The Morals of a Man

It is a difficult thing to stand up for what you believe in. It is even more difficult to do so when the people who you once trusted are the ones against you and against what you believe in. Martin Luther was an incredibly brave man who held to what he believed in. Luther witnessed the Catholic Church straying from his beliefs and all he had learned and come to trust in. He saw them stray from Christ. Because of this, on October 31, 1517 Luther shocked the world with his 95 Theses. He played out where the church had strayed, despite how controversial he knew this would be. Martin Luther would be excommunicated for these thesis and other writings he produced. He would be kicked out of the church he once loved. But didn't fear what would happen, he did what he needed to do because of his moral compass. 

We all have a moral compass within each of us. Some call it the conscience. Some would call it the light of Christ, others the promptings of the Spirit. Whatever it is inside of us that tells us to follow what we feel is right, we all have it. To be true to oneself despite what other men will do to you is a very honorable thing. Luther changed the world with his courage. We all will have opportunities in out lives to stand up for what we believe. We all can create a change in the world by doing this. It may not be on such a grand scale as Martin Luther, but we can create change. And change is good when guided by morals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther#Excommunication

Duality of Humility and Exaltation

     In his article about the poetic styling of the King James version of the Bible, Leland Ryken dissects the simplicity and the majesty that is pervasive in this, one of the earliest English versions of the religious text. He describes the build from simplicity to majesty in many passages, and how the sort of simplicity does not imply that God or His prophets should be reduced, but rather highlights the majesty in other passages.
     My personal experience with religion and God has been similar within religious texts as well as within religious structures, both old and current. I have seen some splendid older chapels that more resemble the type of art and culture that the Catholic churches might've looked like with their bravado and elegance, and I have also seen some very simple religious structures, depicted and in person, that cause me to pause in their simple beauty. I feel that the dichotomy of cultures in religion that began to split in this time period is a good description of what Leland Ryken is describing here. There are times when religion is mighty and elegant with dazzling color and wondrous detail, and there are times when it is simple and accessible in a beautiful way. The prime example that I have seen of this dichotomy is within Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There is simplicity in many of the rooms and a clean accessibility that pervades the building as a whole, but the artwork and the detail of some of the rooms display artwork of some of the highest caliber. This duality helps believers feel both humbled and exalted by God, resulting in an experience that both relishes in the good of humankind and disdains its shortcomings, a sort of happy medium between the humanists of the reformation and the Catholic institution that played heavily on the humility. This, I believe is a great tool in any situation, and rewards readers of the King James Bible in the same way.





Image Source 
<https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj39PnMktDdAhVJ64MKHeolDS8QjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTsPtb8pkAuY&psig=AOvVaw1LM4U1t3HRDrJKXvWqrs0W&ust=1537758400246695>

Ad Fontes IRL

Ad Fontes is a Latin phrase that means “back to the sources”. During the Renaissance period, many scholars sought primary sources in an effort to rediscover the language and thoughts of antiquity. The words of ancient texted breathed new life into society. They used these words to seek answers to newer problems. 

Recently I was witness to an example of this return to the sources. Doctor Oliver Crisp came to Brigham Young University this past Thursday and gave a talk titled “Honoring Christ Understanding Christology”. It was a fascinating topic and he was an excellent speaker. What struck me the most, however, was how well the speech embodied the spirit of the Renaissance and Reformation.

He cited ancient documents, sometimes even quoting them in their original Greek or Latin. The authors of these original texts were debating very sensitive and important issues in the Catholic church. He dug deeply into who these writers believed Christ to be, how he was both human and divine. These debates themselves were new to that era as more and more people were able to become educated because of the printing press.

I’m glad to see that ad fonts never goes out of style. It was good to feel that intellectual excitement that came from hearing from those primary sources.

Image Credit: Image of Christ, Wikipedia public domain

Be ye wary: "You are now in Protestant Teratory"

The picture above depicts graffiti scrawled in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the 1970's. During part of my mission, I spent time in Belfast and its suburbs, areas heavily affected by The Troubles (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troubles).

While there, I witnessed several instances of street preaching--echoes of the violent religious civil wars turned nonviolent only recently. The sermons often included graphic descriptions of the afterlife, warnings of God's wrath against non-believers, and intense rhetoric and passion. On one occasion, I remember a man saying into a megaphone, "Remember this! The streets of heaven are paved with gold, but the streets of hell are paved with the blood of sinners."

