REC Home*** Theological Forum 

 

Theological Forum Issue

Vol. XXVII, No. 4, December 1999

 

Millennium Visions

Pierre Rossouw

In the Old Testament piety in all walks of life was intimately related to the remembrance of the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. On this cornerstone of the sanctification of the seventh day quite a few other religious commitments followed. Every seventh year would be a sabbath year, a special year of rest. After seven sabbath years would follow the year of jubilee. Leviticus 25 indicates how social discrepancies should be rectified. A day of rest, a year of rest and a year of jubilee were institutions from God that believers could worship God acceptably with reverence and awe (Hab. 12:28).

In their specific way the Roman Catholic Church linked unto these institutions. Believers in the Middle Ages were convinced that pilgrimages to the graves of Peter and Paul were rich in spiritual benefits such as indulgence for sins committed after forgiveness. Such indulgences happen specially every year of jubilee which, since 1470, is commemorated every twenty five years by the Roman Church. For plenary indulgences certain good works were prescribed.

At the end of 1998 Pope John Paul published his guidelines on the coming millennium. The year 2000 was proclaimed as a holy year, a year of jubilee. The Pope gave the following guidelines for everybody who wants plenary indulgence: deeds of penitence, abstention from all unnecessary consumption, creation of a new culture of international co-operation and solidarity, down writing of the debt of all Third World countries, greater tolerance between Christians, Jews and Muslims, all Christians should ask forgiveness for all wrongs committed the passed twenty ages and churches should humiliate themselves before God and ask forgiveness for the sins of members. In this way the Roman Catholic Church approaches the coming Millennium.
Protestantism also have to deal with the challenge of the enduring content of the year of jubilee. The whole bewildering world languishes for the renaissance of God's initial plan for peace, piety, structural justice and human dignity.

Protestants cannot follow the Roman path. Protestants should however do everything in their power to cooperate that the original ideals of The Creator may come to greater fruition. To this end the content of ecumenical contacts and agendas should be rectified.