Martin Luther's Definition of Faith

"Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. “Faith is not enough,” they say, “You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.” They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, “I believe.” That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn’t come from this `faith,’ either."

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Pope John XXII -- Vicarius Filii DEI

The following is from a page of The Sabbath Privilege Edict of 1718, put forth by Pope John XXII, in which he confirmed that he received a vision from the Virigin Mary, in which she instructed that the wearers of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be delivered out of Purgatory on the first Saturday after their death.  The title "Vicarius Filii DEI" (Vicar of the Son of God) as a reference to the Pope, can be clearly seen in the third line of this title. 

The Sabbath (Saturday) Privilege Edict

What the Most Pious and Devout Carmelite Mother of God requested from
Heaven, the Vicar of the Son of God ratified and promulgated on Earth

John XXII in a long celebrated bull, called Sabbitina, beginning Sacratissimo uti culmine &c.

Papal Confirmation Adds Weight

POPE CALLED "THE TRUTH, THE WAY, AND THE LIFE"

The official portrait of Pope Benedict XVI which was selected by the Vatican for the "Vatican Splendors" museum tour in North America, and exhibited alongside the works of Michelangelo, Bernini, Giotto and other Masters of the Renaissance is called: "The Truth, The Way and The Life: Portrait of his holiness, Pope Benedict XVI." 

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THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CRUSADES

THE CRUSADES & JIHAD

by Dr. Peter Hammond

Back in 1999 while our mission was being bombed by the National Islamic Front government in Sudan, fellow missionaries were organising “Reconciliation Walks” to the Middle East to apologise for “The Crusades”. At the time, as our church services were under aerial and artillery bombardment by Jihadists, it seemed rather bizarre. Therefore I undertook a study of the crusades and Jihad.

Anin Maalouf in “The Crusades through Arab eyes” claims that the Crusaders conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 was “The starting point of a millennial hostility between Islam and the West.” Islamic scholar John Esposito blames the Crusades for disrupting “Five centuries of peaceful coexistence elapsed before political events and an imperial papal power-play led to a centuries long series of so called Holy Wars that pitted Christendom against Islam and left an enduring legacy of misunderstanding and distrust.” (“Islam: The Straight Path” OUP).

What Preceeded The Crusades?

However the Crusades only started after five centuries of Islamic Jihad had conquered and annihilated, or forcibly converted, over two thirds of what had formerly been the Christian world.  

 

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DID THE REFORMERS PERSECUTE THE ANABAPTISTS?

It is fairly common to hear the claims that the Reformers persecuted the Anabaptists just because they "were not willing to baptise babies." One correspondent wrote that rather than celebrate the Reformation "would it not be preferable to study the Scriptures…"

Of course, our highest priority is to "study the Scriptures daily to see if these things be true". In fact that is the heritage of the Reformation. The Reformation gave us back the Bible freely available, translated into our own languages, and the Reformers championed "Scripture alone is our final authority". The Reformation succeeded in bringing about greater freedoms than had ever been experienced before in human history.

Those who accuse the Reformers of persecuting the Anabaptists are being unfair and selective in not reporting the whole context. The Anabaptists were not so much opposed and convicted for not being willing to baptise babies, but because the Anabaptists in the 1520's and 1530's were radical, violent revolutionaries.

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