A Wasted Sacrifice

I found myself walking into yet another Cathedral. It's Gothic vaulted ceiling and cold-stone statues which seemed to breathe simply took my breath away. I was in Europe, and relished the opportunity to see how other cultures worship the same God, and yet are drawn to heaven in diverse ways. But there's one thing that disturbed me in almost every Cathedral I saw: their emptiness.

I marveled how in a city of 9 million people, like Paris, there are only a small handful attending mass. I asked myself, "Why are almost all of the Cathedrals empty?" I'll relate this issue to what I call the paradox of the Word: in our day, it's never been easier to obtain the word of God, and yet it's never been so altered, so misread, and so un-read. Specifically, I refer to the King James Bible. Our society has never been more educated, yet the richness of this Bible has been set aside for easier-to-read "modern" translations. How is it that we relish craftsmen of the English language secularly, yet disregard the work of skilled writers and translators Biblically? Historian David Daniell even said, "No Tyndale, No Shakespeare". While these simplified "modern" Bibles still have value, they have chopped up, pureed, and spoon fed the Word to us.

Yet was this not the greatest criticism of Protestant reformers towards the long-standing Catholic church? "Sola Scriptura"-- it was a challenge, an invocation, to explore, dig into, and discover the word for oneself. In that sense, it echoed the Renaissance cry of Ad Fontes and mingled it with Sprezzatura. Essentially: "Go back to The Book itself and become educated. Challenge dogma. Taste Grace. Work out your own salvation. Then, with an enlightened mind, let the truth set you free."

To be sure, this was the reasoning behind so much sacrifice made for the Bible. And the more I study the lives of the reformers and high costs they paid for us-- the future generations-- to come to God, the more motivated I am to live, honor, even cherish my faith. My heart is moved to remember their costs. Their sacrifice was willingly offered in a similitude of the ultimate sacrifice: God's Only Begotten Son.

So, once again I ask this question, but this time to all of you: why are almost all of the Cathedrals empty? And will you let your houses of worship go empty?

Christian Rhetoric and Authority: A Boxing Match

The difficult part of modern society is finding the right authority to follow. Every study that comes up is debated back and forth by a myriad of people who all claim to be and know better than the other. And we don’t have many ways of saying one way or another who is right.

Reading the letters of Martin Luther and looking into other writings of Christian leaders and thinkers, their appeal to authority is much more simple and direct. They borrow it. They juxtapose their weakness with the greatness and perfection of God and point towards Him as the source of truth in the message they’re sharing. This isn’t a bad thing. Although some people go to a particular preacher because of how they speak, they’re still looking to be taught a message from the wisdom of God and not the wisdom of the preacher. It’s a vital part of Christian rhetoric to present humility even when you feel an assurance that you are carrying a message from a perfect authority.

But, the interesting part that I noticed was that another common practice of Christian rhetoric is, when disagreements come up, to directly attack the authority of the speaker. You have a man who stands up in a conference of priests and talks about how unworthy he feels before God, but that he has a message to share, only to have him called a fool and booed off the stage. Both attacker and defender will claim to be supported by perfect authority despite their weaknesses, while crying that the personal weakness of the other makes them unworthy to be supported.

If that’s how arguments went, it isn’t hard to see why priests began to gather power and secular authority. It didn’t matter how accomplished they were, but it also very much did.

"Up Close and Personal" under the watch of the benevolent referee.

Image credit to Jay Peeples from flickr.

The Role of Art for Today's Youth

John Donne (pictured to the left) was a poet alive during the time of the British Renaissance. In his earlier years, his poetry was primarily about love and he enjoyed a lavish lifestyle. However, after growing older and getting married, the topics of his poetry changed and he began to write to about religious things, such as his personal relationship with God.

For Donne, his poetry helped him to work through and understand his feelings. Poetry was not just a means of making an income or persuading people towards one school of thought or another, it was his outlet, his means of understanding the world around him. Art, in its many forms, is capable of having this kind of effect on all who call themselves an artist.

However, art does not hold the same respect that it had in the Renaissance in today's world. Many schools around the country have greatly reduced or even completely pulled funding from their arts programs, meaning some students aren't learning how to express themselves through a creative medium. Artistic expression may be what makes the difference between a student growing up to be a criminal or a productive member of society.

If we could simply have the same appreciation for art that our ancestors had, we could help so many students in America have the resources that they need to learn and grow. If we can look to the example of John Donne, then we can see the kind of change that can occur in the life of an artist who is allowed to exercise their talents.

