The Pope: He's Back
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 

With one masterstroke after another, Pope John Paul II continues to amaze the world with his political savvy. He continues to position the Catholic Church as the world wide moral authority and spokesman for Christendom.

Once the Joint Declaration on Justification was signed with the Lutheran World Federation, including the ELCA, on October 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany, the Pope basically resolved the major dispute that led to the Reformation in 1517.

Most of the Protestant denominations may not have checked lately, but what is it exactly that they are still protesting?

From the Catholic perspective, and finally the world perspective, Protestants just can't get along and let go of the past. The current rise of non-denominational independent churches can be viewed as an extension of the "Protestant problem."

These Protestants are such isolationalist Christians, if they can still rightfully lay claim to the title "Christian," they can't get along with anyone. They view public association or fellowship with just one other congregation as more than they can tolerate. So what looks independent and innovative is really hateful and destructive.

Once, the Pope resolved the "justification issue" he didn't have to apologize to any Protestant Churches. The events of October 31, 1999 cleared the way for public, theologically non-substantive, apologies to Jews, Moslems, and, indeed, the entire world. The more he apologizes, the more he gains.

In less than six months this Pope and put together a dazzling array of maneuvers that define him as the most loving, accepting, and tolerant Christian on the planet for the past 1000 years.

Having captured the public high ground, this Pope has prepared the ethical "journey home" for many Protestants back to the Catholic Church for generations to come. Catholic is now PC. Nothing is more respected in the post-modern era than unconditional love and nothing is more despised than intolerance masquerading as doctrine.

As 1517 is viewed as the symbolic beginning of the Reformation with the nailing of The 95 Theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg, the events of March 2000 will be viewed by future generations as the end of the Protestant Reformation.

How is it that the Lutheran World Federation didn't view the Joint Declaration as the beginning of the end of the Lutheran World Federation?

This Pope has caught his advisories in complete disarray and outflanked them. They are no match for him outside the arena of Reformation Theology. He is the past master of "Church Growth and Leadership Training" and he has the real estate to back it up.


We continue with a few comments from Luther on Church Growth.

"Let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith (Romans 12:6). The Greek expression means "in agreement with, or according to faith." That is Christians should not go beyond faith and its principles. Faith corresponds to prophecy (as it trusts in it). From here on the Apostle unfolds the commandment of love toward the neighbor. It is surprising how little people concern themselves with such important and self-evident instruction, coming from so important and self-evident instruction, coming from so important an Apostle, indeed, coming from the Holy Spirit Himself. Instead, we choose vanities, such as erection of church edifices, the enlargement of parishes, the accumulation of funds, and so forth. All this we regard as the greatest piety and are not a whit concerned about what the Apostle here commands. Nor will I mention pride, boasting, avarice, luxury, vainglory, and other things connected with these (vices)."

(Luther, "Commentary on Romans" Translated by J. Theodore Mueller, Kregal Publications, Distributed by North Western Publishing House, Page 170)


Luther wrote extensively on how the Pope is the Anti-Christ, but the following are his views on the Catholic Church itself.

"We on our part confess that there is much that is Christian and good under the papacy; indeed everything that is Christian and good is to be found there and has come to us from this source. For instance, we confess that in the papal church there are the true holy Scriptures, true baptism, the true sacrament of the altar, the true keys to the forgiveness of sins, the true office of the ministry, the true catechism in the form of the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the article of the Creed." LW 40 232

"The Christendom that now is under the papacy is truly the body of Christ and a member of it. If it is his body, then it has the true spirit, gospel, faith, baptism, sacrament, keys, the office of the ministry, prayer, Holy Scripture, and everything that pertains to Christendom." LW 40 232

"So it is of no consequence when these Anabaptists and enthusiasts say, 'Whatever is of the pope is wrong,' or, 'Whatever is in the papacy we must have and do differently,' thinking thereby to prove themselves the foremost enemy of Antichrist." LW 40 233

"So these enthusiasts. These ought to come to the aid of Christendom, which Antichrist has in his grip and tortures. They take a severe stand against the pope, but they miss their mark and murder the more terribly the Christendom under the pope. For if they would permit baptism and the sacrament of the altar to stand, as they are, Christians under the pope might yet escape with their souls and be saved, as has been the case hitherto. But now when the sacraments are taken from them, [by the enthusiasts] they will most likely be lost, since even Christ himself is thereby taken away." LW 40 233


Rev. Jack Cascione is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS - MI) in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He has written numerous articles for Christian News and is the author of Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS: How to Keep Your Congregation Lutheran. He has also written a study on the Book of Revelation called In Search of the Biblical Order.
He can be reached by email at pastorcascione@juno.com.

March 23, 2000