Is your comment just your assumption? Who says I
radically disagree with Luther? He is a believer isn't he?
I don't agree with his attitude toward the Jews and
some other issues but I think he knows what he's talking
about here. What fleshly calamities are you
referring to? judyt
On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 11:01:36 -0400 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
You quote someone with whom you so radically disagree? Poor old Martin -- he sufferes from the same fleshly calamities as the rest of us. JD
From: Judy Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Luther?s Discourse on Aristotle?s Teachings: The universities need a sound and thorough reformation. I must say so no matter who takes offence. Everything that the papacy has instituted or ordered is directed solely towards the multiplication of sin and error. Unless they are completely altered from what they have been hitherto, the universities will fit exactly what is said in the Book of Maccabees: ?Places for the exercise for youth, and for the Greekish fashion? (2 Macc 4:9,12) Loose living is practiced there, little is taught of the Holy Scripture or the Christian faith; the blind pagan teacher, Aristotle, is of more consequence than Christ. In my view, Aristotle?s writings on Physics, Metaphysics. On the soul, and Ethics, hitherto regarded as the most important, should be set aside along with all others that boast they treat of natural objects, for in fact they have nothing to teach about things natural or spiritual. Remember too that no one, up to now, has understood his teaching, but much precious time and mental energy have been uselessly devoted to wasteful work, study, and effort. I venture to say that a potter has more understanding of the things of nature than is written down in those books. It pains me to the heart that this damnable, arrogant, pagan rascal has seduced and fooled so many of the best Christians with his misleading writings. God has made him a plague to us on account of our sins. In his book, On the Soul, which is one of his best, the wretched fellow teaches that the soul dies with the body; and many have tried, in vain, to defend him. It is as if we did not possess the Holy Scriptures where we find a superabundance of teaching on the whole subject, of which Aristotle has not the faintest inkling. Yet this defunct pagan has attained supremacy; impeded and almost suppressed, the Scriptures of the living God. When I think of this lamentable state of affairs, I cannot avoid believing that the Evil One introduced the study of Aristotle. On the same principles his book on Ethics is worse than any other book, being the direct opposite of God?s grace, and the Christian virtues; yet it is accounted among the best of his works. Oh! Away with such books from any Christian hands. Let no one accuse me of overstating the case, or object that I do not understand. My dear Sir, I know well enough what I am saying. Aristotle is as familiar to me as to you and your like. I have read him and studied him with more understanding than did St. Thomas Aquinas or Duns Scotus. Without pride I can make that claim, and if needs be, prove it. It makes no difference that for centuries so many of the best minds have devoted their labors to him. Such objections do not affect me as at one time they used to do. For it is plain as the day that the longer the lapse of time, the greater the errors which abound in the world and the universities. I wold gladly grant the retention of Aristotle?s books on Logic, Rhetoric and Poetics, or that they should be abridged and read in a useful form to train young men to speak and preach well. But the comments and notes should be set aside and, just as Cicero?s Rhetoric is read without notes and comments, so also Aristotle?s Logic should be read in its simple form, and without the lengthy comments. But today no man learns from it how to speak or preach; the whole thing has become a mere subject of argumentation and a weariness to the flesh. (Martin Luther by John Dillenberger p470,471) ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