Image Credit: John, http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/ Public Domain

On (Un)civil Dominion: John Wycliffe as an Inspiration

John Wycliffe and his "Lollards"

This can be considered a follow-up to my previous post, scrutinizing the theme of Ad Fontes.

Twenty-Eight Years had passed since the ending of the Black Plague that killed off most of Europe. And in those twenty-eight years John Wycliffe had begun to develop the opinions about the church that would later get him declared a heretic posthumously. The year 1377 would be the first time he would be officially condemned by the Catholic Church, in part due to his book "De civili dominio" ("On Civil Dominion"), which included a set of admonishments stating that the Clergy should hold no property and only use what they needed to survive, essentially becoming more ascetics rather than luxurists. Two years later he would be striking even harder with his work "De ecclesia" ("On the Church") wherein he states that the very concept of Purgatory never existed, and that the issues of clerical celibacy, indulgences and worshiping saints acted as resistance to truly becoming righteous people. The act that he would become most famous for after his death was his English translation of the New Testament, which would serve as the spark required to create outright revolt among the peasant populace.

Perhaps it's a bit farfetched to say, but oddly enough John Wycliffe reminds me of an elderly Joseph Smith. With his efforts in translation, his more ascetic and puritan views on Christianity and the Priesthood and his condemnation by religious and secular entities far greater than him, he seems to share many of the qualities and difficulties Brother Smith encountered in his own life. I cannot help but wonder if the Lord helped John become so popular with the lower classes as to serve as a memetic inspiration for the Prophet's own work. That is to say, that part of the reason people were drawn to the church was because of how similar Joseph's views and teachings were to the rebellious Christians of old. There's a reason, I guess, that John Wycliffe's work is brought up in the Bible Dictionary.

Image Credit - "Wyclif Giving 'The Poor Priests' His Translation of the Bible" obtained via Wikimedia Commons

The Voice of God

Early prophet Isaiah writes his revelations

http://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/gospel-art/old-testament/prophet-isaiah-foretells-christs-birth-39469-wallpaper.jpg

Writers leave behind a definable trail. We can recognize Hemingway, for instance, by his short and honest sentences, or Dickens by his satirically intricate descriptions. No one can seem to completely escape it....except, of course, God. 

Over the course of thousands of years, in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Latter-Day scriptures such as the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, God has a bafflingly broad way of expressing Himself. Archaic language as used (and deliberately chosen) in the King James Bible is reminiscent in all of them, but word structure and sentence length varies depending on the epoch, audience, and prophet. 

Skeptics may call foul, but it seems fitting that God has a complete, omniscient power over language- that He speaks in the manner most fitting to an individual, and afterward that individual can spread that message to others. When the occasion is scripture, it makes sense that He chooses regal and memorable language. But it’s important to recognize that by having infinite choices of expressing Himself, what He chooses is a conscious decision.

I’ve found that for me, God can communicate through poignant thoughts in my mind that accompany a sense of His presence. God uses quiet and straightforward language, rarely excessive. His words are specific to my experience, and seem to take into account my hopes, fears, and even my sense of humor. It’s given me an appreciation of the way God has revealed His will to different prophets over the centuries, and gives me an insight on His relationship with them.

I’m sure that during the period of the Reformation, He offered a guiding hand in the translation process of the Bible to ensure the original message he intended was retained.

Martin Luther: Old Faithful

I've grown up hearing a lot about Martin Luther, in school, church and general conference. I've seen reenactments with bad acting, reenactments with good acting and everything in between. This last week was the very first time I've ever read any of Luther's own words. I was surprised by his tone. I think one reason why I love Martin Luther so much is his devotion to his faith, throughout his thesis and his different writings you can feel his passion.

He is committed to what he knows and believes. I loved hearing the turmoil in his writing and the devotion to what the scriptures say. I can imagine what a confusing and scary process that all must've been for him, I'm sure he bounced back and forth between questioning his faith and questioning the church. I love how he isn't thrashing the church completely though.

Martin Luther

He is unapologetic and direct, but he isn't hateful. It's interesting to see now with so many people today who question and leave the church, how a pretty large portion turn hateful. I think people have their own reasons and it's always personal, but I really respect how Luther didn't turn poisonous.


image credit: https://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-9389283

Words Matter

Starting in the Renaissance and continuing through the Reformation, language played a key role in the development of literature and philosophy. They realized that their version of Latin isn't the one they thought was pure. As language changed, they realized that words change meaning and usage.

Lorenzo Valla was an important philologist of the time who spent his scholarly years study the language of the people. His most notable work is proving that the forged will of Constantine was in fact a fake. He also did research on how to write about things in classical Latin that didn't exist when the "pure" Latin was being used.

