BLOOD AND SIN OF THE CHURCH IN 16TH CENTURY: WITNESSES OF LIGHT

Written in 1996, but still makes sense, I hope

History of Christianity in 16th c. means two different things to Christians and unbelievers. Church historians of different denominations looks upon it as the history of triumph of either their denomination over others (Protestant over Roman-Catholicism) or of Christianity in general over some short-comings of previous epoch. They are fine in justifying everything which happened in 16th century. There are some disagreements between most angry representatives of different confessions: some Protestants think that Catholics were bad guys in 16th c., some Catholics think the same about Protestants, Eastern Orthodox enjoy only themselves. Unbelievers think that all Christians are blind and don't see that history of the 16th c. shows basic cannibalism of Christians. Unbelievers have peculiar vision of facts: burning of Servet by Protestants, Bruno by Catholics, extermination of Protestants in France and of Catholics in England. You will find quite another set of facts in Christian textbooks on history. Best of them don't blame Christians of other confessions, but still are silent about Christian faults.

Result is that non-believers simply are not interested in Christian vision of history. They lost hope to find sincere, clever and understandable answer to most common questions. On the 800 paged volume of Church history, created by German Catholics in 1967 (English translation 1980, the largest textbook on Church history), you will not find a word on extermination of Jews by Spanish inquisition. The result is not hatred to the Church but simply polite disinterest to her, similar to the politeness which gentleman shows towards a person who use dirty words. World simply ignore Christians, which is bad, because by this world ignores also Christ.

Church history becomes dull not only to non-believers but to Christians also. It doesn't say anything to our heart, and we still have the strongest feeling that explanations are correct, but something most important is simply out of the field of seeing. Humans are not interested in the history of organizations, even Church organizations. Interdenominational struggle, reformation movements of all sorts are only different forms of this phenomena. As forms they are interested to Christians only, they don't lead unbelievers inter esse, in the essence of Christian vision of life.

Humans are interested in humans. Humans observe that humans have been killed under Christian slogans in 16th century. It makes little difference for them that at the same time different Church were moving towards better understanding of their nature and mission. People don't want now or in some future to pay the same price for salvation. "If therefor the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness" (Mt. 6:23). If light of the earthly Church means fires, how great fires will be in the Hell.

Different facts from different Christian countries of 16th century must be rearranged in a new perspective, in order for Christians to understand themselves better. In England the State and the nation persecutes non-conformists and burns alive Catholic bishops. In Spain Philip II (with his false reputation of "indecisive and aloof" very decisively persecutes archbishop of Toledo Bartolomeo Carransa, struggles with Rome to protect his "rights" over the Church. In Russia Ivan the Terrible orders to kill head of the Russian Church Metropolitan Philip, kills lot of other Russian Orthodox hierarchs; in the end of 16th c. tsars makes Russian Church independent from Constantinople Patriarchate and fully at their disposal. In France, Scandinavian countries, everywhere in Christendom the same process take place: secular power with the full approvement of nations struggle with the independence and freedom of the Church, killing not only adherents of different denominations, but also leaders of "state" Christian confessions.

Tragedies of 16th century can be arranged in two groups. Absolute majority of persecutions have been the result of "we-them" psychology. But there had been also lot of persecution of "our own": Catholics by Catholics, Protestants by Protestants, Russian Orthodox by Russian Orthodox. Also a minor group, these facts are most interesting and have crucial importance. A man can be silent all his life, but if he pronounces only one word, he is not dumb. Government can persecute a lot of heretics, but if it persecuted only one orthodox, these persecutions must be looked upon not as aimed against heresy, but in a different way.

Arrangement of facts in such order is more adequate to their true essence and nature. Church struggle with non-conformists, that is true, but this is only a part of the State struggle for the dominance in all spheres of human existence. Christians has been not only (and not mainly) executioners, they have been victims., and, what is most important, they have been in essence victims not of religious intolerance, but of state and nation intolerance. Main enemy of human is not the Church and Heaven (if an enemy at all), but his own nation and state, his Earth. Pretensions to the Church are only projection of deeply hidden pretensions to the secular powers. It is easy to blame the Church, easy and unproductive, creating resentment ("even Christians...."). It is hard to blame the true aggressor, mighty state, much more mighty one's own nation and, last not least, sin in human's nature itself. But what the sense to attack secondary culprits, leaving aside primary ones?

Church history must less speak about Church ability to preserve in any situation and take advantage of it, must less speak on "we-Christians-are-always-right". Good news are not about Christians but about Christ. Good news are not about ability of the Church to reform herself, but about the final inability of the Light to cooperate with Darkness. Good news are illustrated not with the crimes of Christians, not with the crimes of the State, but with ability of Christians to repent, to see farer than this world, to inflict upon themselves irritation of those who strive for power and force.