✣ Pope commemorates Martin Luther
What happened?Pope Francis joined Lutheran leaders for a commemoration of Reformation Day in Sweden. October 31 was the 500th anniversary of the day Martin Luther is traditionally held to have begun the Reformation. The Pope joined Lutheran leaders for a prayer service in the Lutheran cathedral in Lund. The Pope also signed a joint statement with Bishop Munib Yunan, president of the Lutheran World Federation, which asked Christians to be “joyful and hopeful” in the “great journey ahead”.
What the international media said
In Sweden’s The Local, Catherine Marciano said the Pope’s visit “highlighted deep splits between the Vatican’s doctrine and Swedes’ way of life. A pioneer in women’s and LGBT rights, the Nordic nation’s Lutheran Church has been appointing female priests since 1960.” Nevertheless, the event was the culmination of “50 years of reconciliatory dialogue”.
In Deutsche Welle, Astrid Prange said the Pope’s openness to Lutherans showed he understood that Luther’s revolutionary spirit is still relevant. The modern world needs Luther, Prange said: “He is part of the German DNA, with many of his traits seen as ‘typically German’: conservative, principled, pugnacious. If he lived today, he would take issue with the UN Security Council, NATO and the spiritual leaders of all religions.”
What the blogosphere said
Russell Saltzman, a former Lutheran who converted to Catholicism, wrote at Aleteia.org that the Pope’s gesture was a “lament for all the trouble both sides had in understanding what the other was saying.” But even after this step, “I cannot help thinking of the number of twists and turns Lutherans themselves would have to take to again become Roman Catholics.”
At his blog, Fr Ray Blake took issue with the Pope’s suggestion that Catholics should “rejoice in the gifts that have come to the Church through the Reformation”. The Reformation damaged Scripture and tradition, and left many communities without Holy Orders and therefore the Eucharist, Fr Blake argued. It would be better to celebrate the Counter-Reformation, which gave Europe a “vibrant spiritual, intellectual and artistic life”.
The most overlooked story of the week
✣Doctors protest against new screening technique
What happened?Government plans for a new prenatal test for Down’s syndrome are facing a backlash from medical professionals. More than 300 doctors signed a letter objecting to the test after the Department of Health announced it would be approved. Opponents say it could lead to a generation of babies with Down’s syndrome being “wiped out”.
Why was it under-reported?
The new test will not be voted on by Parliament, so it has not become a flashpoint for political debate. The silence around abortion has helped to mute discussion. Campaigners fear that aborting children with Down’s syndrome will become even more common: in Iceland, which has the test, almost no babies are born with Down’s syndrome. When actor Sally Phillips, whose son has Down’s syndrome, drew attention to this risk, several commentators admonished her for not respecting “a woman’s right to choose”.
What will happen next?
Perhaps the most disturbing possibility, which is mentioned in the doctors’ letter, is that the abortion of the disabled will increasingly become a matter of financial calculation. Already the Royal College of Gynaecologists (RCOG) has suggested that the test could be cost-effective because it would reduce “the lifetime costs of caring for children and adults with Down’s syndrome”. Dr Helen McGarry, a GP in Newcastle, said the RCOG’s comments revealed “a terrible inbuilt prejudice towards people with disability”.
✣The week ahead
On Tuesday there will be a fundraising evening for the homelessness charity The Passage. Night Under the Stars, at the Royal Festival Hall, features songs from Broadway by Rodgers and Hammersteins and other American composers of the 20th century. Tickets range from £12-£60. See passage.org.uk/events/a-night-under-the-stars-2016/.
There will be a Deaf Community Mass at Westminster Cathedral Hall at 4:30pm on November 6. It is primarily for BSL users and their families but all are welcome. Mass is in BSL and spoken English. Enter via the choir school park.
On Saturday November 12 the Diocese of Portsmouth is hosting a conference in the Winchester Discovery Centre to discuss the papal encyclical Laudato Si’. Speakers of different faiths and none will make presentations. A panel discussion will be chaired by Bishop Philip Egan. To register email laudatosi12nov@gmail.com
