by Graham

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: January 19, 2011

In 1520, Martin Luther wrote a treatise called "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church." In this essay, Luther out right calls the papacy and Rome Babylon and goes on to explain that they have strayed far enough to be called Antichrists as they instituted many sacraments and burdens on believers through their own power. This essay primarily deals with diminishing the sacraments from seven to three.

These three sacraments are the Eucharist, Baptism, and Penance.
In discussing the Eucharist, Luther chastises the clergy for with holding the wine portion of the elements from the laity. He calls this a sin since both the bread and wine should be given together as they are the body and blood of Christ. In all of this, he does not only chastise the local clergy but also criticizes the church calling the entire curia including the papacy tyrants since they are denying believers their scriptural freedoms which includes being able to fully take part in the Eucharist.

He even dismisses to the clergy and to the laity that going to mass is a good work and that piety is not found in the outward "ornaments" of man but that our eyes must be fixed on Christ alone through faith (153).

Baptism he speaks of as a sacrament that has not been defiled by man but has been given freely and it is a life long commitment to Christ. In the practice of Baptism ,though, the laity and clergy have to understand that this sacrament is not given by human hands. This sacrament was initiated by God and is completed by God merely using the baptizer as a vessel of His own hands. In discussing not only baptism but the other sacraments he explains that it is not these signs that are magical per se but they are signs given by the grace giver and they should ultimately point a believer to Him.

As far as penance goes, it is a sacrament openly added by Martin Luther and does not fit the exact definition of a sacrament which is a divine promise with a sign attached to it. Nonetheless, it is a sacrament that has been tainted by "Babylon" and has taken all scriptural freedom from the life of the believer. It is in these works that include contrition, confession, and satisfaction that one finds remission of sins rather than by faith alone in Christ. To the teachings of the church a heart must be intensely remorseful before being forgiven and for any satisfaction must perform pilgrimages or they must mortify the body in order to be forgiven. What Martin Luther does not dismiss is that a believer should confess to a priest in private or to a brother. It is good and proper for a person of faith to confess but it is still by our faith alone in Christ that justifies us.

The most striking element of this treatise is the explicit and blatant language that Luther uses against the papacy and Rome calling them Babylon and the Antichrist (196). His words strip the Pope of his power and give it back to the scriptures and to Christ and to His body. Not to say that this language is unjustified as it is probably coming out of holy anger as well as a scriptural basis but this reformer is fearless. He speaks boldly in the face of a power that has the capability to take his life. If he was trying to win the papists with flattery he lost, but if he was trying to persuade them through the use of scripture his arguments are quite solid and cannot easily be argued against today. However, I am sure that the word of the Pope is just as canonized as the scriptures during this period and so could be easily refuted by a Curia that didn't like Martin Luther. It is a powerful thing to hear someone stand up against such a huge, ancient power and declare freedom from their tradition, bulls, and "despotism".

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