Dear Editor,
The events in Germany 500 years ago in which a Roman Catholic monk triggered a reformation in the Christian church are rightly celebrated.
But, as I read the article ‘Churches in Jeopardy’ (December en) and the idea that Lectio Divina (Divine or Spiritual Reading) might lead ‘Evangelicals’ into the ‘occult-based practices of the Roman Church’, I was reminded of Luther’s less endearing qualities; his antagonistic if not inflammatory attitude to the Jews; his insistence on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I wonder if 500 years ago he would have been on the ‘watch list’ of the said article? Doctrine firmly grounded in the Bible is essential, but as independent evangelicals perhaps our spiritual practices can be a little thin along with the poverty of our liturgy. Might we not learn from established traditions in order to enjoy the blessing of meditating on the Law of the LORD day and night (Psalm 1); and to let the Word of Christ dwell in us (Colossians 3)? More, Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son has some challenging insights, not only from the biblical text of the parable but also in observing Rembrandt’s painting of the same title, that we might profitably consider for our spiritual development. Perhaps we are making progress in grace with en actually including a sermon from the pen of that Roman Catholic monk!
