The aim of this talk is to briefly study the origins of the Futurist Interpretation. Then changes as the Church preparing for the New World?
CHURCH HISTORY Part 4-----[The New World]
Published 20151109 -:- Revised 20251003P
NB: I am dyslexic so please bear with me. Bible references are from MKJV unless noted otherwise.
AIM
--- The aim of this talk is to briefly
study the origin of the Futurist Interpretation and the Church preparing for
the New World.
REASON
--- It is important to understand how
futurism came into being. How did it so quickly become the only accepted
interpretation? Why does it cause so much
conflict in the church? Also what caused the various denominations to develop?
REFERENCES
& EQUIPMENT ---
MKJ= Bible
references are from the Modern King James Bible unless noted otherwise.
WH= Classic Time
line of World History by Sebastian Adam [based on Ussher’s ‘Annals of the
World’] (9m wall chart)
HYY= History Year
by Year (by Dorling Kindersley Ltd)
GPF= Great People
of Faith and Wisdom (by Readers Digest)
HCC= History of The
Christian Church (by Philip Schaff) via e-Sword 1882 Edition
FBM= Fox’s Book of
Martyrs – via e-Sword
WP= Wikipedia
CN= e-Sword
Commentary Notes by “NAME” on Bible Ref “BOOK CH: Vrs” e.g. [ref CN Clark on
Dan 7:7].
EN= Microsoft
Encyclopaedia Encarta 2006. with reference word to be used, e.g. [ref EN i.e. Protestantism]
EB= Encyclopædia
Britannica 1999 Edition
NA= New Advent.
Catholic Encyclopaedia with reference word to be used, e.g. [ref NA i.e.
Jesuits, The]
TV= Television
for Slide presentations.
DISCLAIMER -- Clearly I don’t want to
upset anyone’s faith or beliefs. That’s why most of this work is made up of
“quotations” from reputable articles you can source to verify. HCC is in old
‘1880’ English so direct quotes are somewhat hard to understand. To change it
too much would make it harder to find the references. If a reference is
underlined you can use that exact wording to find the original article.
REVISION
I might at times make reference to prophecies. This is
for the benefit of those who understand the historic viewpoint.
In the
first lesson we covered the following points: -
How the Apostles took the gospel beyond the Roman world, and
by the 200’s the gospel was in northern Europe, and China.
The Roman persecutions which ended in AD. 313 when Emperor
Constantine became a Christian, which effectively legalized Christianity.
The idolatrous false worship of Mary, martyrs, saints and
relics.
393 The Canon was established, the 66 books called the
bible. ---
The fall of Rome to Arian Christian kings, and how they all
feared the Pope.
The rise of TEN kingdoms of Europe and three kingdoms
“Plucked up by the roots”; and The increase in papal power to 1000AD.
God’s use of Islam to correct idolatry and the schism it
caused in 1054 between the Eastern and Western churches
The False Teachings – (infallibility, image-worship,
celibacy, purgatory, abolition of the Christian Sabbath, transubstantiation, etc.)
Some of the Extraordinary Papal Claims, for example --
“there is no allegiance to Christ without submission to the pope”
What Started The Reformation as early as 1010 AD and their
key objections.
Some Catholic Reformers; Hildegard with her visions and
prophecies. And the Dominican and Franciscan orders.
How God again inspired the Arabs and Turks to force THE
CRUSADES; then finally the fall of Constantinople. Which lead to the fleeing of
Greek scholars with Greek manuscripts to the west and its effect on knowledge,
followed by 1440 The Printing Press.
1478 The Spanish Inquisition and its ruthless suppression of
bible translations.
The Reformation, which started on 31 October 1517, when
Luther posted the ninety-five theses.
And the Counter-Reformation
In the
third lesson we covered: -
The historic interpretation of revelation and why it is
important to understand that view.
The Reformers before the reformation.
1517 “The Two Witnesses” of Rev ch. 11.
And who were the reformers who carried the message to all
parts of Europe.
