In 1539, late in his career, Martin Luther wrote “On the Councils and the Church.” One avenue for reformation that Luther and others had regularly called for was a church council. Over the course of time, however, Luther became disillusioned that a “free, Christian council” could be convened that would properly reform the church and the papacy. In fact, as time went on, it became apparent that any church council would probably condemn the reformers rather than the Roman church.
On a previous occasion, we ran a post sketching Martin Luther’s “marks of the church” laid out in this treatise. Today I will quote a precious passage from this work, which sets forth Luther’s conclusion that the primary way God preserves his church is not through big actions like convening councils, but through the daily faithful work of pastors and those who educate our children.
Here is yet another reminder that our God is not in the wind, fire, or earthquake, but in the quiet speaking of his word, the simple faith of his people, and good works of love toward our neighbors.
But in this empire of the church, the rule is, “The word of our God will stand for ever” (Isa. 40:8). One has to live according to it and refrain from creating new or different words of God and from establishing new and different articles of faith. That is why pastors and schoolteachers are the lowly, but daily, permanent, eternal judges who anathematize without interruption, that is, fend off the devil and his raging. A council, being a great judge, must make old, great rascals pious or kill them, but it cannot produce any others. A pastor and schoolteacher deal with small, young rascals and constantly train new people to become bishops and councils, whenever it is necessary. A council prunes the large limbs from the tree or extirpates evil trees. But a pastor and a schoolteacher plant and cultivate young trees and useful shrubs in the garden. Oh, they have a precious office and task, and they are the church’s richest jewels; they preserve the church. Therefore all the lords should do their part to preserve pastors and schools. For if indeed we cannot have councils, the parishes and schools, small though they are, are eternal and useful councils. (emphasis mine)
, by Heiko Oberman
by Tullian Tchividjian. I’ll lead this discussion. This book is not so much about suffering as it is about experiencing God’s grace in a very radical way.
by Tim Stafford. Does God perform miracles still today? A lot of people say that he does, and they have proof. But does their “proof” stand up to medical, scientific, and journalistic scrutiny? Lisa Dye will lead this discussion.
by Paul Copan. Just what do we make of a God who orders entire people groups to be exterminated? Who seems to encourage slavery? Who delights in blood sacrifices? Craig Bubeck is not afraid to look at these hard questions, even when there does not seem to be a good answer.
by Amy Frykholm. Just who was Julian? Why do her writings still stand true more than 600 years later? What can we learn from a woman who lived most of her life in a small, stone cell attached to a small church in a small English village? Damaris Zehner and Martha of Ireland look at Julian and her times.
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