This year marks five hundred years of the Protestant Reformation, which started with Martin Luther posting his famous 95 theses to the chapel doors of a Wittenberg church in Germany. Martin Luther was a German monk and professor of theology in the Church of Rome, who dared to challenge the church on its teachings. Luther was not a rebel but what happened in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517 triggered a tidal wave in Christendom. All Luther wanted was for Rome to correct teachings and practises he believed were erroneous. The movement that began 500 years ago transformed Christianity through the message of salvation by grace alone. At the heart of the protestant reformation was the belief in the authority and inerrancy of the scripture as the complete and only source of truth. The reformers challenged the Roman Catholic teaching on vital doctrinal matters on salvation and gave Protestantism its voice. From the 18th century, various Great Awakenings led to the growth of many denominations, including the Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals.


To understand the tremor that Luther unleashed with his 95 theses, we have to go back to the era he lived in when the Roman Catholic Church largely held sway over the hearts and minds of Western Europe for hundreds of years. Those who challenged the supremacy of the Church were labelled heretics, their property seized and they and their followers condemned to a horrible death. That was at the height of the papal power when the pope reigned supreme over Europe and kings and emperors trembled in his wake.

The sixteenth century were turbulent years for Christendom in Europe. The church was so gripped in worldliness that Erasmus, the Church of Rome’s greatest theologian and scholar of the day, cried out against the state of the priesthood: “no word of Christ is heard in the pulpit”, he lamented. “I doubt whether in the whole history of Christianity the heads of the church have been so grossly worldly as at the present moment”. Fast forward to 2017 and Erasmus would have been writing about churches in Africa where prosperity teaching has replaced the core message of salvation. Charlatans have taken over church pulpits, brandishing themselves as ‘man of God’, using fear, superstition and erroneous teachings to exploit their followers.

Although Luther had many concerns about the Church in his day, the sale of “indulgences” caused the most disquiet. An indulgence is a payment to the Church that supposedly granted remission from punishment for some types of sins or shortened the time loved ones spent in purgatory. Luther questioned the scriptural veracity of such claims and whether the church had biblical authority to grant indulgencies. He watched the church grow richer on the back of poor peasants buying indulgencies for dead relatives in the hope of saving their loved ones from purgatory. Reformers cried out against the commercialisation of the church and the plethora of fund-raising activities designed to exploit parishioners. With bitter sarcasm, Erasmus commented on the training of choir boys: “Money must be raised to buy organs and train boys to squeal…monks attend to nothing else; a set of creatures who ought to be lamenting their sins fancy they can please God by gurgling in their throats.”

Pious Dean Colet of St. Paul’s in London had much harsher words: “Oh priests! Oh priesthood! Oh, the detestable impiety of those miserable priests of whom this age of ours contains a great multitude, who fear not to rush into the temple of the church, to the altar of Christ, to the mysteries of God! Abandoned creatures, on whom the vengeance of God will one day fall the heavier, the more shamelessly they have intruded themselves on the divine office."

Now fast forward to 2017 and the state of churches in Africa and you will see stacking similarities. We see history repeating itself in our times with the abandonment of the gospel of salvation for another gospel that is centred on money; an erroneous gospel where Christ is seen as a butler, waiting on the material and covetous needs of the congregation, in exchange for money and on the command of the pastor. Reverent worship has been replaced by rock concerts and coercive fund raising.

Motivational speakers disguised as ‘men of God’ are springing up everywhere using scriptures wrongly to exploit the vulnerable. The greater part of their services is spent cajoling people to give, with the promise that God will recompense them tenfold in material wealth. The formula is so successful that native doctors are abandoning their grottos to set up churches. Churches have seemingly become where people come to double their money. In an environment of poverty, fear, and superstition, it is easy for these charlatans to sell this message to followers who sadly consume their every word, lock, stock and barrel.

This brand of prosperity Christianity, spurned by Luther five hundred years ago, first came to Africa from the United States. It has pervaded churches all over the African continent, led by billionaire Nigerian pastors and now being exported to the rest of the world. The teachings of these pastors are rooted and formed in superstition and avarice. Leaders of these churches are so rich from the exploitation of their congregation that like Peter and John in the Acts of the Apostles they cannot say to the lame beggar: ‘silver and gold have I none’ for they have much silver and gold and more besides.

