Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Immanuel Tuesday Class (10/27/20)

 Has the Church Become Corrupt?


The Waldensian Movement


1173


> The symbol of the Waldensians is a burning candle. The motto is LUX LUCET IN TENEBRIS, “Light shines in the darkness,” a quotation of John 1:5. 


> Who was Peter Waldo (c. 1140 - c. 1205)? 

- A merchant in Lyons, Waldo was deeply moved sometime around 1160 by a sermon he heard on the ascetic St Alexius of Edessa (a 4th century monk). 

- Around this time he also grew to reject the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, and,  tragically, he was shaken to the core when he witnessed the death of a close friend. 

- Soon he began living a “radical” Christian life, giving his possessions over to family members, distributing alms to the poor, and preaching. 

- Sometime around 1175, Waldo commissioned a translation of the New Testament into the local language of Lombardy, Franco-Provencal. This is now generally considered to be the first Bible in the vernacular, pre-dating Luther’s German New Testament by some 350 years. 

- Along with poverty, Waldo advocated the priesthood of all believers, and lay-preaching, even by women. 

- Summoned to Rome in 1179, Waldo had a somewhat favorable audience with Pope Alexander III. The Pope affirmed his vow of voluntary poverty, but forbade him from public preaching (as he was a layman). 

- In 1180, Waldo wrote up a profession of faith. Following the ecumenical creeds closely, it concludes: “And since, according to James the Apostle, ‘faith without works is dead,’ we have renounced the world; whatever we had we have given to the poor, as the Lord advised, and we have resolved to be poor in such fashion that we shall take no thought for the morrow, nor shall we accept gold or silver, or anything of that sort from anyone beyond food and clothing sufficient for the day. Our resolve is to follow the precepts of the Gospel as commands. We wholeheartedly confess and believe that persons remaining in the world, owning their own goods, giving alms and doing other good works out of their own, and observing the commandments of the Lord, may be saved.”

- Waldo was excommunicated in 1184 by Pope Lucius III


> What were the Waldensians

- Peter Waldo gathered a group of followers around him who also condemned the excesses of the clergy and papacy, advocated a simple lifestyle, sought to return to biblical models of faith and piety, and proclaimed these teachings as they traveled around southeast France and northwest Italy. 

- Originally referred to as the “Poor of Lyons” or the “Poor of Lombardy,” they were also labeled as “Waldensians” or “Waldenses.” 

- They were condemned as heretics by Pope Lucius III in1184, and they fled from Lyons, settling in valleys in southern France and northern Italy.

- The Waldensian movement moved underground during the Middle Ages. Small groups met and were ministered to by “barbes” (“uncles” - to set them apart from Catholic “fathers”). 

- During the Reformation, Waldensians met with Oecolampadius (1482 - 1531, professor of Theology at Basel, close associate of Zwingli), Martin Bucer (1491 - 1551, reformer and ecumenist from Strasbourg) and William Farel (1489 - 1565, French reformer centered in western Switzerland). They adopted many Reformation ideals, especially those of the Zwinglians, and spread the Reform to Italy in the 1530s. 

- Widespread persecution of the Waldensians occurred in Provence (southeastern France) in the 1540s, with thousands of Waldensians killed or displaced. 

- In Calabria (southern Italy) in the 1560s, there was also widespread persecution inflicted by the Catholic inquisition; several pastors were burned at the stake. 

- Waldensians increasingly joined with French Protestants in the 17th century, or fled to remote, Alpine valleys. 

- In 2015, Pope Francis visited a Waldensian “temple” in Turin, Italy. There he publicly apologized on behalf of the Catholic Church for the mistreatment and persecution through the centuries. 


> Scriptural Foundations for the Waldensian ideals:


- Poverty: Mark 10:17-27; Luke 6:20-21


- Priesthood of All Believers: 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Cor. 12:1-11


- Centrality of the Word: 2 Tim. 3:16-17


Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Book Review

 Book Review: Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher (2020)


Live Not by Lies is a powerful and quite timely book written by an outstanding columnist and Orthodox believer. It should find its way onto every Lutheran's shelf. 


See Pastor Carnehl's Goodreads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3564689618?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1


And his YouTube review here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyIrwOJLiBQ


And, check out this article by Rod Dreher: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/maria-wittner-hungary-warning-live-not-by-lies-guns/


 So, this list is highly subjective. I haven't read all of these books, and I've also had to eliminate very significant books becaus...