Current Reflections

Doctrine to Die For

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:34:12 -0500

When we think of the Reformation, the fist people who usually come to mind are the great European reformers – Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Beze. We may also think of key places such as Wittenberg and Geneva, but it is probably unlikely that the country of Italy enters our thoughts except with reference to Catholicism, the very religion in need of reform. Yet at that time, a vibrant reform movement was emerging within Italy which produced many men and women who believed deeply in the Scriptures and stood by their doctrinal convictions. Italian reformers like Peter Vermigli, Pietro Vetori, Pompeo Diodati, Ochino Benedetto and others, were pearls of Protestant faith, hidden under the tight grip of the papacy and still ministering in the midst of great difficulty, some even at the cost of their lives.
Similar to the reform movement in other European countries, in Italy an example had been set by forerunners such as Savonarola and Domenico Buonvicini. These pre-reformers cleared a cultural space on which to construct a platform for personal faith and public proclamation. The cost was high. To speak out against political and religious corruption would come at a precious price. Savonarola (cover photo is a statue of Savonarola in Ferrara, his home town) was burned in a public square in Florence. Aonio faced a similar fate in Rome, first hung and then burned at the stake. If it were a matter of ecclesial polity or disagreement about traditions of worship the outcome would have been considerably different. But this was not the subject of their conviction. Their focus was the authority of Scripture in the formation of Christian doctrine. Of these doctrines, justification was the foremost.
The most formative document of the Italian reformation was a booklet on justification, entitled “The Benefit of Christ’s Death.”1 The impact of this work on Italian Protestant faith cannot be underestimated. It permeated other writing of its day and sounded a theme which was taken up in the preaching of many influential priests. The booklet is biblically rich, systematic in logic, and directed towards personal transformation. In every chapter, it is pastorally devotional and theologically articulate. Some intrigue surrounds the books author, because it was first published anonymously for fear of persecution. Given the clarity of its teaching on justification by faith alone and its appeal to the authority of the Scriptures, there was an awareness that repercussions for its publication would be fierce.2
The Beneficio begins with a treatment of Original Sin and the function of the law in the Old Testament to lay the groundwork for justification by faith. Replete with Scriptural quotations and allusions, it proceeds to prove how Jesus is the sole source of our forgiveness and justification. The conclusion is pastoral and evangelistic, explaining what the effects are of being clothed with Jesus and then giving a practical section on “remedies against distrust.” It expressed the clearest reformation doctrine on justification than any other Italian writing. So compelling was the argument of this little booklet that little time passed before the eye of Rome was searching for and burning every copy it could find.3
The Beneficio is a demonstration of Italian Protestant faith which sought to exalt Christ and testify to the power of the gospel to transform lives even when unpopular and opposed. Italian men and women in all walks of life - poets, aristocrats, philosophers, preachers, small group leaders - lived and expressed their faith against fierce opposition when the surrounding culture saw them as fools. But they were unashamed, knowing that the gospel “is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe” (Rom. 1:16).
Today Italian believers still have the opportunity to understand the wonder of what Christ has done for them and exalt His name to their fellow countrymen. While cultural religion has shifted from the days of The Beneficio, the message of the gospel is still the same and the cost of sharing it still high. Social ridicule, family tension, and economic hardship are some of the realties Italian Evangelicals face while living out their faith. Those who have gone before them demonstrated a vibrant allegiance to the gospel, the central doctrines of our Christian faith, even to the point of death. May their faithfulness spur us on, and may our testimony bring honor to our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 The original title was Trattato utilissimo del beneficio de Giesu Christo crucifisso verso i Christiani, - “Useful tract on the benefit of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Christians.” It is simply referred to in literature as The Beneficio. The most accessible reprinting is in Because of Christ: Living out the Gift of God through Faith. ed. by James M. Houston, Victor Books, 2005.
2 There are at least three figures identified with its authorship: Aonio Paleario, Ochino Benedetto, and probably more likely Benedetto Fontanini. It has also been suggested by Thomas Mayer that The Beneficio is a “collective effort with deep and broad roots.” The work was edited by Marcantonio Faminio in 1540, and possibly also by others. Most of the information about The Beneficio is in Italian, except for Felon’s book Heresy and Obedience in Tridentine Italy, Cambridge University Press, 1972.
3 It is estimated that over 60,000 copies were burned. On July 21st, 1546 the book was officially condemned by the Catholic Church in the Index librorum prohibitorum. So ardently did they search and destroy the booklet that it vanished until 1855, when a copy was uncovered at St. John’s College in Cambridge.

Sacred Space in a Secular Land

Sun, 6 Jul 2008 13:16:19 -0500

More than the food and music, every year tourists flood the country of Italy for its rich religious monuments. Churches, cathedrals, monasteries and baptisteries pervade the landscape of the country from north to south. The breathtaking art and stunning architecture of these buildings has shaped not only the geography of the country but also its religion and history. From the earliest Christians, there remains trace of their faith in the catacombs of Rome and the coliseums of their persecution. In the dawn of Constantine’s empire, churches filled the city centers of virtually every Italian town. Mosaics, bronze door engravings, sculptures and statues represent the infusion of Christian beliefs into every area of popular culture.