As we can see, language is so important in understanding history. As a former English Language major, I spent time in Great Britain and Ireland studying the varieties of English. I learned that language differs from place to place and from year to year (even month to month). Even if the word is familiar, it might mean something different. Most people know that in England when they say "chips" they are referring to what Americans call "fries;" when they say "trolley" they mean "cart" in our speech.

With all this variation, how can we decide what historical texts mean? In school, it might be easy to assume that the professor will tell us exactly what each text means. However, in our personal study of any historical text (such as the Bible), it is important then to go deeper. While reading history for the surface-level meaning can be difficult by itself, its always worth the effort to go deeper. Recently I've been able to do more of this with the Bible (updates to come), and I've been able to see the difference that reading in the correct context, looking for the original meaning truly makes a great difference in the meaning that I get out of it.

Is the KJV for Everyone?

Would it be better for someone to read a simplified version of the Bible and understand it, or to read the King James Version in all its glory and be lost? People have gleaned a lot of spiritual knowledge from the KJV. It is known as the version that is closest in meaning to the original scriptures, so it is probably best for scholars and those who want to closely analyze it. The typical person, though,—even the typical Christian—does not read the Bible often enough to always look at it that closely.

47 scholars worked for years to translate the King James Version of the Bible.

I have never read a version of the Bible other than the KJV. However, in reading the KJV, I’ve realized that I’m often so focused on getting through all the complicated language and sentence structure that I don’t even realize what I’m reading about. I rarely recognize the intricate beauty and rhythm of the passages, because I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.

Unlike past versions of the Bible, the King James Version includes the English forms of names rather than the Hebrew forms in effort to keep the scriptures popular. Additionally, Jewish commentaries helped to translate the Hebrew literally, rather than into English forms of speaking, and made an effort to keep the same flow the original Hebrew had. This is probably part of what makes the writing in the KJV sound so profound—but also what makes it somewhat difficult to understand.

We start children reading simple books; why not start people new to Christianity on a simplified bible? Leland Ryken points out that the prose in modern interpretations of the bible is flat and lacks the impact that verses in the KJV have. Perhaps we could come up with a modern edition that keeps every meaning the same but simplifies the syntax so any English speaker could understand it, while maintaining the same emphases and rhythm of the KJV. There is certainly modern prose that is beautiful and impactful and easy to understand. Look at the works of Brian Doyle, for example. I wouldn’t mind reading a Bible written by him.

Image obtained from Wikimedia Commons.

Be Thou an example of the Believers

The best way to convert someone to a belief is to live the very thing you are preaching. In his sermon made to the convocation at Paul's, rather than attacking the followers of Wycliffe, Colet chastises his fellow clergy in an attempt to help the church and them experience a reformation.

By Bartolomeo Montagna -St. Paul

Colet makes a plea to authority, he calls to the memory of the clergy the memory of Paul, in who's cathedral they stood. Paul was a symbol of one who not only stood for reformation, but had experienced it himself. I have often felt the weight of Paul's words, "Be ye not conformed to the world". There is no good in believing something if it does not change who you are. Martin Luther was disgusted by what he saw in Rome. The very abominations that he preached about were being committed by the priests themselves.

As a missionary in Korea, this was the biggest obstacle to overcome. There were restaurants designed so that Buddhist Priests could eat meat and drink in the back room. There were preachers driving Lamborghinis, and the tallest buildings in many of the neighborhoods were the massive churches, surrounded by slum conditions. The people hated religion because of what they saw as hypocrisy.

Colet was right that if the church was to be saved, the priest needed a reformation. As a member of the church of Jesus Christ I hope that I can live up to that standard and be an example of the believers.



St. Paul(~1500) - Bartolomeo Montagna -wikicommons ( Public Domain)

Donne's Influence in Present Day Pacific

John Donne's transformation in his writing from Catholic to Protestant was characteristic of the changes that were taking place in Europe at the time.

Many questioned the Catholic Church. After going back to the original text in an Ad Fontes fashion, interpretations of the gospel that were contradictive to the Catholic teachings of the time. The idea of the human as an individual was one of the key contradictions that made so many question Catholicism. Individuality empowered Europeans to take responsibility for their souls. Their spiritual well being was no longer dictated by the amount of tithing that was paid but through careful reflection.

Donne's Holy Sonnet 14 is a perfect example of the type of self-reflection that took place:

"Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new... Take me to you, imprison me, for I. Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me." 

