Calvin Synod Herald, 2000 (101. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2000-09-01 / 9-10. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 5 men, from the calumnies or at least the penetrating questions of the lay people. 82. To be precise: Why does the Pope not simply empty purgatory on the grounds of most holy charity and the over-riding need of souls, as the most just of all grounds, if he is redeeming innumerable souls for the sake of money, that most dire stuff, for the building of the Basilica, the most trivial of grounds > 83. Further: Why, since it is wrong to pray for <souls> already redeemed, are requiems and anniversary masses for the dead perpetuated, and why does he <the Pope> not repay, or allow to be reimbursed, stipends set up for these purposes? 84. Further: What is this novel kind of devotion to God and the Pope, in which they allow an ungodly man, who is no friend <of God>, to redeem, for money, a soul that is devout and friendly with God, and yet they do not redeem, for the sake of its own need, a devout and beloved soul, in spontaneous charity? 85. Further: Why are the penitential canons, which, in reality and by disuse, are long since inoperative and dead, nonetheless to this day being bought out with money, in the form of dispensation of indulgences, as if they were still in full force? 86. Fhrther: Why does not the Pope, whose present-day funds are more opulent than our most bloated plutocrats, purchase a basilica for St. Peter, if nothing else, from his own monies rather than from those of the poor faithful? 87. Further: What does the Pope remit to, or share with, those people who, by virtue of perfect contrition, have a right to plenary remission and share <in the treasury of grace>? 88. Further: What would be added to the Church’s greater good if the Pope were to grant a hundred times a day (not just once on a special occasion), these remissions and “shares” to each and every one of the faithful? 89. Since (as they say) the Pope, in granting pardons, is more concerned to seek the salvation of souls than to get money, why does he now suspend letters <of pardon > and pardons granted in the past, although they are, allegedly, as efficacious as ever? 90. To put down these allegations of the laity, over-demanding though they may, simply by appeal to authority, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to surrender the Church and the Pope to the derision of their enemies, and to make Christians grieve. 91. If, therefore, pardons were to be preached according to the spirit and intention of the Pope, all these issues would be resolved easily, or rather would never have arisen. 92. So say “good-bye” to all those prophets who say to the people, “peace, peace,” when there is no peace. 93. Farewell to all those prophets who say to Christ’s people, “Cross, cross,” when there is no cross. 94. Christians must be exhorted to labor to follow Christ their head, through punishment, death and hell itself -95. and to enter heaven more through many tribulations than through soothing confidence. 1517. NOTES TO THIS TRANSLATION: 1. The Latin original is taken from D. Martin Luthers Werke: kritische Gesamtausgabe, 1 (Weimar, 1883), 233-238, compared with Otto Clemen, ed., Luthers Werke in Auswahl, Vol. 1 (Berlin, Walter de Gruyter, 1933) 3-9.1 have compared my translation with those of Christiani, Luther tel qu'il jut: textes choisis traduits du latin et de l’allemand et annotés (Paris), and of E. Gordon Rupp and Benjamin Drewery, Martin Luther (in series Documents of Modem History, London, 1970) 19-25. 2. In many passages: “pena”, “penae"/“pene” varies in meaning according to context: “pain(s)”, “penalty(ies)”, “punishment(s)”. 3. In Note 29: Popes Saint Severinus and Paschal were in legend said to have offered their share of the beatific vision and go to purgatory for the sake of others. Stephen Budai Parmenius a Hungarian Martyr of Canadian Explorations Five ships were ready to set sail in Causet Bay near Plymouth, England in early June, 1583. Their destination was the New World. For, although “many voyages have been attempted, yet so far never any thoroughly accomplished by the English nation in those Northernly parts of America,” reads Captain Edward Hayes’ report “who alone continued unto the end, and by God’s special assistance returned home with his retinue safe and entire.” The five ships were the Delight, 120 tons, the Burke Raleigh, 200 tons, the Golden Ilinde, 40 tons, the Swallow, 40 tons and the Squirill, 10 tons. Commissioned by Her Majesty, Elizabeth I. Sir Humphrey Gilbert and his five ships, about 260 men aboard, left Causet Bay on June 11th, 1583 “to erect an habitation and government in those Northerly countries of America.” Six years before his first attempt failed: he was driven back home “with the loss of a tall ship.” This, his second voyage was more successful. He accomplished his mission but with most of his men he perished at sea. Sir Walter Raleigh, the famous “globetrotter” of the 16th century set out on this expedition as captain of the second ship named after him. However, contagious sickness detained him and his ship from this disastrous voyage. The small fleet made remarkable progress, but in the heavy fog and rain they lost contact with each other. On the 19th day a long shoreline appeared on the horizon and Portugese and French fishing boats. The land in sight was the island of Newfoundland. How great was their delight when on July 30th the admiral ship, the Delight and the Golden Hinde sailed into the Bay of Conception and in the bay they met the Swallow again. A few days later, on August 3rd another joyful surprise awaited them: “At St. John’s, before the harbor we also found the Frigate or Squirill lying at anchor.” The English merchants already settled there met the newcomers with little confidence or friendship. It was quite understandable. The men on the Swallow had already robbed a (continued on page 6) 4. In Thesis 86, there is a pun: the Pope’s funds are “more crass than the wealthiest Crassi” - an allusion to the proverbial wealthy Roman Crassus. 5. In Thesis 87 and elsewhere, “sharing” = “sharing in the Church’s treasury” = (for practical purposes} “being granted a dispensation. 6. “scrupulosissima” in Thesis 90 can be taken in a more positive sense: “most conscientious” or (as in this translation) in a more negative sense - very typical of the time, and of Luther: “over-conscientious” - even if the term is used rather ironically here. 7. Thesis 92: “peace, peace” etc.: Jeremiah 6:14. 8. The copyright in this translation vested in the translator as his own work is hereby transferred and given freely without consideration to the Revd FYancis Vitéz for his entire life, for use in English or in translation, this translator reserving only the right of its use by himself and the Revd Diane Karay Tripp. This gift is made in appreciation of the Bishop’s gracious encouragement of the Revd Diane Karay Tripp in her researches.
