Certificate in Pastoral Theology Church History

Lecture 27 The Counter Reformation Lecture 28 The Puritans

The Enemy Does not Wait!

Acts 8:1-4.

What was to be done with Protestants who would not repent and return to Rome? Differing voices were raised, but violence and aggressive preaching was to be the approach heresy was to be dealt with by fire and sword! On both sides evil and good existed side by side. The great divide was north-south, with the protestants not sending out the Bible teachers to capture the hearts and minds of the countryside which reverted to Rome within years of the Reformation.

Mysticism and Aggression

St Thomas A-Kempis, St John of the Cross, St

Teresa of Avila, Sir Thomas More, Ignatius Loyola, Cardinal Pole, Pope Paul III, Council of Trent. The fight back by Rome had great and good people, as well as fanatical legalistic monks like the Jesuits under Ignatius. He saw martin Luther as a weak failed monk, and the Jesuit rule was designed to be tougher than ever before to produce real commandoes for the papacy. These men were ruthless and tough, and great educators, and ready martyrs.

1540 Pope Paul III Approved the Jesuits and the battle begins
By 1556 they had 1000 men serving in many

countries form Japan to England, often under cover as agents of change. The Council of Trent, 1545 1563 rejected everything that the Reformers wanted. Church tradition was established as equal to scripture, seven sacraments were kept, and debate was organized, with the fire and sword to deal with persistent opponents. In 1618 the 30 years war broke out in Europe between the mainly protestant north and the mainly catholic south. Read the Traditions list from p 103 of the notes.

Protestant Strength
Legalism was the alternative to Spirit

filled living. They developed a powerful system of theology that made them feel spiritual and superior, and made them ready to fight for their lives against the Jesuits, and sadly, they had to! They saw themselves as the new Israel fighting the pagans (Rome). Deut 7:1-8, 1 Pet 2:8-9.

The Four phases in England

Elizabeth I

The Puritans provided the theological backbone for the new Anglican Church. James I The New KJV Bible is printed and yet also all independent believers are persecuted. 1620 Mayflower sails for the Americas. 25,000 flee to America. Charles I The Civil War breaks out with his Anglo-Catholic views, strongly opposed by the Congregationalists, of whom Oliver Cromwell is the powerful emerging leader. The New Model Army Cromwell forms is dominantly Baptist and Congregational, and they win! William of Orange His victory after the return of the Stewarts opens the door to real religious freedom. Finally the Act of Toleration in 1689 allows all to worship freely for the first time in English history.

Legalism
1.

All of us have areas of strength and areas of weakness (easy to sin there). Legalism appeals to our area of strength. 2. All have sinned, Rom 3:23, grace alone saves and delivers, not self righteousness and human viewpoint. 3. Legalism can send the wrong message about sin and about forgiveness. 4. God wants us to walk in the Spirit, not walk according to the flesh. His power alone will assist us, not any schemes that man has worked out. Eph 4:30, 5:15-18, Jn 1:5-10.

The Bible Inerrancy

1.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The Scripture alone is the standard for Truth, Dan 10:21, Jn 10:35. God is the source of the scriptures; 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20-21, 1 Jn 1:5, Jas 1:17 Scripture has final authority; Rom 4:3, 11:2, Gal 4:30. They are authoritative; Matt 26:31, Mk 14:27, Lk 4:8, Acts 23:5, Rom 11:8 If you dont know them you will be in error, Mk 12:24. Jesus believed the scriptures; there was one Isaiah, Lk 4:16-21, Jn 12:38-41, Jonah was real, Matt 12:39, Daniel was a prophet, Matt 24:15, Adam and Eve are real, Matt 19:8.