Q & A -----
LESSON -- CHURCH HISTORY Part 4
1540 JESUITS FORMED NB
the reference from NEW ADVENT Catholic Encyclopedia
“The Society of Jesus. (Company of Jesus, Jesuits) …is a religious
order founded by Saint
Ignatius Loyola. Designated by him "The Company of Jesus"
to indicate its true leader and its soldier spirit, the title was
Latinized into "Societas Jesu" in the Bull
of Paul III
approving its formation and the first formula of its Institute ("Regimini
militantis ecclesia", 27 Sept., 1540). The term "Jesuit" (of
fifteenth-century origin, meaning one who used too frequently or appropriated
the name of Jesus), was first applied to the society in reproach (1544-52), and
was never employed by its founder, though members and friends of the society in
time accepted the name in its good sense.
The Society ranks among religious institutes as a mendicant
order of clerks regular, that is, a body of priests
organized for apostolic work, following a religious rule, and relying on alms
for their support. …. The Society was not founded with the avowed intention
of opposing Protestantism. Neither the papal letters of approbation nor
the Constitutions of the order mention this as the object of the new
foundation….As the object of the society was the propagation and strengthening
of the Catholic faith everywhere, the Jesuits naturally endeavored to
counteract the spread of Protestantism. They became the main instruments of
the Counter-Reformation; the re-conquest of southern and western Germany
and Austria for the Church, and the preservation of the Catholic faith in
France and other countries were due chiefly to their exertions.” [Ref NA
Jesuits The]
In another book ‘Highlights of Church History by Howard f.
Vos. He says “They were absolutely unscrupulous in their methods,
holding that it was permissible to do evil if good might come of it…
sought to infiltrate government by any means fair or foul to advance the
Church”. In other words they ‘didn’t play nice’ with others. If you were
Protestant and fell into their hands your days were numbered!
Over time they have “been expelled from every country in
Europe, ..1773 ..Pope Clement XIV issued a brief suppressing the order. ..1814,
..Pope Pius VII re-established the Jesuits on a worldwide basis.” [ref EN
Jesuits]
Q & A -----
THE FUTURIST
INTERPRETATION --
“Eschatology"
As I have said before, I AM NOT trying to push any one
particular belief! This subject is one of the NO GO areas in almost every
church. And this should not be so! Why? Because John writing at the start of
the Book of Revelation, says in Rev 1:3 “Blessed is the one who reads
and hears the Words of this prophecy, and the ones keeping the
things written in it, for the time is near.” [ref MKJ]. So it would
appear that Satan has done something regarding the Book of Revelation to create
argument, strife, and confusion in us to rob us of the Blessing!
Let's go through this chronologically. What was the generally
accepted belief from the start? It was what we call today 'The Historic Interpretation'. Exactly the same as the bible was perceived in the times of the Old Testament. They knew of the prophecies, and as history unfolded, they could see the prophecies unfolding in their time throughout each generation. Look at the time leading up to when Jesus was born. They knew the prophecies of Daniel chapter 9 and others, which told them that the Messiah should arrive soon. Refer Matt 2: 1-6; King Herod asked all the chief priests and scribes "where Christ should be born". They answered and said in Bethlehem, and they quoted Mic 5:2. So the bible was believed as being historically fulfilled.
The early Reformers saw the bible being fulfilled in the same way! Things in prophecy were unfolding at ongoing intervals throughout their various lifetimes'. Augustine, Jerome, Luther, Wickliffe all agreed with the Historical view. Hence many of the reformers all agreed that the antichrist was already active during their own lifetime. Even the Apostles Paul and Peter said the antichrist was active in their time! For The Reformers the scripture, 2 Thess 2, ‘he sits as God in the temple of God’; as far as they were concerned was already coming into existence. And they, (the Protestants), Protested vehemently throughout the ages. And that led to the Historic Interpretation. In a previous lesson I
have briefly mentioned that view. If scripture interprets itself, and they all
agreed, then that should be good enough correct?
But NO; Now we have numerous interpretations? Here I am only
hoping to cover Futurism. So where did this view start? Now if you ‘key into’
any encyclopaedia or web site, ‘Futurism’, you will invariably find, Francisco Ribera as the one who developed
the doctrine of futurism. Saying this might get you some flak! But if it was
developed by some one much earlier; then who? Augustine and Jerome were
pillars of the Roman Catholic Church and they didn’t teach it! Perhaps it was
in the teachings of the Arians or the New Manichaeans, who I mentioned in
previous lessons, and if so, they were stamped out by the pope as heretics.