The greater tragedy is what these false teachers are doing to families, breaking up marriages on account of their false visions and revelations. The most heinous of these crimes are perpetuated on poor and orphaned children who live with relatives as house-helps or servants. Confessions are bitten out of these poor children and they are blamed for all the ills of the family – from unemployment to sickness and bereavement. The fear of witches and demons now pervade the consciousness of church goers, fuelled by the teachings of these pastors. These so called men of God pervert the scriptures and make incredible claims of the powers they possess, even putting themselves on par with God. They make preposterous claims of healings that are only seen on television sets. Some even claim they can resurrect the dead. They brainwash a whole multitude of their followers, that nothing happens in life for natural reasons. The fact that a pastor quotes you a scripture verse, performs what may seem like a miracle or has ten thousand followers does not necessary mean he is genuine. Even Satan in his temptation of Christ quoted the scriptures.

As Christendom marks five hundred years of the protestant reformation, we need God so much in these day to stem the tide of charlatans and error that have taken over church pulpits in Africa. Believers need so much of wisdom and discerning minds to search the scriptures for themselves and see if what they’re being taught by their pastors are indeed true.

https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2017/12/16/africa-and-five-hundred-years-of-the-protestant-reformation-by-emmanuel-nwachukwu/

Martin Luther was the first successful reformer, but there were others before him who tried, but fall at last. There was an Ethiopian Monk named "Abba Estifanos". If his teachings included to worship God and God only. He told his followers not to bow to the emperor, the cross, Virgin Mary and others. If his teachings were to happen successful, it would had resulted in the reformation of the Ethiopian church 100s years before Martin Luther teachings reformed some European countries churches.

Hati13:
Martin Luther was the first successful reformer, but there were others before him who tried, but fall at last. There was an Ethiopian Monk named "Abba Estifanos". If his teachings included to worship God and God only. He told his followers not to bow to the emperor, the cross, Virgin Mary and others. If his teachings were to happen successful, it would had resulted in the reformation of the Ethiopian church 100s years before Martin Luther teachings reformed some European countries churches.

Didn't know the Ethiopian Orthodox had Mary like Catholics too.

Muafrika2:
Didn't know the Ethiopian Orthodox had Mary like Catholics too.

there's Roman Catholic and there's Greek Orthodox too,

Martin Luther was my friends sisters grandfather... something like that

Muafrika2:

Didn't know the Ethiopian Orthodox had Mary like Catholics too.

It had. By the way, the first church in Ethiopia that was built in 4th century AD (Aksum Mary Zion) was dedicated to her.

Don't your Christianity haven't Mary?

fellowman:


there's Roman Catholic and there's Greek Orthodox too,

True, but Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity is different from Greek and other Orthodox Christianity.

Hati13:

It had. By the way, the first church in Ethiopia that was built in 4th century AD (Aksum Mary Zion) was dedicated to her.

Don't your Christianity haven't Mary?

Not as elevated as they do in Catholic. She's just like other bible characters. No praying to her to tell her to pray for us. I think that keeps away people from reaching God by creating a barrier.

And I thought of trying Orthodox. Its now struck off my list.

Hail Mary full of grace the lord is with you
Ethiopian orthodox venerate Mary

Muafrika2:

Not as elevated as they do in Catholic. She's just like other bible characters. No prating to her to tell her to pray for us. I think that keeps away people from reaching God by creating a barrier.

And I thought of trying Orthodox. Its now struck off my list.

So, you are Protestant?

Hati13:

So, you are Protestant?

Yep.

For one good reason. My understanding of who God is only found in protestant's beliefs. I do study to understand myself so it's not just following people blindly.

Are there protestants in Ethiopia?

Muafrika2:

Yep.

For one good reason. My understanding of who God is only found in protestant's beliefs. I do study to understand myself so it's not just following people blindly.

Are there protestants in Ethiopia?

Yes Protestant give more attention to God, but what I don't like about it is it's ceremony (dancing, screaming,......).

Yes there are. There number is increasing. Most previously Orthodox Ethiopians in southern and central east Ethiopia are leaving for Protestant not primarily because are believing in it, but because they associate Ethiopian Orthodox with Amhara-Tigray and don't want to follow it.

How do your personality feel God? (I'm a doubter).

Hati13:

Yes Protestant give more attention to God, but what I don't like about it is it's ceremony (dancing, screaming ,......).

You could get a more reserved one. Some churches forbid dancing and yelling.

Yes there are. There number is increasing. Most previously Orthodox Ethiopians in southern and central east Ethiopia are leaving for Protestant not primarily because are believing in it, but because they associate Ethiopian Orthodox with Amhara-Tigray and don't want to follow it.

How do your personality feel God? (I'm a doubter).

God is hard to feel. He's not very dramatic.

The first time, I had my doubts and asked God to reveal himself. It took time before it happened. But one evening as I was passing by a group of students singing (boarding secondary school), I stopped to admire them, and as I did, something happened. I suddenly became conscious of God. I just believed he was God, and he was with me. All my doubts disappeared on that day. I never doubted God or my salvation again from that day.

