![]() Neither Eck nor Melanchthon was pleased with the “long-winded and highly ambiguous article.” Their insistence on its inadequacy led the group to set the book aside in favor of open discussion. On the next day, April 28, attention turned to the controversial matter of justification. The first four articles, dealing with the creation of humans and their state before the fall free will the cause of sin and original sin went uncontested and unchanged by both groups. To the surprise of many in attendance, theological discussion revealed a considerable amount of agreement. The theological meeting came to be called the Colloquy of Regensburg. Cardinal Gasparo Contarini was papal legate, advising Catholic debaters behind the scenes. For the Roman Catholic Church were Johann Eck, Johann Gropper, and Julius Pflug. Philip Melanchthon, Martin Bucer, and Johann Pistorius represented the Protestants (a young John Calvin was present on the sideline). On April 21, 1541, the Emperor announced their names. This was a gathering of the Protestant intelligentsia bright sparks from both sides were chosen to participate. All of this meant that Charles V’s dream of unification among Catholics and Protestants was no small feat. Moreover, doctrinal slogans such as sola fide (faith alone) had become familiar throughout Europe. In 1530 Melanchthon finished editing the Augsburg Confession John Calvin completed his first edition of his magnum opus, Institutes of the Christian Religion, in 1536. Meanwhile, by the 1540s Protestant churches had established their basic theological convictions. Given the integral relationship of churc h and state in the pre-modern era, religious solidarity between Roman Catholics and Protestants was an important step toward the goal of political coherency in Europe. The Emperor simultaneously engineered a theological conference at Regensburg to accompany diplomatic sessions. ![]() The Original Evangelicals and Catholics TogetherĬontarini’s opportunity to engage Protestants in ecumenical dialogue came in April 1541 when Charles V organized an imperial conclave to unify his empire against threats from the outside. But unlike Luther, it also inspired an ecumenical spirit. The 20th-century Catholic historian Hubert Jedin has described it as a “tower experience.” As with Luther, this awakening led Contarini to a doctrine of imputation. ![]() It was “on Holy Saturday of 1511” when he “experienced a moment of illumination” that was likened to Luther’s epiphany, where “he was fully convinced that salvation could not be won by any human act but was God’s free gift and, as in Luther’s case, this conviction was accompanied by a perception that the monastery could not, for himself, procure an eternal blessedness.” This discovery left Contarini awestruck. Like Luther, Contarini’s crisis revolved around the question of how one secures divine forgiveness.Ī ray of hope eventually pierced Contarini’s dark cloud of doubt. This news deeply troubled Contarini and led him to reexamine his faith. On one occasion, his friend Tomasso Giustiniani wrote Contarini distressed that the Camaldoese Order of Hermits, which Giustiniani had recently entered, failed to provide certainty of salvation. Contarini Among FriendsĬontarini enjoyed discussing theology with friends. While much can be said about his career as an imperial diplomat, his elevation to the role of cardinal (1535), and his advocacy of the new Jesuit order (1540), we shall focus on his interaction with Protestants around the gospel. Trained in philosophy at the University of Padua, Contarini (1483-1542) became a champion of evangelical renewal in Italy. What is the fundamental difference between Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant faith? The story of Cardinal Gasparo Contarini at Regensburg illustrates the answer. Castaldo highlights some fundamental divisions among Protestants and Catholics by exploring the role of one Catholic cardinal at Regensburg. We are pleased to share a recent piece at The Gospel Coalition by Chris Castaldo, with the permission of Castaldo and Dr.
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