This is an excellent quote from Gilbert K. Chesterton (as if excellent quotes are unexpected of him!)on the subject of "the Reformation".

In his autobiography (chapter viii titled "Figures In Fleet Street"), GK Chesterton said "I remember when he [Thomas Aquinas] was asked whether the Church was not corrupt and crying out for the Reformation, he answered with disconcerting warmth, 'Who can doubt it? How horrible must have been the corruption which could have tolerated for so long three Catholic priest like John Knox and John Calvin and Martin Luther."

Dear Damny,

I cam imagine that St. could have said that. But he lived in the thirteenth, not the sixteenth century. Nevertheless the main idea is true. The Protestant Revolt arose from a fight between Catholic clergy about the authority of the Pope. Priests like Knox and Luther opposed the Pope. I'm not sure that Calvin was a priest but he had been a seminarian. There were no Protestants before them--just small groups of heretics. These are the historical facts. At the same time one should remember that today the Evangelicals are in far more agreement with the Pope than many Catholics as far as the nature of marriage and morality is concerned. It seems that many Catholics are headed for Protestantism while many Protestants are headed for Catholicism. Rich Samtorum, as Catholic as a Catholic can be, is often mistaken for an Evangelical. Hopefully the Catholic Bishops are beginning to get more militant along with the Evangelicals about fighting for religious freedom. These are interesting times.

Dr. Geraghty

COPYRIGHT 2013

Click here to send this Question and Answer to a friend