Posted by Ray Kidder on 11/20/2008, 6:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Comparing the two Epistles"
71.191.64.72
Jim,
I have to wonder if much of the impetus of the Protestant Reformation was this doctrine you mentioned:
"If someone who was accused of being a Christian made a symbolic sacrifice to the emperor, that permanently removed them and they could never be a Christian again."
It is my understanding from reading your post that the Early Church doctrine changed such that a person who committed such an un-Christian act could later be officially received into the Church again if they showed signs of sincere repentance and participation in a re-induction ceremony. I doubt that by the time of Martin Luther, the Catholic Church never received those who were ex-communicated. OTOH, the ability to ex-communicate and receive those (who in their own judgment are deserving of this) may have been perceived by many Protestants as something where the church was taking over too much judgment in place of God.
Ray Kidder
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