Liberated from the Papacy (original) (raw)

“It is altogether necessary for salvation to submit to the pope.” With these words Pope Boniface VIII made clear the intended role of the papacy in the life of Christians everywhere. The papacy today still requires such submission when it declares in canon law that there is no appealing a papal decision and that the pope is a universal pastor of all Christians who can infallibly pronounce upon faith and morals binding the conscience of all Christians. How revolutionary then when the Lutheran Church says, “The pope is the very Antichrist” and that he rules not by divine law but only by human law. How revolutionary then when the Lutheran Church makes demands of the pope, “Let us preach the Gospel and then we will treat you as our shepherd.” In this presentation, we will look at Luther’s developing relationship with the pope and see how it parallels our own. We will look at the Antichrist in the past, present, and future, around and among us in this Reformation quincentennial.

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