Today in History: On October 6, 1520 Martin Luther published his famous “Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church.” Although Luther had previously criticized the papacy in general with his earlier address, “To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation,” this was the first time he directly attacked the Pope himself. In “Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” Luther also examined the sacraments of the Catholic Church in the light of his interpretation of the Bible. With regard to the Eucharist or Holy Communion, he advocated restoring the cup to the laity and dismissed the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation. With regard to Baptism, he taught that it brought justification only if conjoined with saving faith in the recipient, which would become a cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 23:35:08 +0000