Today ironically, Italy’s faith can be seen by the disrepair, empty and unkempt catholic churches. The secular paradigm that swept through Italy and all of Western Europe has emptied many buildings of their worshipers. In France, less than 5 percent of Catholics regularly attend church, and in the Czech Republic less than 3 percent. In Italy the numbers are a little higher, ranging from 20 to 30 percent (in large part this number is comprised of the elderly). But for the country of Vatican City, where to be Italian is to be Catholic, these numbers are shocking.

In February of 2007, Newsweek International published an article concerning the decay and disuse of church building throughout Europe (Remodeling the Churches by William Underhill). It argued that to run and maintain these buildings was an increasing burden for a number of the local dioceses. In 1990 a single diocese in the Czech Republic sold over 150 vicarages to individuals. The same began to happen around Europe with its historic cathedrals. Restaurants, clubs, cafés and even circuses have bought these buildings for private business. In effect making the sacred, comic.

But there is more than secularism that can be seen in the empty cathedrals. A strong religious undercurrent in Europe and Italy is emerging; the presence of Islam. While Europeans might not be going to church any longer, hundreds of thousands of religious Muslims are filling the urban centers. It is not a historically foreign reality that a Christian church should be converted into a Muslim Mosque. Hagia Sophia is arguably the greatest witness of this phenomena. While Islam is still not a recognized religion in Italy, there are over 500 Islamic centers throughout the country. As the religion of the country changes, so does its art and architecture. Where once a historic Christian cathedral stood, now hundreds of Muslims bow for prayer.

Many view this change as threatening to the very identity of Western Europe, an even more fundamental reality must be examined. What is “sacred space”? When the bible speaks of “sacred space” it does so principally in terms of people, not places. This is true in both Old and New Testament, but most clearly taught in the Epistles. Paul uses architectural language to describe the local gatherings of believers. In Ephesians Paul reminds the believers that they are “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (2:20-22). The church in Ephesus was not principally an edifice, but a personal, corporate, growing and spiritual location, in which God resided. In the language of Peter the church is formed of “living stones” which are “being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The OT language of religious ritual was appropriated by Peter to demonstrate that true worship of God always happened among people not Tuscan marble or ancient mosaics.

While Italy’s ancient and religious architecture is beautiful and even devotional, it is not the appointed means of praise. God longs for a people, sincerely devoted to Him, in which His Spirit resides. Paul preached this truth to the Athenians when he said, “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breadth and everything” (Acts 17:24-25).

On your next visit to Italy, while admiring the marvelous ancient and religious constructions, or when pondering the striking absence of their worshipers, remember that there is another kind of architecture of far greater importance. The danger is not finally about Mosques replacing Cathedrals, but men, women, and children who do not know the Savior and whose life is not a “spiritual temple” for the Lord. The greatest construction in Italy is not religious monuments but church planting.

La Bella Figura

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 20:52:32 -0500

Since the mid-thirteenth century a festival of great sights and sounds has adorned the enchanting city of Venice, Italy. It is the Carnevale di Venezia (Carnival of Venice) in which all manner of town folk dress in bright costumes and wear ornate masks. The mask, portraying countless expressions and embellished with gold leaf and plumes, characterize this festival. Originally, however, the masks were not overly ornate and were not even confined to a given carnival. Other than on religious holidays, Venetians were allowed to dress with cloaks and masks throughout the year. This strange cultural custom functioned to cover, or hide, ones real identity, while still giving them an opportunity for social interaction. Ones real character and disposition were masked in order to portray a different or false reality. With a mask the poor could interact with the rich or commoners with the nobility. But with a mask, a husband could also flirt with other women and convicts could escape public scorn.

The parochial carnival of masks was not impeded by social liabilities because it appealed to one of the countries highest values, la bella figura. This simple phrase touches the heart of an Italian cultural norm. La bella figura roughly means “good image” or “beautiful appearance.” To give a bella figura is to appear in social settings with elegance, poise, and a refined comportment appropriate to each setting.
Anyone who has visited Italy will undoubtably have recognized the charm and public charisma in the most ordinary people: side walk vendors, baristas, shop clerks, and street performers. While these, and many other Italians, are not typically walking around with Venetian masks, their public persona often hides deep brokenness, personal depression, family decay, and spiritual despair.
An elegant Venetian mask, garlanded by a cheerful smile from ear to ear, easily conceals expressions of sadness or pain. But the wearing of physical masks is a mere manifestation of a larger human response to the ugliness of sin. To cover and conceal their sin was the first recourse of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:7). They hid from the presence of God (Gen. 3:8). But in His mercy, God came for them and called to them, saying, “Where are you?” This magnificent divine question reverberates throughout the biblical story line in the countless actions and words (laws, prophecies, promises) by which God was unmasking the sinfulness of His people and restoring His image in them.

Ultimately and supremely in Christ Jesus, God forgave trespasses, canceled the record of debt, set aside their condemnation, and disarmed the evil forces of sin (Col. 2:13-15). Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, a new creation was formed in and for those who receive Him by faith (2 Cor. 5:17). Their hiding is over. Their masks are broken. Jesus, who is the perfect and full image of God, now shines in the faces of those who have received Him. These, “with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18).

Those who are “hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3) no longer need masks. Their striving after la bella figura (the beautiful image) is ended because they have been made la vera figura (the real image) in Christ. While visiting Venice and enjoying its sights and sounds, especially those colorful and ornate masks, remember to look beyond images and facades to the real condition of Italian hearts. Many are still in need of the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4). Only in Him can their sin be forgiven and God’s image restored in their lives.