What’s more the Catholic Church proudly claims Ribera as one of their greatest theologians. So, what did he come up with? And
did he have any supporters? “Through the mouth of 2or3 witnesses”
The following information I have obtained from a web site
entitled [ref “The Catholic Origins of Futurism and Preterism" reach it via this link: - https://www.biblelightinfo.com/antichrist.htm]. Rather than reword it and loose the
Hyper-links and its own references, I have left it as is. It is still very
useful for the modern historic information. Some of the OLD English or Latin spelling, 'in blue', can be a bit of a 'hiccup'.
Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) was a
Jesuit doctor of theology, born in Spain, who began writing a lengthy
commentary in 1585 on the book of Revelation (Apocalypse) titled In Sacrum
Beati Ioannis Apostoli, & Evangelistiae Apocalypsin Commentarij, and published it about the year 1590. He died in 1591 at the age
of fifty-four, so he was not able to expand on his work or write any other
commentaries on Revelation. In order to remove the Catholic Church from
consideration as the antichrist power, Ribera proposed that the first few
chapters of the Apocalypse applied to ancient pagan Rome, and the rest he
limited to a yet future period of 3 1/2 literal years, immediately prior to the
second coming. During that time, the Roman Catholic Church would have fallen
away from the pope into apostasy. Then, he proposed, the antichrist, a single
individual, would:
1.
Persecute
and blaspheme the saints of God.
2.
Rebuild
the temple in Jerusalem.
3.
Abolish
the Christian religion.
4.
Deny
Jesus Christ.
5.
Be
received by the Jews.
6.
Pretend
to be God.
7.
Kill
the two witnesses of God.
8.
Conquer
the world.
To accomplish
this Ribera, proposed that
the 1260 days and 42 months and 3 1/2 times of prophecy were not 1260
years, but a literal 3 1/2 years, and therefore none of the book of Revelation
had any application to the middle ages or the papacy, but to the future, to a
period immediately prior to the second coming, hence the name Futurism. A 1591 edition,
1593 edition,
and a 1603 edition
of his commentary are now online
Cardinal
Robert Bellarmine one of the
best known Jesuit apologists, published a work between 1581
and 1593 entitled Disputationum Roberti Bellarmini De controversiis Christian
fidei adversus hujus temporis haereticos, (Polemic Lectures Concerning the Disputed Points of the Christian
Belief Against the Heretics of This Time), in which he also denied
the day = year principle in prophecy and pushed the reign of antichrist into a
future period of 3 1/2 literal years. (See Froom, Prophetic Faith, Vol. 2, pgs. 495 -
502).
Michael
Walpole Available Online: A Treatise of Antichrist.
Conteyning the defence of Cardinall Bellarmines arguments, which inuincibly
demonstrate, that the pope is not Antichrist. Against George Downam by
Michael Christopherson priest ..., Volume 1 of 2 by the English Jesuit,
Michael Walpole (1570-1624?), 1613 edition. Christopherson
is a pseudonym for Walpole.
The third chapter,
titled "Wherein it is shewed, that Antichrist is not yet come",
(pages 49-51) discusses the protestant (Lutheran) Matthias Flacius Illyricus
(1520-1575) and his Catalogue of
Witnesses to the Truth who before our day cried out against the Pope (Catalogus
Testium Veritatis - Basel, 1556), his Magdeburg Centuries (Ecclesiastica
Historia, 1559 - 1574), an ecclesiastical history of 13 volumes (1 volume per century) to 1298 A.D. which
established from that history that the Bishop of Rome was the Antichrist, and a
1260 year spiritual reign of the papal Antichrist, proposed to be from 606 -
1866 A.D., with the Lord's judgment commencing in 1866!
Manuel
De Lacunza (1731–1801), a
Jesuit from Chile, wrote a manuscript in Spanish titled La Venida del Mesias en Gloria y Magestad ("The Coming of the
Messiah in Glory and Majesty"), under the pen name of Juan Josafa [Rabbi]
Ben-Ezra about 1791. Lacunza wrote under an
assumed Jewish name to obscure the fact that he was a Catholic, in order to
give his book better acceptance in Protestantism, his intended audience. Also
an advocate of Futurism, Lacunza was deliberately attempting to take the
pressure off the papacy by proposing that the Antichrist was still off in the
future. His manuscript was published in London, Spain, Mexico and Paris between
1811 and 1826. Volume
1 Volume
II Volume
III 
La
Venida del Mesias en Gloria y Magestad; online at the National Library of Chile (in Spanish).
