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#10025
Anonymous
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High and Low German are two different Germanic languages. Dr. Luther himself took the necessary struggle to unite all the different German dialects into a unified German language, an accomplishment made by Luther that you failed to point out or care to give credit. It may be true that there were bibles of different languages that were around, but only the educated could read. Luther was a pioneer in giving the public formal education in reading and other subjects and by translating the Bible into the vernacular of the German-speaking countries.

I did not point out Dr. Luther’s part in the unification of Modern German, because the point was not what happened after Luther, but what existed prior to Luther. It is just as germain that literacy was preserved prior to Guttenberg by Monastic Communities who copied the Bible, Liturgical and Theological books and even secular books. Hand copying was lengthly, laborious and costly, limiting the availibility and ease of obtaining books, or spreading literacy. Much of Dr. Luther, and other’s success in the increase of literacy was more the invention of movable type, which made printed matter more easily availible, and cutting the cost radically.

Like Jon, I would second that Petros while it is also used for Rock in Latin is from the Greek. It is also to be noted that Jesus did not call Simon Bar Jonah, “Lithos” or little rock, but Petros for a large rock, upon which the Church would be built. It is also of note that Jesus most assuredly spoke to him in Aramaic, which would mean that Simon whould be renamed Kephas, (Rock). We also know from Jewish custom, and from Scripture that a name change made by God indicated a change in role, and authority. Abram had his name and his authority changed by God when God changed his name to Abraham. Simon was renamed Kephas, (Petros) by God. Simon the Man like the Popes who succeeded him were like all of us men who sinned. Simon Peter in the Office of Prince of the Apostles acts by the authority given by Christ. It is thus that Catholics differ the individual who when speaking on his own authority, or his own opinion is fallible, and when he is speaking in the office of Pope is then doing so with Christ’s promise that He (Jesus) would guide the Church, and not abandon it. It would be the same thing if a Supreme Court Judge gave a personal opinion of the Law, vs when they gave a ruling from the bench. It is the same person, but the context of private opinon, or official ruling make the actions what they are.