I really dislike Martin Luther.
It's the whole package-- I don't like his looks. I don't like that he married a nun. I don't like that he broke the church.
Imagine my discomfort when I realized we had reached the Reformation in Story of the World.
I like this book for the most part. I've had a few uncomfortable moments when I felt like it was leaning towards the "Oh, these silly natives! *wink wink, nudge nudge*" style of writing, but for the most part, I've found it fairly well written.
But I must say, I didn't care for how this chapter was written. And I realized that, at the end of the day, every text has it's bias (or, as my husband reminded me, "All history is told with an agenda"), and SotW is no exception.
I'll admit, I skipped the poorly constructed analogy of the Catholic Church as the Evil Aunt who says she loves you but won't let you sit on her couch, and Luther and Protestantism as the Kindly and Loveable Aunt who gives you cookies and slips a ten in your pocket on the way out. And I went into a much more detailed explanation of indulgences that made my little Lutherans' eyes glaze over. And when Pastor Hubby came home, I made him teach it all over again, just to be sure I hadn't let my own biases get in the way.
We'll continue to explore this over the next few weeks, and I'll continue feeling uncomfortable. For the love of my children and husband, I'll also continue to look past my discomfort and try to teach this topic in a way that both honors the Church I love and respects a man who loved the faith enough to walk away from a Church he felt was obscuring the truth. Like much in our inner-faith marriage, it will be a balancing act, but God-willing, we'll make it through.
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14 years ago
2 comments:
Full disclosure: I love Luther. But maybe you could consider teaching the Protestant Reformation along with the Catholic Reformation? Luther did raise some valid criticisms of the church - it wasn't caring for the average Catholic in the pew in the way that it should have. The church took the Reformers' observations to heart and worked to strengthen itself and return to its own truest and best self.
That's actually a good point, and one I meant to post about. He did have some valid points, which probably makes it hurt a little more. SotW goes from Luther to Henry VIII, and then the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation. I think part of what made it hard was it left it hanging with the Church being evil and Luther being right. When we do this book again, I may have to mix things up a bit. And I never would have guessed that you loved Luther. ;)
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