraid to pray to Christ, and thinking they must earn their salvation through works. Good historical research could easily dispel these myths, such as the books of Eamon Du• y, but we see Protes- tants continue to project Luther's own scruples (hating God and spending six hours in Confession, 47) onto the Church of his time. JEROME K. WILLIAMS TRUE REFORMERS: SAINTS OF THE CATHOLIC REFORMATION (AUGUSTINE INSTITUTE, 2017). What could have Luther been if he had chosen faithful reform? The answer is a saint. There is no doubt that the Church was in need of seri- ous reform in the 1500s. We have a number of great saints who show us that fi delity to God does not contra- dict fi delity to His Church. They stood against corruption and initiated deep and abiding reform. The Augustine Institute has released both a book and video series on true reformers, who boldly spoke out against abuses and led to a deeper realization of the truth found in the Bible, read in harmony with the Church. These fi gures — Teresa of Avila, Thomas More, Igna- tius of Loyola, and Charles Borromeo, for instance — continue to inspire us to take up the task of genuine reform today. years later, who was Luther? H ero, villain, heretic, saint, reformer, corrupter, man of integrity, bombastic glutton. Which image of Luther should we believe? Because Luther primarily sought not to reform abuses in the Church but to reform the Church's beliefs, Catholics cannot recognize him as a true reformer or a holy man. Nonetheless, it is widely agreed that Luther played a major role in shaping the modern world. With the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant movement he initiated approaching on October 31st, we have been given a number of new books to assess his legacy. The Catholic Reader R. Jared Staudt, PhD, is a husband and father of six, the catechetical formation specialist for the Archdiocese of Denver, a Benedictine oblate, prolifi c writer, and insatiable reader. DR. R. JARED STAUDT We have a number of great saints who show us that fi delity to God does not contradict fi delity to His Church." "

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