I’VE BEEN READING ABOUT THE REFORMATION
THE MORNING STARS THAT PRECEDED IT
LIKE HUS AND WYCLIFFE
ABOUT NOBLES WHO KEPT A HOUSE PRIEST
WHO AFTER DALLYING WITH THEIR MISTRESS
WOULD CONFESS
AND BE RIGHT AGAIN
ABOUT HOW MANY MOVEMENTS
BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
CALLED FOR ITS RETURN
TO EARLY POVERTY
SO THAT CHURCH LIFE
MIGHT MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE
PEOPLE’S LIFE
AND BE TAUGHT THEM IN A LANGUAGE
THEY COULD UNDERSTAND
BUT AFTER THE BREAK
ARE WE ANY BETTER
DO WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR
AS OURSELVES
IF HE IS DIFFERENT
IN FAITH
RACE
NATIONALITY
DO WE PREACH LOVE
AND PRACTICE HATRED
IF CHRIST CAME
WOULD WE KILL HIM FOR BEING A JEW
AS WE KILLED SIX MILLION CHRISTS
AND THE CHURCH WAS SILENT
MILLIONS OF AFRICANS
ARE DYING NOW
SO FEW CARE
WE’D RATHER INVADE A COUNTRY FOR OIL
BUT WHEN CHURCH AND STATE ARE JOINED
WE HAVE LUTHER BETRAYING THE PEASANTS
OR COUNSELING THE PRINCE
TO PRACTICE ADULTERY
QUIETLY
AND FINALLY
AGREEING TO DIVORCE
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BROKEN LANDSCAPE
OF THE CHURCH
EACH ONE LOOKING AT THE SHATTERED SHARD
OF THE MIRROR
SAYING
THEIRS IS THE TRUE REFLECTION
HOW MANY FACES HAS THE TRUTH
BUT ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING
WE’VE HAD DISSENSION
WE’VE HAD
PAUL VERSUS PETER
JEW VERSUS GENTILE
PURE VERSUS IMPURE FOOD
WOULD NOT A BETTER LITMUS TEST BE
NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE
BUT WHAT WE DO
DOES KNOWING THE HYPOSTATIC UNION
MAKE ONE HOLY
IS IT NOT BETTER
TO LIVE THE WORD
AND WHAT IS THAT WORD
WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS
LOVE GOD
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
THE REST IS COMMENTARY
FRANK A VOLLMER
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