Solely Sola Scriptura?
Progressive rock artist Neal Morse stirs some controversy between his unorthodox view of the Trinity and a Reformation themed concept album that swipes at Catholic Church history.
Stan Friedman | posted 4/23/2007

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Is the criticism fair that the story of Martin Luther and the Reformation often neglects the shortcomings of the reformers?
Morse I don't really want to focus so much on Martin Luther and the Catholic Church, but on what is the spirit of the corrupt church and what is the spirit of the true church? My thought is that there is this spirit in the church that wants to kill everything that isn't like it. Even the reformers had it, and the reform churches may still have it.
When do you believe the corruption of the church began?
Morse It seems to me that there was a steady decline. My goal is to have people step back and take a look at the big picture. What are the fruits of this declining church?
Why did you include liner notes about Martin Luther's anti-Semitic comments?
Morse I was pretty much done with the album. Then one day I was looking for something on the Internet, and came across these anti-Semitic remarks by Martin Luther, and I was really disheartened and felt strongly that I should say so. I want people to know that I know. I didn't feel like I should scrap the album, because I still feel that God used Luther to bring more light to the world and the church. [See "Was Luther Anti-Semitic?" from Christian History & Biography.]
Your message board has a long, ongoing discussion about your views on the Trinity and the nature of Jesus, but can you give a thumbnail sketch of what you believe?
Morse I believe there is one God the Father, that he has a son, Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the father; and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God. I'm neither Trinitarian nor Oneness Pentecostal. I think I'm something different. I simply like to say that I'm a disciple of Christ. I believe that the best thing to do is to stick with Scripture—sola scriptura.
Do you believe Jesus was a created being?
Morse I wouldn't put it that way. I think "begotten" may be distinct from "created." I don't want to make less of God's Son than some people say I do. He is the unique Son of God, and all power has been given to him in heaven and earth. But a son comes from a father. In 1 Corinthians 15:28, it says that in the end times Jesus is subjected to the Father. In the Gospel of John, Jesus doesn't do anything except what the Father tells him to do. I don't see in the Scriptures how Jesus and God can be co-equaI and the same person. I'm just trying to acknowledge what the Scriptures say—that all power has been given to him, and that we should worship him and serve him.
Weren't these issues settled for Christians at the Council of Nicaea, when the Arian view of Jesus as a created being was rejected and the Trinity affirmed?
Morse I probably need to study it more. I'm not sure exactly what the Arians believed. I think that the Council of Nicaea was not a godly event. I was watching the History Channel where it showed that Constantine really didn't care how it came out; he just wanted unity so he could conquer other nations. So it seems to me that the spirit of conquering was very present there, but I wasn't there, and I don't want to pretend to be an expert on the Council of Nicaea.