There are many who are saying right now, as we witness the silly self-destruction of the Protestant Church in America and the West, that the Reformation was only a great hurt to the church. These same (mostly Roman Catholic or Orthodox brothers and sisters and apologists) say that the church was greatly harmed and that the Protestants should repent and come back to the "mother" church.
Such statements gloss over the biblical basis for unity and separation, and even the historical events that led to the Protestant Reformation. The other side are those who split over every wrong doctrine of the church, and who do not value true unity over their own pride. One of the historical dangers of the modern day schismatics is that they have bought into the Enlightenment idea that we can all be judges of the Church. Just as the Anabaptist with their polygamy, communism, and anarchy took to the extreme of Lutheranism, so schismatics have become extremists. I contend that most schismatics view themselves as consumers of the church and can pick and choose or even create their own church without any fear of judgment from God who loves His bride- the Church.
So let us look at three things: 1) The continued reason for the Reformation churches- until unity is made; 2) The reason to not continue to split churches; and 3) The reason to fear and respect the judgment of God on the Church and the basis for that judgment.
First- What were the real causes of the Reformation? There were secondary causes of the Reformation- from a purely secular viewpoint kings wanted more power and included in that was the wealth and power of the church. But why did the church become so wealthy to begin with? When you play chess it is a reminder that the bishop is more powerful than the knight or even castle/rook/pawn. This is a far cry from Jesus who had no home of his own (Mt. 8:20), no savings accounts, and whose only possession- a robe was taken from him at his crucifixion. The church can give into greed and think it is justified in doing so by thinking the church with gold, silver, ivory, ornate paintings and statues point to God. Really, simplicity itself is a reminder of God in the flesh- Jesus.
But one hidden reason for the Protestant Reformation is found in the 40-217 antipopes (people who claim to be pope- or set up by a secular authority as a pope). The greatest example is the Western Schism (1378-1417) when there were as many as 3 popes at once- all clearly for secular, political and financial power. This was a sign that the church had become truly corrupt. The schism between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic church (East-west of Great schism) in 1054 opened the door for more schisms in the trinitarian church. The theological points were from heaven's point of view trivial and not worth the disunity of the church. But there were other more immediate reasons for the Reformation besides any of these. But I contend Sacerdotalism as perhaps the major cause- (excessive and unwarranted dependence on the clergy). Thus no confession should be made without going to a priest; no one should die without a priest to give last rites; the priest withholding part of the eucharist from the participants; the priest withholding the Bible from the people (lest they misinterpret it- which the priests clearly already had done). Thus the idea of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). In the end, this was the primary reason. When Luther, Zwingli and Calvin threatened this priestly hold- each was threatened with death (as Hus, Tyndale, and Wycliffe before them). Indulgences- to buy souls out of hell by donating to the church were another way to sustain the sacerdotalism of the church. Absenteeism- the idea that a person could pay to obtain churchly rule over a parish, or area without even visiting, or seeing, much less serving these people is another form of sacerdotal entitlement. Nepotism- so many clerics appointed family members to clerical positions (De Medici were a prime example- Leo X set up cousin Clement VII). The sexual immorality of the clergy was an issue then and it has risen its head again in our day. So Pope Alexander Vi (Borja 1492-1503) had 9 children by 3 mistresses, and homosexuality was so prevalent Henry VIII established the Buggery Acts of 1533 mainly against corrupt monks and priests. On the one hand marriage was declared a sacrament but celibacy was declared a higher calling and unbiblically demanded of the priesthood. Thus the church was following into all these "pharisaical" rules- adding rules to scripture and then finding they were hard to keep. Justification by works and grace- instead of by grace alone is another byproduct of sacerdotalism. In making up penance requirements a priest had power over others. Not only could belief of being saved by works bring boasting (Eph. 2:8,9), it could also bring the ability of church authorities to declare which works were necessary for salvation or to escape hell or purgatory.
Hus, Wycliffe, and Tyndale were pre-reformers killed for their beliefs. Luther was threatened with death at Worms, Calvin escaped from his house as an exile in France. Hunted, robbed, and penniless he went to Geneva. Zurich was killed in a Roman Catholic attack on Zurich. Luther, Calvin and even Zwingli did not intend at first to split from the church. They wanted reformation until they were forced out of the church by both excommunication and the threat of death.
2) In contrast to this, many today split over almost anything, without any justification for love or unity. There are some who lecture on valuing love over doctrine. I believe you should be able to hold both- until you are kicked out or threatened with death. But taking schism into our own hands is not something the early reformers encouraged or envisioned. Calvin writes much about the unity of the church because the fear is that the church would just divide infinitesimally. So until 1054 there was 1 denomination; then in the Reformation there were maybe 15. Today there are 47,000 denominations. Today there are people who complain about denominations- then they go out and form their church then another then another- and then they have their own denomination! There is an unwillingness to work with other churches for the glory of God- and a sad blindness that one day all those who believe will be in heaven together worshiping God.
Jesus prayed (Jn. 17) that the believers would be one. He told his disciples not to "lord it over" one another- but that the one great in his kingdom must learn to be the servant of all. Paul decried divisions in the Corinthian church and said, "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism- calling us to be one. Those who claim to live by scripture alone must also live by the fact that scripture never encourages separation. When the prophets of Baal were so numerous Elijah didn't form his own nation- though he was the "only one left." Gideon did not start a new nation but reformed it. We forget the power of a remnant a bit of salt to effect the whole body. Too many times proud leaders- also hungry for praise, likes, or power (another form of sacerdotalism) split the church to have others follow them. I think of Gresham Machen or Carl McIntyre. In the 1920s the Presbyterian Church in the USA split because they rejected fundamentalism and rejected a separate mission board (power/control AGAIN). But then after the group split off- they split again one because they were pre-millenialists and the others were post-millenialists. Such doctrinal pride and disunity is silly, schismatic, anti-evangelism. In my past church we had two splits before I got there (and another split is going on after I left). For every person who left for a more conservative church, another 1.5 dropped out altogether over all the lack of love and strong bickering. So, if you cause one of these little ones to stumble...
But then there is 3) Those in denominational control who have rejected scripture alone as their guide. We should be "reformed and ever reforming according to the Word of God" but instead some just believe in "reform and ever reforming" because they simply embrace change/fad/and a we-know-better attitude. The Reformation also was a rebellion against the "experts" who could tell them how to live and a going back to the roots- the scriptures themselves to find out how to believe and live. The Scriptures were seen as our anchor, our eternal Word from God that pointed to THE Eternal Word in the Christ. Those who think they can ignore the core of the Gospel to make up their own worship and on church, do indeed drive others away. Such callousness cannot be ignored. So I hear many in the mainline churches today say, "Let them leave... we'll be happier- they'll be happier- the church will be more united." That is a lie and it flies against the idea of love and unity.
So, today I suggest three things. 1) Be faithful right where you are. In Thyatira where there was only a remnant opposing sexual immorality the advice (red letter) from God was: "To the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come." Hold on- He's coming. 2) Pray- Jesus prayed for unity and we should too. 3) Love- Love those who differ from you and those who agree with you. You may be accused by both sides, but love any way.
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