"Luther took the varnish off the Catholic Church"

Alice Cooper with Miss Piggy

A fascinating comment by Rev Rob Appold, my pastor at St Matthew Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Grand Rapids: "Luther took the varnish off the Catholic Church."

It may be familiar to some, but was new to me.

Pastor said this after reviewing my closing remarks on prayer that I shared a couple Sundays ago. (Read it here >)

What's most interesting to me? The flipside - There is an unvarnished core that Lutherans and Catholics (and all Christians) share, and if you do a little Googling on the topic, there are lots of conversations about it, some hopeful, some frightened, some mean and short-sighted.

There happens to be some interesting news recently on Lutherans and Catholics, but similar conversations go on all the time regarding other denominations.

Vatican open to a Lutheran Ordinariate >

After Five Centuries of Division, Catholics and Lutherans Consider Their Common Heritage >

The Lutherans Are Coming! >

Lutheran Leader Seeks Communion Agreement With Pope >

Birds of a Feather Flock Together (Lutherans and Catholics Moving to Unite in Apostasy) > (A decidedly unflattering view, but not an uncommon one.)

There's a lot more, but it gets into the weeds (which have a way of consuming time that would be better spent admiring the flowers).

Will any Protestant denomination in my lifetime ever return to communion with Rome?  The Anglicans, maybe (who are struggling with social issues and an intensifying schizophrenia), but probably no one else quite yet. Not because the differences are too great, but because 500 years of "we're not like you" can't be undone in a generation, at least not without a great deal of pain, but sometimes healing is painful.

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Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn - Return of the Prodigal Son - Google Art Project by Rembrandt - 5QFIEhic3owZ-A at Google Cultural Institute, Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons >

One more thought… the returning Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) was greeted by his father running out into the field to meet him. The father didn't sit at home and wait for a knock on the door. He watched every day and ran to him.

Could Rome do as much?

Pope Francis reflected on this parable in his inaugural mass. I don't know if this was his subtext or not, but it may have been part of it.

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I'm Going Home - Alice Cooper

Fitting theme. No hidden messages, just a nice song with pleasant memories of my youth. I was and still am a big Alice fan. We were so young.

[2014-09-21]

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