Thinking of the press attacks over the UK tour of St Teresa’s relics it is now nearly 500 years since ‘relics’ and indulgences split Europe in two, Catholic and Protestant. John Teztel was commissioned by the pope to solicit funds for the building of the present day St Peters in Rome. Unwittingly, Tetzel’s enthusiasm in selling indulgences paved the way for Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation, not that Luther was aware of what would follow with his posting of his 95 Thesis. (There is still a trade to be made today in relics for sale on ebay).
It is interesting that it is not Protestants who now protest but a secular press. One can never imagine today the blood that was shed in Europe over the split, but one can see evidence of the split by viewing church architecture and the arrangement of church furniture. In the Catholic traditions and those denominations that originate in that tradition the main difference in the furniture is the altar is central where the priest ministers the sacraments. In the Protestant tradition the Pulpit with the Bible, is central and the church architecture is much simpler. Martin Luther’s emphasis was on the Bible and not the priest as the central authority of the church. The altar in his case, and in the communion table in the Protestant tradition, became subordinate to the Pulpit and the Bible and the preaching of the Gospel message. More in the next post.
This website might still have a few active links on Luther and the Reformation.
