4


Of Man’s first Disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into the World, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, Sing, heavenly Muse.


In 2017 we celebrate the 350th anniversary of the pub- lication of Milton’s great epic poem Paradise Lost. This provides a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with this neglected masterpiece, built around the temp- tation of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 3).


October 2017


Paradise Lost - a staged reading Tom Bewley


Milton Mummers, an Oxford-based professional thea- tre group, under the direction of Thomas Bewley, have prepared an exciting hour-long programme to intro- duce audiences to the crafty plotting of the likes of Belial, Moloch and Beelzebub. At the same time, we shall provide a backdrop to the creation of Milton’s masterpiece in the turbulent 17th century.


There will be two performances in Abingdon: at Christ Church, in The New Barn, Northcourt Rd on October 12 (tickets: 07981 827595), and at St Helen’s, Abingdon on Tuesday 17 October (tickets: 01235 520144 or on the door), both starting at 7.30pm.


Martin Luther, Catholic Dissident Book Review by John Clare


This year marks the 500th anniversary of the beginning of what we call the Protestant Reformation, with the famous story of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses against indulgences to the Castle Church door in Wit- tenberg on October 31st 1517. Not surprisingly there has been an outpouring of literature this year to commemorate the event, but what is perhaps more surprising is the interest it has aroused in this secular minded age, especially of course in Germany but even in this country as well.


This interest has not been shown by the Protestant polemic which would have marked it in the past, but in a much more ecumenical approach to Luther, involving Roman Catholic as well as Protestant scholars and writers. Peter Stanford’s book defi- nitely falls into line with this, and the subtitle Catholic Dissident shows it. Stanford, a former editor of the Catholic Herald, is a Roman Catholic who is fascinated by Lu- ther and firmly believes in his rele- vance to the Church today. Stanford is a sympathetic critic who makes no attempt to white- wash Luther’s faults but who is still impressed by his virtues. His book is aimed not so much at Luther schol- ars but at a wider general readership.


Stanford takes us through the episodes of Luther’s life, and what an extraordinary life it was. Luther, unlike other revolutionary figures, did not set out to overturn the state of affairs he found himself in but strove to use


whatever influence he had to bring it into conformity with what he saw as the will of God. So the story be- gins with Luther’s origin as the son of a Saxon miner, his relationship with his father, his decision to become a monk and his failure to put himself right with God with all the austerities he practised in his monastic vocation. What changed his direction was his ap- pointment as professor at Witten- berg University and his study of St Paul’s epistles, especially to the Romans and Galatians.


Stanford shows how Luther’s aca- demic studies interlocked with his desperate personal needs. His breakthrough came with his grasp that the Greek word translated as justice in the Latin, describing a God keen to punish breakers of His laws, should be translated as right- eousness. God yearns to forgive sinners not punish them. Sinners cannot appease God by their deeds but must respond to God’s love through trust in Jesus Christ and what He has done for them by His


sacrifice on the Cross. This leads to the doctrine of Justification by Faith, which lay behind all Luther’s teaching and was the key to the whole Reformation. Salvation comes through the grace of God alone, through faith alone and through the Scriptures alone.


Luther’s attack on indulgences, especially their sale, led to conflict with church authorities: his 3 great pam- (Continued on page 5)


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8