Questions on the Augsburg Confession...

[MrHollow]

I'm reading through this and figured I'd just make a thread in here to ask questions, as I don't need to hear anything from people that find the Bible inaccurate.

Article XXVI: Of the Distinction of Meats.
Regarding this section. What was so pressing in that day and age regarding this, that this article is larger than all of them previously? I want to try and understand what is wrriten there in context.

 

[DaSeminarian]

I'm reading through this and figured I'd just make a thread in here to ask questions, as I don't need to hear anything from people that find the Bible inaccurate.

Article XXVI: Of the Distinction of Meats.
Regarding this section. What was so pressing in that day and age regarding this, that this article is larger than all of them previously? I want to try and understand what is wrriten there in context.

This article speaks to those who dwell in pious feasts or fasts or tell you that you should or should not eat certain foods at certain times. Instead we should hold the work of Christ to be "sublime and precious" more than observing our own works to gain righteousness.
We see this most when people seek their tradition rather than the Word and Work of God.

Depending on the monastic order they were from, monks would observe whatever traditions of piety helped them to contemplate their role in faith.

Do we not get wrapped in traditions at holidays where we often seek out the tradition for tradition's sake instead of focusing on what the holiday is about? Christmas and Easter are often two holidays where tradition can become paramount for many people.

Instead we should put our eyes on Christ and his redeeming work on the Cross.

 

[BigNorsk]

I don't know if one can put too much importance just on the size of the article sometimes it takes few words to say much and vice versa.

That said, this struck right to the heart of the disagreement, and it was in the area that was so visible. The Roman Church was out adding to the Bible, creating feasts and fasts and pilgramages and so on. And, it taught that one earned one's salvation by observing these extra-biblical things, and what is more, it was a sin not to.

They just kept heeping it deeper and deeper and people were in despair.

Note though what it was doing for Rome. As people had more sins, that meant more confessions and so the priests could push the people for more and more. The release from the terror of all these supposed sins that the Roman Church was creating was not the Gospel. It was to buy or earn your way out.

So you confessed but you were still accumulating time in purgatory, which the Roman church was telling people was hell, only not eternal hell.

So you bought indulgences. Fattening the wallets of those with the indulgence franchises as well as Rome. Or you did pilgramages in order to perform acts to earn grace. Largely, you went to Rome, where you spent more of your money paying for the privilege of being there so you could attend Mass in various places, crawl up stairs on your knees, go to various shrines and such.

More money coming in, meant Rome built more, more building made the need for more money. And around and around, burdening the people ever more for things that were not only not in the Bible, but indeed contrary to the Bible.

My brother described Rome very well. He said it was the Disneyland of it's day. With huge buildings and marvelous sites, and they just had to keep adding another "ride" so people had a reason to go back.

In short, Rome turned the kingdom of God into a business that made the money changers look pious.

Take away Rome's threats and her indulgences and she couldn't support herself. The Reformers threatened the biggest business in the world.

Marv

 

[MrHollow]

Secondly, these traditions have obscured the commandments of God, because traditions were placed far above the commandments of God. Christianity was thought to consist wholly in the observance of certain holy-days, rites, fasts, and vestures. These observances had won for themselves the exalted title of being the spiritual life and the perfect life. Meanwhile the commandments of God, according to each one's calling, were without honor namely, that the father brought up his offspring, that the mother bore children, that the prince governed the commonwealth, -- these were accounted works that were worldly and imperfect, and far below those glittering observances. And this error greatly tormented devout consciences, which grieved that they were held in an imperfect state of life, as in marriage, in the office of magistrate; or in other civil ministrations; on the other hand, they admired the monks and such like, and falsely imagined that the observances of such men were more acceptable to God.

I highlighted the relevant part. Now, yesterday we attended the Ascension day services. Is it an irregular thing in the LCMS to celebrate Holy Days? Or is this common?

 

[DaRev]

I highlighted the relevant part. Now, yesterday we attended the Ascension day services. Is it an irregular thing in the LCMS to celebrate Holy Days? Or is this common?

Depends on what you mean by "Holy Days"?

Ascension Day, like Ash Wednesday, is part of the regular liturgical calendar, which the Lutheran Church traditionally follows. If you are referring to the Feast Days of Saints, etc., usually those may be observed if they happen to fall on a Sunday. But there are some churches that will have special services on saints days or other feast days. That is based on local tradition.