“The Lamb hath alone died for us, the Lamb only hath shed his blood for us: the Lamb only hath redeemed us; these things hath he done alone; now, if these be sufficient, then hath he alone made satisfaction, and is alone worthy to be our Redeemer and Justifier.” – Only Faith Justifieth Before God (Robert Barnes, English martyr)
On this day, we remember the Rev. Dr. Robert Barnes, martyred for the faith July 30, 1540. Barnes, Prior of the Augustinian monastery in Cambridge, preached a Christmas Eve sermon in 1526 which expressed criticism of ecclesiastical abuses. This sermon is often credited as the beginning in earnest of the English Reformation. Not coincidentally, Barnes is also considered one of England’s first Lutherans. He was a member of the group which met at the White Horse Inn.
Barnes was not executed alone. Reflecting the politically-charged nature of the Reformation in England, he was executed along with five others: two of them Evangelicals (ie, Protestants) and three of them conservatives (ie, Roman Catholics). All were executed without the benefit of a trial. Shortly before the execution, the three Protestants (Barnes, William Jerome, and Thomas Garrett) had been invited to preach at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The three Catholics (Thomas Abel, Richard Fetherston, and Edward Powell) had all supported Queen Catherine when Henry VIII sought to have the marriage annulled. The Protestants were executed for heresy; the Catholics for treason.
While we thank God for the faithful witness of Robert Barnes, we also pray for the day when Christian division would cease, according to the prayer of Jesus. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17: 20-23).
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A word of thanks to those continuing the conversation about my recent First Things article “Are Lutherans Catholic?”. Gene Veith has some great conversation on the topic going on over at his blog Cranach, and Rev. Larry Peters is writing something similar over at Pastoral Meanderings (with reference to my “Too Damn Catholic” post from over on A Christian Thing). Nathan Rinne has also been contributing to the topic over at the Just & Sinner website.
It’s well worth checking out the conversation going on in these places, and I commend them all to your reading.
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This year, the Canadian Church Press and the Association of Roman Catholic Communicators of Canada are holding a joint convention. That convention takes place this Thursday and Friday (May 1-2) in Winnipeg.
One of the workshops will feature a panel discussion on “The Francis Phenomenon.” I’ve been asked to take part as one of the panelists, to bring a Protestant view to the subject. Joining me will be Joe Sinasac, Publishing Director of Novalis Publishing, and Marlena Loughheed, Public Relations and Communications Director of the Roman Catholic Church’s Archdiocese of Toronto. Moderating the discussion will be Laura Kalmar, editor of The Mennonite Herald.
A description of our workshop follows:
Since his election in 2013 Pope Francis has captivated the religious and secular media’s attention like few of his predecessors. What is it about this man from Argentina that is engaging the world? Panelists from the Catholic and non-Catholic perspective will discuss the engaging and transformational nature of this man and his calling.
If you’re attending the conference, I hope you’ll attend our workshop. We’re leading the discussion twice on Thursday. (If you’re hadn’t been planning on attending the conference, you can always register for a one-day pass).
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August 15 is the traditional date when the Church celebrated the Dormition (ie, the “falling asleep”) of Mary. But surely, you say, that’s just a Catholic thing. Why should Protestants care?
I answer that question in this post at A Christian Things: “‘All generations shall call me blessed’: Even the Protestants.”
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This article in the National Post by Dr. John G. Stackhouse, Professor of Theology and Culture at Regent College in Vancouver, may well be the only sensible thing that has been written on Prime Minister Steven Harper’s recent communion “controversy”.
