Augustinian Order ashamed of Luther, will not be celebrating Reformation

Luther's former Order sees reformers critically

For the Augustinian Order, the anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation is no reason to celebrate. For her former member, Martin Luther, not only left the order, but also harmed many monasteries.

The Augustinian Order critically assesses the Reformation initiated by its former member, Martin Luther. The Wittenberg theologian had not only turned away from the Augustinians personally, but had "condemned the religious life" with all his might "and promoted a mass flight from the monasteries. "The damage to the Order and the religious life in Germany was enormous", writes the General Prior of the Augustinian Order, Alejandro Moral Anton, in a contribution to the Vatican newspaper, "Osservatore Romano" (Thursday).

Augustinians do not want to celebrate Reformation

The Order has "no reason to celebrate the beginning of the Reformation 500 years ago, but certainly to remember it," says Moral. The head of the Order referred to "positive aspects", such as the appreciation of the individual, the central position of the Bible and a liturgy close to the people, but also the development of a sense of community and "healthy secularity". A central point in Luther's thinking, the grace in the doctrine of justification, is "in the Augustinian line."

Luther undoubtedly triggered a "religious crisis". This was the reason "not for a secularism, but for the process of secularization and the birth of a new Europe". At the same time, the Order emphasized that Luther had signed "Martin Luther, Augustiner" until 1521, and until 1524 he had worn the clothing of his order and kept the habits of his monastic life until the end of his life .

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