Calvin Treatise on Relics
According to Calvin Treatise on Relics, the act of worshiping heroes is based on human feelings of love, gratitude, and that also that feeling of admiration. These feelings are not different from other types of emotions. When practiced without proper control, they can easily result in exaggerated effects hence causing some hazardous consequences. It is an explanation for the rise of paganism from the Christianity religion. The pagans continued to worship gods and demigods because of these feelings that were practiced without control.
Similarly, some men who have deserved some form of gratitude from other men hence raising their ranks among other men who are their equal creatures. This happens when some men provide some service to the community, and these services appear to be extraordinary from the capability of common men. When individuals can do the extraordinary in the human population, they attract love, admiration, and they deserve some sort of gratitude and praise from other men. Christian martyrs are an excellent example of such people. It results in continued love and admiration for the martyrs turned them into demigods among some of the Christians who tend to worship some of the Christian martyrs. It has, therefore, over time, been very natural that the memory of such beings is held intimately to the lives of believers. The lives of such martyrs have been presented in churches as a way of strengthening the weak in faith. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
From the Bible, there were several events of martyrs, including the first famous martyr, St Stephen, and also St James, who was murdered by King Herod (In the Old Testament). However, despite their relevance and high profile among other characters in the Bible, they were not used in any church ceremony to strengthen the faith of the believers. There is no one presented event when the martyrs and their sufferings were invoked by the apostolic church. If the apostolic church had recognized them in its procedures, then it would be an event significant enough to be mentioned by the inspired writers of the book. It would have been an event that carries more weight than some of the events recorded in the Bible. Therefore, if it was really practiced, it could also have been recorded in the Bible. St Clement was a bishop in Rome. He wrote a letter to the Corinthians because of some disturbances in his church. Frequent cases of martyrdom caused that. In his letters, Clement taught the Corinthians about Epistle of St Paul. Paul was also a martyr under the reign of Nero. He praises St Paul because of finding the strength to withhold his faith even in case of death. However, Clement does not talk of anything that related to invoking the intercession of St Paul’s martyrdom in the church.
Further, St Paul, Being the founder of their church, would have provided a good reason for being invoked in the church. But this did not happen. On the contrary, he prayed to God for them.
On The Invocation, Veneration, and Relics of Saints, And On Sacred Images
In the Catholic Church, the holy council commands that the faithful should be instructed diligently on matters that concern invocation. The teachings instruct the faithful that the saints that are close to Jesus offer their prayers directly to God. They play a significant role during prayers as they help the believers obtain favors from God through the help of the saints. There are several questions asked by the Catholic Holy Council.
- Who refuses that the saints who live eternally with God to be invoked?
- If they live with God, what is the problem with them helping their fellow men?
- How is it an act of worship asking the saints to pray for each individual?
- How does it oppose the word of God, or is it inconsistent with the honor of the mediator between God and man?
The Catholic Holy Council also advocates for the veneration of bodies of Holy martyrs and other saints living with Christ. There are many benefits accrued from Cveneration and honoring them. The Catholic holy council instructs its faithful that the images of Jesus Christ and Mary mother of God are to be maintained in the prayer houses. Such images deserve ultimate respect, honor, and veneration. However, the Holy Council is evident in its message that there is not divinity or virtue is believed to be in them. The images are not subject to any kind of worship, and no trust is to be laid upon the pictures. The usage of images in prayers has nothing to do with the ways of Gentiles. The Gentiles placed their hope and faith in idols. Catholic bishops are allowed to teach the believers with the help of the images and paintings as it is instructed in articles of faith. More so, belief is carried in mind, but it is also required to be reflected on. The images are significant in that they remind the believers of the blessings bestowed by God to humankind.