A.D. 2000: Year of Jubilee—by Papal Indulgence or by Reformation Gospel?
David Engelsma examines the Roman Catholic Church's declaration of the year 2000 as a "Great Jubilee," critiquing both its theological basis in papal indulgence and its ecumenical agenda to unite Protestants with Rome. The pamphlet challenges Reformed Christians to understand why this papal initiative demands a Protestant and Reformed response, contrasting Rome's salvation-by-works approach with the Reformation gospel of sovereign grace.
Introduction The high expectations that people have for the year 2000 include that some look forward to it as a “year of Jubilee.” Such a regard for it is the highest expectation of all. Others may anticipate social disorder and even disaster because of Y2K, or eschatological troubles because of the supposed significance of the year 2000 for the end of the world. Those who see the year 2000 as a year of Jubilee expect special blessings of salvation in the coming year. The view of the year...