Another time, I was studying scripture by myself in a room. I had been doing it for a while and by this time, I was really in it, and I could feel the words like I was making a conversation with God, discussing his word with him. In a flash of a second, the atmosphere changed and I felt like I was in a different realm or in a parallel reality kind of place. It was something like the moment at which the sun sets, the orange colour and it was just a good atmost here to be in. It scared me a little bit and it switched back to normal the moment I got startled.

I would say those two incidences kept me strong and focused on God.

There have been many moments like these that remind me of God and keep me learning more about him. Nowadays I depend more of faith. I think its part of growth. I woke up sick today for example, and was already pitying myself rolling in bed - thinking of not going to work tomorrow when I remembered ... there is God inside me ... and he has healing power. So I laid my hand on my head and commanded the sickness to go. I was up in about an hour, done a few things that I had not been able to.

Alot of things have happened too. By now, if I decided to leave God, it will not be because of doubt. It will just be heartless rebellion with full knowledge. He is now beyond any doubt.

Muafrika2:


You could get a more reserved one. Some churches forbid dancing and yelling.


God is hard to feel. He's not very dramatic.

The first time, I had my doubts and asked God to reveal himself. It took time before it happened. But one evening as I was passing by a group of students singing (boarding secondary school), I stopped to admire them, and as I did, something happened. I suddenly became conscious of God. I just believed he was God, and he was with me. All my doubts disappeared on that day. I never doubted God or my salvation again from that day.

Another time, I was studying scripture by myself in a room. I had been doing it for a while and by this time, I was really in it, and I could feel the words like I was making a conversation with God, discussing his word with him. In a flash of a second, the atmosphere changed and I felt like I was in a different realm or in a parallel reality kind of place. It was something like the moment at which the sun sets, the orange colour and it was just a good atmost here to be in. It scared me a little bit and it switched back to normal the moment I got startled.

I would say those two incidences kept me strong and focused on God.

There have been many moments like these that remind me of God and keep me learning more about him. Nowadays I depend more of faith. I think its part of growth. I woke up sick today for example, and was already pitying myself rolling in bed - thinking of not going to work tomorrow when I remembered ... there is God inside me ... and he has healing power. So I laid my hand on my head and commanded the sickness to go. I was up in about an hour, done a few things that I had not been able to.

Alot of things have happened too. By now, if I decided to leave God, it will not be because of doubt. It will just be heartless rebellion with full knowledge. He is now beyond any doubt.

What matters is to believe and since you believe, that is all that matters to you. I really wish I could strongly believe like, but I don't think this will happen (I'm already exposed to Alien theory and many other nasty things ).

What is God to you? Like is it Human like figure or figureless or Alien?

Hati13:

What matters is to believe and since you believe, that is all that matters to you. I really wish I could strongly believe like, but I don't think this will happen (I'm already exposed to Alien theory and many other nasty things ).

What is God to you? Like is it Human like figure or figureless or Alien?

Alien theory? When believing comes you won't know what happened to the theories. Its not a big deal.

That's a good question. At first, My perception of God was in the form of a spiritual human form but with power.

As I learnt of him, he is figure less. Able to mould himself into everything and into nothingness like simple peace, love, joy, hope, etc.

The human spirit is the same too. It is a power that has much influence over its surrounding. Evil or good.

You see, if everything came from God, then everything is a manifestation of God. Knowing this makes Christian life easy because you stop feeling that you are relating with someone in an alien universe guarded from men by high security angels. God is everywhere, even in the most evil place on earth you'll find him.

Muafrika2:

Alien theory? When believing comes you won't know what happened to the theories. Its not a big deal.

That's a good question. At first, My perception of God was in the form of a spiritual human form but with power.

As I learnt of him, he is figure less. Able to mould himself into everything and into nothingness like simple peace, love, joy, hope, etc.

The human spirit is the same too. It is a power that has much influence over its surrounding. Evil or good.

You see, if everything came from God, then everything is a manifestation of God. Knowing this makes Christian life easy because you stop feeling that you are relating with someone in an alien universe guarded from men by high security angels. God is everywhere, even in the most evil place on earth you'll find him.

Thanks for your responses. Hope we will see in a church someday.

Hati13:

Thanks for your responses. Hope we will see in a church someday.

Any time

I hope so ...

Hati13:

What matters is to believe and since you believe, that is all that matters to you. I really wish I could strongly believe like, but I don't think this will happen (I'm already exposed to Alien theory and many other nasty things ).

What is God to you? Like is it Human like figure or figureless or Alien?

I believed the US stopped the space exploration program for a reason, because they know that no alien can be found there, that's why they trying hard to control everyone's thinking. secondly the only time they will need that theory is after the rapture.