Another burning at the stake! This time it was an English Reformation holdout who wouldn't sign Henry VIII's six articles of faith of the English Church. Cromwell told his friend, "Henry's a Catholic at heart. He just doesn't want anyone else to boss him around." (paraphrase) Last night my husband and were watching episode four of the third season of THE TUDORS. This is a Showtime Cable series about the life and times of Henry VIII. It's portrayal of that era is racy at times, but I must say the program's depiction of the fighting within Christianity is the most interesting part of the series. Each episode features another group being killed.
In the prior episode before Cromwell's friend was burned at the stake, the leaders and followers of a Catholic movement to restore the monasteries in England called the "Pilgrimage of Grace," were all hung, including women and children. At the beginning of the series, Thomas Moore, who most Catholics regard as St. Thomas Moore was also burning men who the Catholic church considered heretics. In almost every episode someone from one side or the other of the debate over who is the "TRUE" religion is tortured and put to death for either heresy or treason. How this must have grieved the heart of God to see his children killing each other in his name. It is scary indeed, because I wonder if this can ever happen again? It was about 500 years ago, but are we still capable of killing each other in the name of Jesus? Now, I'm not talking about other religions, I'm talking about fellow Christians: Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox believers.
One of my favorite chapters in the New Testament is John 17. Jesus is at the last supper and praying for his disciples and future believers, (verse) "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 be brought to COMPLETE UNITY (my caps)to let the world know that you send me and have loved me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
Let us all pray that we, Christian believers, do become one, so our Daddy can smile and not pace the heavens because the kids are fighting.
Christians still kill each other, with our gossip, our name calling, our insults. Many times it's an internal fight (within a particular denomination). I relate to your review of the English killings, because as an Episcopalian, my church is historically linked to The Church of England. Sometimes battles are over doctrine. The fight can become a legal wrangle, over who keeps the church property when the members split. Doctrine is important, and necessary. But doctrine divides Christians. Ministry, in contrast, is a unifier. We put doctrinal differences aside to meet urgent human needs. Thanks for the post, Easter Eagle.
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