Edward
Irving (1792-1834), a
Scottish Presbyterian and forerunner of the Pentecostal and Charismatic
movements, translated Lacunza's work from Spanish into English in a book titled
The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty with a Preliminary Discourse, published in London in 1827 by L.B. Seeley & Sons,
which included Irving's own lengthy preface.
Margaret
McDonald, a 15 year old
Scottish girl, and member of Edward Irving's congregation, had visions in early 1830 that included a Secret
Rapture of believers before the appearance of the Antichrist. She informed
Irving of her visions by letter. Irving then attended the prophecy conferences
that began in Dublin Ireland in 1830 at Powerscourt Castle, where he promoted
both Futurism and a Secret Rapture.
Samuel
Roffey Maitland (1792-1866), scholar and librarian to the Archbishop of Canterbury,
further promoted and established Futurism in England after 1826,
as a result of reading the work of Manuel De Lacunza. He concluded that the 3
1/2 times, 42 months, and 1260 days of Daniel and Revelation were all intended
to be a literal 3 1/2 years, not 1260 years.
John
Nelson Darby (1800–1882), a
Church of Ireland clergyman, later with the Plymouth Brethren, also promoted
Futurism and a secret rapture. Darby attended the series of meetings on Bible Prophecy that
began in 1830 at Powerscourt,
Ireland, and at these conferences Darby apparently learned about the secret
rapture as revealed by vision to Margaret McDonald, and promoted by Edward
Irving, and he soon visited Margaret MacDonald at her home in Port Glasgow,
Scotland. Darby later visited America several times between 1859 and 1874,
where his Futurist theology was readily accepted.
Cyrus
Ingerson Scofield
(1843-1921), greatly influenced by the writings of J. N. Darby, incorporated
Futurism in the notes of his Scofield Reference Bible. First published by Oxford University
Press in 1909, one million
copies were printed by 1930. The Scofield Bible was instrumental in firmly
establishing the Jesuit inspired Futurist interpretation in the Protestant
Bible schools of the USA in the 20th century.
If you have e-Sword
on your PC you can look up the following reference. In the Commentary Notes, do
a search for “Futurist” in PNT -The People’s New Testament, and JBF
-Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary. Both sections give good comparisons. Or
you can then go to
e-Sword/Graphics/Larkin, to find a host of the grand old style wall
charts. Take a cut lunch and a bible you can be all day in them.
What Scriptural Interpretation Is Needed
For Futurism
GAPS! Scriptures need ‘Gaps’ inserted in order to
be compatible with the fact that most of the Book of Revelation is fulfilled in
the future.
In Dan Chapter 2
King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of the statue of different materials representing
consecutive kingdoms. Yet it must be understood, 'Using The GAP Theory' as: Head-Gold = Babylon,
chest-Silver = Medo-Persia, belly-bronze = Greece, legs-iron = Rome, insert Gap, feet-iron &clay = a
Future Ten Kingdoms under the control of the Antichrist and he will rule with
them for either 7 or 3½ years. So, from the fall of Rome in 476AD to now is some 1540 plus years. So, we’re not in the Roman Empire NOW, we’re not in the Ten Toes Kingdom
YET! We are now living in THE GAP period.
The GAPS are
explained if you go to e-Sword/Graphics/Larkin. Chart No2 “The Mountain Peaks
Of Prophecy”, and other charts.
