What was a ruler and leader to do? Religious tolerance in the subjects were
lacking. Turmoil of distinctiveness asserted itself into the affairs of the
city. That Sunday, a pastor from one denomination and a deacon from another
denomination had quarreled violently in front of the whole city, during the
celebration of the Lord's Supper. The Apostle Paul was not available to put an
end to the disagreement. But I'm sure both enthusiasts believed that Paul was
on their side. You see this didn't happen in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, or any
church founded by direct descendants of Paul.
The year was 1560 and the city was Heidelberg, in the Palatinate, the most
influential German province of that era. The ruler, the pious Elector Frederick
the III. The dispute was between a Lutheran pastor and a Reformed deacon.
Frederick's first order was to banish the two from the land and then he sought
to find a workable solution. The prince commissioned twenty eight year old
Zacarius Ursinus (1534-1583) ,professor of theology at Heidelberg University
and Caspar Olevianus (1536-1587), twenty six years old and Frederick's court
preacher to develop a method to help maintain civil rule within the province..
Ursinus was a native of Breslau which is now in Poland and had begun his
theological education with Phillip Melanchthon (1497-1560), one of Luther's
(1483-1546) prime supporters in Wittenburg, but Zacarius had also personally
studied with Calvin (1509-1564). Olevianus was of French Reformed persuasion
and studied with Calvin and Beza (1519-1605) but had also read Melanchthon's
books with appreciation. The two worked well together and with the help of the
entire faculty of the University set out to write a catechism that would
combine the best of Reformed and Lutheran wisdom.
Catechisms are basically an attempt to put down, usually in a simple
question and answer format the basic principles of the Christian faith. The
Heidelberg Catechism was first published January 19,1563, and along with
Luther's Small Catechism (1529) are essentially devoid of polemics, or attacks
on principles and opinions of others. Upon its publication the Heidelberg
Catechism was widely praised and adopted by the various Reformed, or
Calvinistic denominations. While having some success in Lutheran circles
especially during the rest of Frederick's life, the distinctive division
between the two denominations regarding the use of the catechism took place in
1576 when Frederick III's son, Louis, a staunch Lutheran became prince. Louis
immediately removed Ursinus and Olevianus from their posts and stopped the use
of the Heidelberg Catechism in the city of Heidelberg.
Our human religious distinctiveness has not changed much in the last four
hundred and forty years. In fact, while the Reformation brought about a
resurgence in the development of the arts, literature and other fields of human
development, that development has slowed, stopped and actually regressed in our
present age. That being said, we are left with a body of church believers that
are not much different than those of the sixteenth century. While evangelical
Christians today have a number of Bibles, they never really read or study them,
so we are not all that different than the peasants of Heidelberg. Just as it
was in Heidelberg in 1560, there is today a dire need for catechesis in the
church.
Today ,even within the formal structure of denominations,as well as their
nondenominational brethren, Pastor John, Fred, or Larry teaches his flock on
his particular beliefs, sometimes at the expense of the denominations
confessional roots, or sometimes in ignorance that there is any need to teach
any understanding of the Christian faith other than, "having Jesus in your
heart," or "what would Jesus do?" Polemics play just as big a
role today within Evangelicalism as they did during the Reformation, except
today most evangelical Christians, do not know that the word exists, fewer
still could give an appropriate definition.. But unlike other religions,
Christianity has developed, both good and bad from a polemic point of view,
solid logical doctrines, many times much more sophisticated than we peasants of
the 21st century can understand. We also have other doctrines that we do
understand, that are outside of the orthodoxy of the historic Christian faith.
Rather than reinvent the catechism, why not just use something good that got us
here, perhaps if Jesus tarries, we might develop a sense of Christian and
religious history, not just the here and now, isolated in our own self
righteous loneliness.
The use of the Heidelberg Catechism quickly spread beyond Germany. By 1586
in the Dutch Protestant church it was required that preaching take place in a
week by week method according to the themes and Scripture references of the
catechism. While I think this is going a bit far, lacking any other systematic
method of instructing the flock, it has merit over what book Pastor just
finished, or what problems he may be having with his daughter. This preaching
method over time would however, elevate the catechism to the (unspoken) level
of Scripture, or at least an icon or an idol, making way for some well
justified polemic criticism. Our focus must be maintained on the totality of
the work of Jesus Christ and not our well intentioned methods.
Could however strange, unusual, or bizarre, as part of the Sunday worship
service, the people be instructed for a few minutes in the basics of the
Christian faith, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten commandments, and the Sacraments of
Baptism and Holy Communion. While the Heidelberg Catechism is by design short
on polemics, we modern, sensitive, American Evangelicals, can find instances
within the document, were our sensitivities will be aroused and we could call,
as a pastor's wife once said, a pouting party, and discard the whole thing. I
would suggest however, that it be used as given, and use your particular
distinctive teaching in contrast, to these now long dead, but harmonious
hallowed saints.
Thanks to the Dutch Reformed organization and counting from the first Sunday
of the year I have deduced that next Sunday, November 12th is Lord's Day 46 for
the year 2000. This week we would be in the second week of looking at the
Lord's Prayer.
Lord's Day 46
120. Q. Why has Christ commanded us to
address God as Our Father?
A. To awaken in us at the very beginning of our prayer that childlike
reverence and trust toward God which should be basic to our prayer: God has
become our Father through Christ and will much less deny us what we ask of Him
in faith than our fathers would refuse us earthly things. (1)
1. Matt. 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13.
121. Q. Why is there added, Who art in
heaven?
A. These words teach us not to think of God's heavenly majesty in an earthly
manner,(1) and to expect from His almighty power all things we need for body
and soul. (2)
1 Jer.. 23:23, 24; Acts 17:24, 25. 2 Matt.
6:25-34; Rom. 8:31, 32.
Well last week just didn't go like planned, as a
matter of fact none of the work I mentioned being able to complete was
accomplished, in fact even though I tried somewhat strenuously at times, it was
in total a very frustrating week. In regards to one of the comments I got
concerning last weeks message, I remembered some things that might work in
putting together the whole movement thing. The key to the whole picture
perhaps. Since I didn't get the work I was going to do last week done, perhaps
maybe this week, but as of this writing, the events and the resources to
complete this project are still beyond my ability to bring into reality. Please
continue to intercede for the resources and the timing to proceed .
By the publication date of this message,we citizens of the United States
will have elected a new President, Congress, state, and local officials.
Intercede for wisdom, especially for our new President that he may truly
understand the everlasting opportunities, that God has given him in this time.
Next week I will share my ideas to that end, especially concerning the signs of
the times.