Sign of the Cross and Dr. Martin Luther
Futher evidence that a "non-biblical" devotional practice can still be used by Protestant and Catholic alike comes from the father of the reformation, Dr. Luther himself:
"Such external things as confession, bowing our knees, making the sign of the cross mark no distinction between Protestants and Roman Catholics
Luther himself went often to confession, he bended his knees both at home and in the church, and in his little catechism he suggests that a Christian should make the sign of the cross both morning and evening."
"Just because something is done in the Roman Catholic Church doesn't mean it should be cast aside by evangelicals"
From Confessing Evangelicals Blog
posted by Russ Rentler, M.D. | 10:00 AM
11 Comments:
Old, old practice. Tertullian talks about the sign as accompanying everything. I begin the practice myself a few years back.
Paraclete has a new book coming out very soon on the sign by Andreopoulos.
I often say that the sign is no more Catholic than the sermon is Protestant.
I just now see you have the Tertullian quote in your previous post. I love that. I first read that in in the arch-evangelical John Stott.
Thanks Dr. Scot!
I read some of John Stott's material in college during my Intervarsity days. I must have missed that that though! Thanks again for posting. Take care.
Interesting...
I'm facinated with folks who believe a book (esp one as evil as the bible) was written by a god and not some group of oppressed tribesmen running around the middle east.
http://www.truthdig.com/dig/item/200512_an_atheist_manifesto/
When you realize why your reject everyone else's gods and prophets, you'll realize why you no longer need yours.
Good luck!
Dear Reign of Reason:
Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. The world is big enough for both atheists and believers to have their space and their say. I hope that at some point, sometime in some way we can find common ground in the beauty of humanity and this world we live in.
God bless and thanks for the post.
Tiber Jumper
I enjoyed reading your blog.
You have a good point that the sign of the cross probably was more practiced back in the day than now, Catholic and non Catholic alike. However, I hardly see the acceptance of a small practice overriding superior matters of Luther's ministry(Sola fide, sola scriptura, etc.), much like I think you are inferring. Fare thee well and I hope you keep up this blog.
Hey REM:
Thanks for the kind comments. I hope I didn't infer that, as you suggested, the "signum crucis" practiced by Luther would overide his other area of ministry. I just hope to bridge the gap a bit and create some common ground by mentioning a beautiful devotional practice that even one of the reformers still believed useful and valid. I guess after so many years of my maligning the Catholic church, I feel obligated and "led" to provide some common sense explanations of frequently mis-undertood basic Catholic practices and doctrine. Wait 'till I blog about incense! God bless and thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for the write back. On my blog, I have listed some quotes by Luther on images. He is neither pro Catholic nor in support of Calvin's method of opposition either. I gather Luther was a mixed bag on some specific issues I thought he'd side one way or another on. Lastly, I'd like to recommend a book called Roman Catholicism by John Armstrong. As someone who has had to be neck deep in the differences between Catholics and Protestants, I think you might like it. It does delve into how the Church formed, why there had to be a structure in the 1st place, why a reformation was needed, and what are some fundamental differences between Catholic and Protestants, etc. It is not a simple read (somewhat technical), but I am enjoying it.
Thanks REM!
I have just finished a small book by Karl Adams called The Roots of the Reformation. Clearly it is from a Catholic's perspective but gives a brutally honest historic look at what was going on in the church at the time as well as Martin Luther's philosophical roots which may have been in his thought processes leading him to his "Tower Discovery". We can't change history but certainly can now hopefully come to an understanding of the differences and commonality between Catholics and Protestants.
Thanks
Take care, God bless
PS where is the post on your blog regarding the above? I couldnt find it.
Here you are:
http://ryanemoran.blogspot.com/2006/08/action-quotes-vi-once-again-i-stack.html
Looking for the quote by Martin Luther - and I have seen this with my own eyes:
When asked why he had kept the Sign of the Cross - he said, he made the Sign of the Cross every day three times and said, he did not make it for GOD, because GOD knew to Whom he belonged and Why he belonged to HIM, nor did he make it for himself because he knew to Whom he belonged and Why he belonged to HIM, but he made it for the devil so he would know to Whom he belonged and Why he belonged to HIM."
Those were the words almost exactly - love to share that with my old protestant friends to alert them and to remind my Catholic friends
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