Also, Daniel’s 70 weeks
prophecy; Dan 9:24/27 the last week is moved off to the future, so that it is
understood as: vs 26 “And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but
not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come...” insert Gap, then vs 27 “And he
shall confirm a covenant with many for one week”. ‘he’ is the Antichrist. (This is an issue of
‘grammar’. The ruler is the last person mentioned so he, refers to the ruler. Yet in
Hebrew grammar the subject of the prophecy is The Messiah so he refers to The Messiah
-- e.g. Gen 4:17)
THE
SECRET RAPTURE
This is based on all
the scriptures referring to the second advent of Christ, “But the day of the
Lord will come as a thief in the night”. This is the Lord’s second coming, the
‘Second Advent’; He will QUIETLY
gather us, and the dead in Christ to meet Him in the air. Then we all go off to
heaven to the “marriage supper of the lamb” for 7 0r 3 ½ yrs. An example
scripture for the Rapture is: -
1 Th 4:15to17.
“Vs.15… we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go
before those who are asleep. Vs.16 For
the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Vs.17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…” Only the Christians hear the SHOUT, and the TRUMPET of GOD. And those left behind wake up the next morning to
find all the Christians have GONE! Then they go through Daniel’s last
‘week’, (7 years), and the Great Tribulation. It is HELL ON EARTH without God’s
help! The bible is useless because at the Rapture the Holy Spirit is taken out
of the world. For part of those 7 yrs you
will not be able to die.
THE
TEMPLE MUST BE REBUILT
We do hear from time
to time that there are plans to rebuild ‘The Temple of God’. To fabricate a new
Ark of The Convenient and then blood sacrifices will be restarted by the Jews
in Jerusalem. Yet there are no scriptures to say that the temple is ever going
to be rebuilt during or before the time of the Antichrist! But the conclusion
is ‘The Temple’ is already here on earth at the time of the Antichrist. This is
very clear, for the scripture says, 2Th_2:4
“so that he sits as God in the
temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God.” [ref MKJV]
There have been a
number of ideas put forward for this to be fulfilled. One is that the building is
already here now. That makes very good sense, it is not ‘getting rebuilt’ or yet to be built, it is
already in existence and can be instantly adapted to be The Temple of God. Some
say it’s the United Nations building? Or obviously ‘The Dome of the Rock’ which
is already on site, and it then becomes ‘The Temple of God’! Possible?
THE
GREAT TRIBULATION. Some people have differing interpretations as to whether the Church
goes through this or not! It’s like getting the lunch order from your mates at
work. They each want a burger with 3,4 or 5 of the 7 ingredients available. For
example: -
Daniels 70th
week. In all the Futurist interpretations of scriptures; you DO NOT apply “(the
day = year)”. Yet in this scripture you do because it is Old Testament. So the
last ‘week’, 7 days = 7 years, is the last seven years on earth in which the
Antichrist rules. Then ‘Christ Returns in His Glory’. During this ‘week’, (7
years) the Antichrist, “he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.
And in the midst of the ‘week’ he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to
cease”, [ref.KJV] he will put a stop to the blood sacrifice. Some say we are
raptured at the start, the middle or the end of that week? And they use the
following scriptures to support their views: -
1 Th 4:15to17 as
above. In that passage there is no mention of a falling away, or the man of sin
being revealed. Also there is obviously no mention of a 2nd Rapture at the Third Advent, so we must all
be raptured before the start of the ‘week’ and miss the Great Tribulation.
“2Th 2:1 ..”with regard to the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, vs.2 ..you should not be
..troubled…as if the Day of Christ is at hand. Vs.3 ..For that Day shall not
come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be
revealed”.
Now if the man of
sin is revealed, it’s because of his blasphemy and stopping the sacrifice. That
happens in the middle of the ‘week’, so we must all be here for the start of
the ‘week’ to see that happen. Then we’re ‘gathering together to Him’ before
the Great Tribulation.
In Dan 7:25 He
“shall wear out the saints.. until a time, times and one-half time”, = 3 ½
years. That 3 ½ years is the last half of the 7 years mentioned above. If
Antichrist is going to ‘wear out’ the saints, meaning us, then we must all still be here during the Great
Tribulation.
THE
THIRD ADVENT AND THE MILLENNIUM
This is the third
time Christ visits the earth. At which time Christ returns ‘In His Glory’,
“when every eye shall see”, “every knee shall bow”, “the lightning comes out of
the east and shines even to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of
Man.”. It will be obvious! Christ will then destroy the Antichrist. Bind Satan
and cast him into the ‘bottomless pit’ for 1000 years. Then Christ will rule
the world with a “Rod of Iron” for the next 1000 years, which is called the
Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth. Again ‘how do you like your burger’?