I served a church mission in the Central Pacific where everyone was affiliated with a religious group. The most common of the groups were Catholics and Protestants. In my discussions with people from both groups, I found that the people of the Central Pacific were influenced by these religions in the same way Europeans were in the Renaissance. The Catholics were fulfilled by their spiritual rituals, and the Protestants focused on their spirituality as individuals.

The fact that people on the opposite sidesof the world are still affected by the principles discussed by Donne, proves the magnitude of this enlightenment.

 

 

 

The Satire of Donne

I have read much of John Donne in my academic career as an English major and I adore sonnet 14 that we read for class about the “three personed God.” I think it is a beautiful representation of the relationship between a devout God-fearing man and God. Much of Donne’s sonnets after this conversion to the Church of England are focused on his religious devotion. However, Donne struggled quite extensively during his life with the choosing between Catholicism and the Church of England and his works weren't always so straightforward. His works were drastically different while he was wrestling with the decision between these two systems of belief but they are just as profound as his sacred sonnets despite the obvious tone changes.

One of my personal favorite works from Donne is titled “Satire 3: On Religion” from his collection of satires. It is a satirical approach to documenting Donne’s interpersonal conflict in choosing between the two dominating churches of that period. In this poetic essay of sorts, Donne compares religion to “ a fair mistress” who is “worthy of all our soul’s devotion.” With this concept, Donne asks many other questions in this satire to demonstrate the importance of seeking for religious truth; he states that seeking for religious truth is better than not for seeking any truth at all:

"in strange way

To stand inquiring right is not to stray;

To sleepe, or runne wrong, is."

Using this form of satire to express religious devotion is fascinating to me because writing in this period was when it focused on religious topics were often straightforward and not incredibly satirical but this is why Donne’s writings stood out as he used an essentially sarcastic tone to express his personal conflicts (something I relate to greatly).

Image Credit: "John Donne" (public domain image via Wikimedia Commons)

Reformation and the beginnings of a secular west

John Donne's idea that "no man is an island" can be thought of in another sense, events do not happen in isolation. Sir Isaac Newton said for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The reformation was a response to the unchecked corruption that had been occurring for centuries, and the counter-reformation was the Catholic's response. But there are other reactions that occurred during this time that were just as important. One of these was the economic changes that occurred in Europe. 

Castles and other buildings were
made in greater quantities due
to by governments

An interesting change in power occurred when the Catholic church began to lose power in Europe. Until the reformation, the Catholic Church had held a monopoly on religion and had used that power politically, but as that hold began to weaken, a vacuum was created. The protestants tried, in part, to gain hold of this power, but contending with the Catholic Church took up most of their time, allowing monarchs like the German Princes to seize a great deal of the resources left in the wake of the religious fighting, such as land and revenue from monastic guilds. This was reflected in new constructions during that time, away from the religious and towards the interests of the secular lords (see Cantoni). Although the reformation was a religious movement, it had ramifications that changed the rest of Europe by breaking the political, economic, and religious hold the Catholic Church had, indirectly making way for future secularization.  

Although all of this does impact to a certain degree today, we also face different sorts of reformations. The people's voices are being heard, and groups have been formed to champion new issues that have come up, as evidenced by the #me too movement, black lives matter, and the LGBT community to name a few. Regardless of how one's personal stance on these issues, the decisions made to today will have consequences that will shape our country in both obvious and obscure ways.  A more recent example of this are some of the consequences of the civil right movement. If you are interested in finding out more about this go here. 

The Disappearing Venetian Treasures

During the 16th century, Venice became the printing capital of the world. Mass printing became a powerful tool of mass communication at the time. The demand for printing became so large that many aspiring entrepreneurs and humanists chose to center their work here. Venice offered many powerful advantages including:

• Easy access to the Adriatic sea
• Economic wealth
• A center of trade and industry

This is a photo of Venetian waterways that I took myself

With these advantages, many aspiring artists, merchants, patrons, and other influential people were drawn to Venice. It quickly became a place of beauty and wonder. Few cities could match the novelty of a metropolitan built on the water.

Unfortunately, the city is not what it once was. While still maintaining much of the novelty and aesthetics that it once held, it now lacks a reliable economy and infrastructure to manage the upkeep. The city is quickly going bankrupt as the economy has shifted to a tourism-based income. The city is more interested in marketing it's unique qualities than protecting the city. This is evident in the contaminated water, pollution levels, and overpopulation. Large cruise ships have also begun to dock in the city, further raising water levels and damaging the unique environment. 

