"HERE I STAND, I CAN DO NO OTHER!" - Martin Luther
I watched the movie "Luther" today with several other ministers. I could not help but wonder what it would be like to see one movie made by the Catholics and the other to be made by the Lutherans and then compare and contrast the two accounts? This movie was made by the Lutherans showing their perspective on the one who ignited the Protestant Reformation.
Luther is viewed in this film as meloncholy, manic-depressive at times, and full of wit and boldness. Luther is somewhat of an enigma to me. His courage to stand up for truth is daring but his quick temper and sharp tongue showed little mercy towards those he disagreed with. What the movie does is want you to cheer for the rightness and reforms that Luther was pressing the Roman Catholic Church to respond to. One is tempted to simply hurray the courage to break away and start another church but I for one am saddened when catholicity is thought so little of today and division is seen as normal and sometimes preferable to unity.
Jesus last prayer was for unity and I believe many of the early apostles to other church leaders throughout history have literally died for unity. Are we as quick to fight for unity as we are for truth? Are we as quick to surrender ourselves to others as we are to defend ourselves and condemn others? Which way is really the way of Christ?
Luther is viewed in this film as meloncholy, manic-depressive at times, and full of wit and boldness. Luther is somewhat of an enigma to me. His courage to stand up for truth is daring but his quick temper and sharp tongue showed little mercy towards those he disagreed with. What the movie does is want you to cheer for the rightness and reforms that Luther was pressing the Roman Catholic Church to respond to. One is tempted to simply hurray the courage to break away and start another church but I for one am saddened when catholicity is thought so little of today and division is seen as normal and sometimes preferable to unity.
Jesus last prayer was for unity and I believe many of the early apostles to other church leaders throughout history have literally died for unity. Are we as quick to fight for unity as we are for truth? Are we as quick to surrender ourselves to others as we are to defend ourselves and condemn others? Which way is really the way of Christ?
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