Some people do not accept the 1000 yr Millennial Kingdom of Christ. They see
that when Christ returns; the earth is destroyed, and we all go to heaven! And
they have many scriptures to support this view. But if you go to
e-Sword/Graphics/Larkin, and flick through his various charts, they are all there for you.
This '1000 years' is
one of the KEY arguments for the Futurist Interpreters saying that "The Day for A Year" rule should NOT apply to the whole Book of Revelation. It would mean that parts
of the Revelation would apply the rule and other parts would not! What would
happen with the 1000 years? (1000x360=360,000 days; so, day=year means Christ
rules for 360,000 years! That is a long time to wait to go to heaven.
PRETERISM This is another version altogether different!
It claims; that the prophecies regarding the Antichrist were fulfilled by the
Roman Emperor Nero and his persecution of the Christians in 68 AD. I have never
heard of any person who believes this view.
Summary -- In my earlier lesson I
briefly touched on the Historic View as it was relevant to what the reformers
believed, eg. the ‘Two Witnesses’. Here I have give more time to Futurism, as it
is relevant to modern theology today. Historicism seemed to run out of
prophetic vision by about the 1950’s. But if you still hold to Historicism,
bear in mind prophecy can have double fulfilment. What you MUST do is examine
the scriptures. Deu 19:15 ‘....At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be made sure.’ Do NOT grab an idea,
‘that sounds good’, it must make scriptural sense!
Example: Preterism -
would God leave us WITH OUT vision for 1900 yrs? Historicism – WHAT then was
the Mark of the Beast? Futurism – would God WANT a Temple rebuilt? Teaching
doesn’t stand or fall, just because you do or don’t understand it yet! Ask for
God’s help.
The
Diagram Below -- I have found this in the web site mentioned above, shown in the
footnote, (Refer to the link below). It is one of the simplest diagrams that I have ever seen, which can
easily show a young Christian where the different interpretations place the
reign of the Antichrist. Ribera's Futurism puts Antichrist into a Future 3 ½ Literal years. Alcazar's Preterism
identifies Antichrist as Nero. Protestant Historicists put the Antichrist's
Reign in the Dark Ages, as in Rev.12:6, a 1260 Prophetic ‘days’, which with a
day for a year, = 1260 literal years.
Q & A ----
Remember we touched
on that in our second talk. The ‘New Advent’ gave the starting date as 1560,
and an interesting insight into the Catholic view of the Counter Reformation.
In their own words “The term Counter-Reformation
denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in
1560 to the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648. The name, though long in use
among Protestant historians, has only recently been introduced into Catholic
handbooks. The consequence is that it already has a meaning and an application,
for which a word with a different nuance should perhaps have been chosen. For
in the first place the name suggests that the Catholic movement came after the
Protestant; whereas in truth the reform originally began in the Catholic
Church, and Luther was a Catholic Reformer before he became a Protestant. By
becoming a Protestant
Reformer, he did indeed hinder the progress of the Catholic reformation,
but he did not stop it.” [ref NA] ?? Interesting concept isn’t it!
The
Protestant View regarding
the “counter attack” was that the Church of Rome found her followers drifting
away to the Protestant teaching in large numbers. And the Inquisition only
added to the belief that the pope was the Antichrist. So Rome had to do
something more to stop loosing ground to the Protestants! So Rome commissioned
Francisco Ribera, ‘a Jesuit,’ “sworn to support the pope by any means”, to
produce a NEW interpretation to take the guilt off the pope. I searched in
e-Sword / HCC, for ‘Counter-Reformation’ and I found twice this number of
articles, but these give us good insight into the history. It really seemed to
be just another name for the Inquisition.
