Ecce Fides - Pillar of Truth - St. Patrick's Basilica

Gospel message, so it seems. But in reality, even among the strictest of fundamentalist, divergent beliefs
abound.
Protestantism, although not conscious of it at the time of the Reformation, was doomed to failure from
the start when it rejected the authority of the successors of the apostles.
Luther, the first Protestant, during a moment of depression, recognized the damage that he had begun
when he saw denominations popping up in every place. During a moment of self-reflection, he wrote:
Who called you to do things such as no man ever before? You are not called.... Are you
infallible?.... See how much evil arises from your doctrine.... Are you alone wise and are all
others mistaken? Is it likely that so many centuries are wrong?.... It will not be well with you
when you die. Go back, go back; submit, submit (Grisar Hartman, Luther, St. Louis: Herder Book
Co., 1914, II, 79; V, 319ff).
What gave rise to the birth of Protestantism?
Humanism
The development of the initial pangs of humanism brought to the fore the milieu for the birth of
Protestantism. The sixteenth century exemplified a shift from the supernatural to the natural, from a Godcentered
world to a person-centered world. For Luther and Calvin a man chose his religion for himself,
instead of accepting a religion revealed and dictated by God. The emphasis was no longer on religion
changing a person as much as a person changing religion.
The outcome of this line of thinking is the development of religious truths based on the thoughts
and personal inspirations of varying individuals—thus 33, 000 mainline denominations.
Scholastic Deterioration
Scholasticism which had always been at the heart of Catholic theology was now viewed as passé.
Nominalism was now in vogue, and this Nominalism would have a profound impact on the birth of
Protestantism.
Scholasticism emphasized the relationship between faith and reason. For Scholastics faith and
reason could never contradict.
Nominalism however was more subjective. The human mind was subject to distortion. Faith and
reason could contradict each other. The power of reason was subject to flaws--hence, the Protestant
doctrine of sola fides, by faith alone. Since one cannot depend on reason, one must depend on faith alone.
Pseudo-Mysticism
The spirituality of the time was marred by skepticism and a discomfort with reason. A strict
understanding of “original sin” and concupiscence would infect many. For many “original sin” had
completely destroyed human nature--free will, reason, and the ability to do good was thus extinguished.
The core of Protestantism could be found in the thoughts of pseudo-mysticism, predestination and faith
alone.
In Catholic spirituality, by contrast, “original sin” had only wounded human nature not destroyed
it, leaving the person basically good. A person’s free will and his or her ability to reason was not destroyed,
albeit inclined to error and sin.
Clerical Laxity
The two hundredth and fourteenth pope, Alexander VI, was a weak and immoral man. While he
protected the faith infallibly, he was subject to many human weaknesses. He fathered several illegitimate
children and thus betrayed his vow of chastity; he sought after wealth and denied his vow of poverty; he
engaged in bribery, nepotism, simony, and the misuse of indulgences. He also was associated with
mysterious deaths. He died by poisoning.
The bitter legacy of Alexander VI’s sinfulness would be responsible in great part for the heresy of
Protestantism some fourteen years later.
The clergy of the time had fallen to its lowest level in Christian history. Priests were enmeshed in
secular humanism and secular pursuits. They disregarded their clerical clothing, abandoned their prayers
and their concern for their parishioners. They openly rejected clerical celibacy and sought after wealth. It
was not unusual to see Cardinals at the age of thirteen.
Between 1049 and 1274 the Church had seventy-four canonized bishops. Between 1378 and 1521 the
Church had four. The Church had fallen to its most severe level of debauchery.
Abuse of Indulgences
The problem with indulgences, prior to the Protestant Reformation, was not so much a problem of
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