Europe is largely a progressive society. Some areas do a better job than others at taking care of their cities. I feel that Venice is lacking largely in this department despite it being a city that needs more upkeep than others. The past is literally sinking into the sea, and before long the damage will be irreversible. The city no longer has the industrious society that it needs to protect the cities unique history.

Pageantry vs. Simplicity

In The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, Martin Luther discusses Catholic mass. He accuses the church of taking something that was originally simple and adding devotions to men by way of vestments, ornaments, chants, prayers, organs, and candles. He calls it the pageantry of outward things; a pageantry that helps turn our eyes away from the word of Christ.

Luther makes a good point when he says that “the more closely our mass resembles that first mass of all, which Christ performed at the Last Supper, the more Christian it will be.” By this, he means to dispense with all the worldly pageantry that takes away from the focus on Christ as our redeemer.

Luther wasn’t looking to convince people to revile the church for the embellishments, rather he simply did not want them to be deceived by the glamour of the ceremonies; thereby losing the simplicity of the mass itself.

As I read Luther’s feelings about the pageantry of the Catholic church, I pictured myself sitting in a Catholic church for my first and only time. I was in my late teens, and had had no exposure to religion, nor had I ever stepped foot in any church before. I will never forget how uncomfortable I felt because of the display of pageantry. At that moment, I confirmed with myself that I was being smart by not being a religious person.

Fast forward about four years. I finally agree to attend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormon Church. The first thing I noticed as I entered the chapel, and for that matter, the building itself, was the lack of pageantry. There were no stained-glass windows, statues of Christ, crosses, nor men dressed in robes. I knew, right then and there, that this was the kind of church I could be a part of.

I dare say that Martin Luther paved the way for the simplicity and lack of pageantry in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I, for one, am so much more comfortable focusing only on Christ and not on outward displays of religion. 

The Text Itself

One of my stranger hobbies is literary criticism. I really enjoy tearing into texts layer by layer, imagining narratives from different angles, the works. During my forays into criticism, I've become acquainted with several different critical theories or 'lenses'. A lens is, to put it simply, a way of thinking about a text. There's a historical lens, an African-American lens, and, a personal favorite, the psychoanalytic lens. Each one represents a distinct school of thought that places emphasis on specific aspects of textual analysis. Everyone has a favorite, and to a certain extent, that favorite can become a crutch.

The reason I bring this up is because our buddy Martin Luther was a hardcore literary critic. His poison, unlike my penchant for science fiction, was the New Testament. Just like every other literary critic out there, Luther had a favorite lens: structuralism. The battle cry of structuralism is "The Text Itself". In other words, Luther, with his fellow structuralists, believed that all that was necessary to understand the true meaning of any narrative were the words that were on the page. Luther appeared to have become obsessed with the notion.

Definition of Structuralism

You can see this in his sermon Babylonian Captivity of the Church, where he picks apart Christ's words at the Last Supper in two different languages (German and Latin) to get to their meaning. At one point, in discussing a concept he doesn't quite understand himself, he says that "in clinging simply to his (Christ's) words," he has to accept it.

Structuralism, in my limited experience, is useful- but only to a point. Clinging to "the text itself" can yield amazing insights, but it excludes entirely authorial intent, historical context and any other non-textual influences that might have bearing on any narrative. In Luther's case, I think he got a bit tangled up in "the text itself". Even in just the sermon cited above, he seems to run into problems that appeals to syntax can't solve. The truth is, nothing is written in a vacuum. Especially with regards to an ancient text, the words on the page can only take you so far in understanding their meaning.

Luther clearly understood that there was more to be uncovered in the Bible he loved so dearly, he just suffered from the lack of hundreds of years of development of critical theories. If only he could see us now...

Structuralism Credit
Photo Credit

The Printing Press: Downfall of the Catholic Church

"Passing on the Flame of the Reformation" credit: slideplayer.com

By the 1500s, the Catholic church was long overdue for a reform.  Many had already sought for change with little success.  A few had even given their lives.  The two most notable of these early reformers were John Wycliffe and Jan Hus (also known as John Huss).

First, John Wycliffe made several discoveries while he was studying the Bible.  He actively opposed the Catholic church on many different doctrines, including the doctrine of transubstantiation (the bread and wine turning into the literal body and blood of Christ), the doctrine of indulgences (paying money to have your sins forgiven), and also the doctrine of confessionals (the practice of going and confessing your sins to priests in order to be forgiven).  Unfortunately, at the time, Wycliffe's protests largely fell upon deaf ears.