1531 The Zürichers…forced the Reformation upon the
Forest Cantons…and…provoked a reaction…with the aid of Austria and Spain
and the counter-Reformation
of the papacy, might have ended in the destruction of Protestantism. [ref HCC
vol.8 ch.5:48]. 1531 The little battle of Cappel…arrested forever the
progress of the Reformation in German Switzerland, and…check the progress of
Protestantism in Germany. It encouraged the Roman Catholic reaction,
which…assumed the character of a formidable Counter-Reformation. [ref HCC vol.8 ch.5:49]
1534 “That year was remarkable…founding of the
order of the Jesuits…which took the lead in the Counter-Reformation” Henry VIII was
excommunicated. “Inquisition in Italy;..the bloody persecution
of..Protestants in Paris..The Roman Counter-Reformation now…called for a consolidation of the
Protestant forces.” [ref HCC vol.8 ch.9:76]. “This Roman-Catholic
reformation was effected by the Council of Trent, but turned out to be a
papal counter-reformation,
and a weapon against Protestantism in the hands..the Jesuits.” [ref HCC vol.7
ch.3:51]
1555 Vergerio
“left the Roman Church…a man of imposing personality, considerable learning
and eloquence, wit and irony…and diplomatic experience…He could not forget
his former episcopal authority and pretensions, nor his commanding position as the representative of the pope…agreed
with Luther that the papacy was an invention of the Devil; that the pope
was..Antichrist seated in the temple of God as…(Dan_11:36) and…(2Th_2:3
sq.)…the beast of the Apocalypse…He is especially severe on” Pope Paul IV, “who
as Cardinal Caraffa had made some…utterances on the corruption of the clergy,
but since his elevation to the “apostate chair, which corrupts every one who
ascends it,”..become..leader of the Counter-Reformation with its measures of violence and blood.” [ref
HCC vol.8 ch.4:38]
1620 The Roman Counter-Reformation was begun…in Upper Italy
and Switzerland by…Charles Borromeo, archbishop of Milan. Jesuits and Capuchins
stirred up the hatred of the ignorant and superstitious people against the
Protestant heretics. [ref HCC vol.8 ch.4:39]
1757 Benedict XIV…bibles could be read in the
vernacular…if approved in Rome with explanatory notes…by Catholic scholars
(1757). .. excludes,..all Protestant versions…They are regarded as corrupt
and heretical and…committed to the flames in Roman Catholic
countries, especially in connection with the counter-Reformation of the Jesuits in Bohemia and
elsewhere.. [ref HCC vol.7 ch.1:6]
Q & A -----
“1492”
Exploration has gone
on for thousands of years with stories like, the Egyptians reached Australia. Solomon’s ships of Tarshish
reached the British Isles. The ‘Silk Road’ China to Baghdad. The Vikings circumnavigated
Europe by 950AD, using river routs to the Black and Caspian seas. In 1002 Leif Ericson accidentally
found America. 1271 Marco
Polo, the first European to reach China. 1325 Ibn Battuta a Moroccan, over 20 yrs
visiting almost all the Muslim world. These ocean explorers generally hugged
the coasts; any knowledge or maps were guarded as ‘state secrets’. They had the
compass, stars and knowledge of the East; it was simple logic, sail west to
China. But what stopped them? The world was FLAT! Superstition and Religion
stifled exploration, Columbus said, “the world was round”. The pope placed him
under ban, forbidden to speak for months. Eventually he gained royal permission
in 1492, he sailed due west, unheard of in his day.
Spain and Portugal
were the main contenders for the new territories. So in 1494 Pope Alexander
drew a line north to south down the map of the Americas, gave the west to Spain
and the east to Portugal. Each super power strived to expand into an empire.
[ref: for the above history HYY]. To see where various nationalities colonized the
world, there is a handy map in e-Sword in the Graphics Viewer section; the map
is entitled “111. The Spread Of Colonization 1600-1700”. But world events at
‘Home’, (Europe), determined who had the wealth and stability to finance
expeditions and colonization. And religion played a key part as well.
