The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Almost Every Leader of the Reformation Attacked?

We could say there were several critical issues in the Reformation. However, if we had to pick one, what would it be? What was most discussed at the beginning, Calvin's time? (this will be difficult for some because of the phraseology of the question, sorry, but I have stated it just as I received it).

Critical Issue of the Reformation single choice
	Total Depravity
	Unconditional Election
	Limited Atonement
	Irresistible Grace
	Perseverance of the Saints
	Justification by Grace Alone
	Baptism
	Eucharist
Votes accepted starting: Sat Jun 04, 2005 1:00 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I would just like to add another vote concerning the most critical issue of today when it comes to the reformed faith.

My vote is for Unconditional Election. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

But I would add that "Justification by Grace Alone" is still pretty hard to truly understand and embrace for new believers.

Dave.

Based on the wording of the question, my vote is for “Total Depravity”. Though the Reformation began with a controversy over indulgences (95 Theses) and man’s ability to buy his salvation..this led to the question...How is One Saved..? This question naturally led to the man’s spiritual condition and the related question of “free will”. Thus you have Erasmus writing “On Free Will” and Luther’s The Bondage of the Will”.

Dave

You emphasized Calvin's time, so I took that as being the time limiting factor and the period one should focus their attention on. Thus, I voted for the Eucharist, although there were a number of other doctrinal issues being debated, e.g., "predestination"; cf. Calvin vs. Pighius in [i]The Eternal Predestination of God[/i].

Joe,

One clarification, please? By "most discussed" are you thinking primarily within the Reformed community, or primarily between Reformers and Catholics, or both?

Paul S.

Both, but the answer becomes clearer IMO if we stress "between Reformers and Catholics."

I picked "Justification by Grace Alone" because it is the most important concept for my own edification and joy.


Denny

Roms 3:22-24

I chose "Total Depravity" although I could have also selected "Justification by Grace Alone" because they are two facets of the same jewel. The reason I chose total depravity is that man can do nothing to buy his own salvation which was being taught by the Roman Catholic church and rejected by the Reformers. Luther taught that man was saved by faith apart from works. The doctrine of justification by faith alone was the key teaching that upset the papacy and got Luther thrown out.


Wes

It should be noted that the Reformation was not initially intended to overthrow the Catholic Church, but rather, to reform it. Most see Luther and Zwingli as the first generation of Protestant Reformers and Calvin followed them (many forget about JOHN WYCLIF: The Morning Star of the Reformation). One of the central issues of the Reformation concerned the nature of sacraments as instruments of salvation and expressions of grace. In addition, among the “captivities” of the Eucharist cataloged by Luther in his treatise on the “Babylonian Captivity” were the withholding of bread from the laity. It is known that Luther and Zwingli disagreed about the sacraments. Calvin (who had extraordinary interest in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper) attempted to strike a somewhat middle path between Zwingli and Luther. Furthermore, for Calvin, the Eucharist is a key component of sanctification. All the Reformers attempted to make the Supper more frequent in the churches as sanctification remained a key issue. Moreover, the Table was seen as a table of unity. The Diet of Ratisbon in order to produce concord between the Catholics and Protestants, had as its main subject – the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the correct answer.