Affect Of Reformation On Western World

Chronicle (Levin), 2 May 1949, Page 4

Affect Of Reformation On Western World

The Reformation of the Cbristian Church was a shattering experienee for the Western Wor'd, said Rev. A. Salmond nreaching in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Levin, yeslerday. "Being fwidamentally jeligious; the Reforma^ tion involved every aspect of man's. life, his politics- his economlcs and his culture,!'' In modern times Christigns' were thinking in terms of what united Ihem rather than in terms of what divided them* That was a good emphasis but it did not justify some fa'se historical judgments of the Reformation which were being given widesoread currency. To paint the mediaeval Church in gdlden' colours was as foolish a's to dessribe all reformers as supermen. ■'The amendment=>and reform of the Papaey from within . proying impossible, the" church oi Western Eurqpe had to be broken -and its uhity was broken at the Reformation. The Reformation made pqssible the cqunter Refqrmation, which did reform the Rcman Church. Burckhardt's remark was fully justified, said the speaker. The moral sawation of the Papacy was due tq its mo-rtal, enemies, True Christian unity was never fqrwarded bv false verdict-s on pasfc history.