1521 GERMANY
Sympathies with the Reformation and political troubles made the execution of
the papal bull and Edict of Worms against Luther nearly impossible. The
Emperor was absent in Spain, fully occupied suppressing an insurrection,
the conquest of Mexico by Cortez, and the war with France. Germany was
threatened by the approach of the Turks, who had conquered Belgrade and most of
Hungary. The dangers of the nation overruled and Protestantism made rapid
progress in Europe. [ref HCC vol.7 ch.4:69]. Protestant governments in Germany and Switzerland band Roman Catholics of religious
and civil rights. Took possession of their churches, and other property. They
banished, imprisoned, drowned, beheaded, hanged, and burned Anabaptists,
Antitrinitarians, Schwenkfeldians, and other dissenters. In Saxony, Sweden,
Norway, and Denmark no religion and public worship was allowed but the
Lutheran. [ref HCC vol.8 ch.16:139]
1536
ENGLAND’S BREAK FROM PAPAL RULE
1534 Henry VIII was
excommunicated. 1536 The Act of Supremacy. The English Monarch becomes
the Head of the Church of England. People always say Henry only did that
so that he could get a divorce. Think! Henry wanted a strong son! He had daughters, and
who is in charge of fertility? Ask Abraham. Pro 21:1 “The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He will.” I have a very strong belief that God was fully
in charge and it was exactly the right time in prophecy for England to break
from the papal Empire.
1571 The Book of
Common Prayer and the ratification of its “thirty nine articles” completely
severed the Church England from Rome.
1553 "Bloody Mary" came to power
and placed England ruthlessly back under papal rule. About 300 burnt at the
stake during her 5 years.
1558
Second Reformation – “The re-establishment
of Protestantism under Queen Elizabeth, 1558-1603, permanently established
the Reformed religion, but to the exclusion of all dissent. Her penal code
was aimed systematically at the annihilation of both Popery and Puritanism.
Then began the second Reformation. It was the people against their rulers, the
struggle between Puritanism and the semi-popery of the Stuart dynasty.
Puritanism achieved a temporary triumph at the execution of Charles I.
Puritanism as a national political power died with Cromwell, and in 1660
Episcopacy and the Prayer Book were restored under Charles II. Another
revolution under William and Mary in 1688 made an end to the treacherous rule
of the Stuarts and gave toleration to the Dissenters, who hereafter organized
themselves into separate denominations, and represent the left wing of English
Protestantism.” [ref HCC vol.7 ch.1:12 and 13]
The
SPANISH ARMADA sailed
from Lisbon in May 1588
consisted of about 130-150 ships with about 30,000 men in total. They
confronted the English fleet, and with the complements of Gods extraordinary bad
weather; Only 60 ships returned. Many of them too badly damaged to repair, and
some 15,000 men perished. It was the first major naval gun battle under sail, which nearly bankrupted Spain and was perhaps the launching point of English
navel sea power. [ref EB]. At one time in the English Channel, the English sent 'Fire Ships' into the Spanish fleet, which created absolute havoc. For those with an interest in the Historic
Interpretation this is the fulfilment of, Rev 15:2 "And I saw as it were a
sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the
beast”
The
Toleration Act of 1689
The overthrow of the Stuarts, gave the Dissenters who were formerly included in
the Church of England, the liberty to organize themselves into separate
denominations under the names of Presbyterians, Independents or Congregationalists, Baptists, Quakers;
all professing the principles of the Reformation, but differing in minor points
of doctrine, discipline, and the mode of worship.
The Methodist
revival shook England and the American colonies during the 1700’s,
giving rise to a new denomination, which spread with the enthusiasm of an army
of conquest and grew into one of the largest and most influential communions in
English-speaking Christendom.
In Scotland,
the original unity of the Reformed Kirk was likewise broken up. So the Scottish population is divided into three branches; the Established Church, the United
Presbyterian Church, and the Free Church of Scotland; all holding, however, to
the Westminster standards.
In Germany, the Moravian brotherhood
acquired a legal existence, and fully earned it by its missionary zeal
among the heathen, its educational institutions, its pure discipline and
stimulating influence upon the older churches.
All these Churches
of Great Britain and the Continent were transplanted by emigration to
the virgin soil of North America, where they mingle on a basis of equality
before the law and in the enjoyment of perfect religious freedom.” [ref HCC
vol.7 ch.1:9]
CONCLUSION
In short the world
seemed to learn how to play nice together just before they went to the New
World. My next lesson I hope to study each of the above mentioned
denominations.
I will be happy to
TRY to answer any of your questions over a cuppa …… and Thank you for
attending.
For you Bloggers here are some other talks you might be interested in: -
