#i think the people closest to pauling would help her get the peace she deserves. even if it takes a while

[magic-worms]

tying up loose ends (with friends)

[elizabethan-memes]

Can you elaborate on Erusamus and the reformation please, or at least point me toward sources? Politics make more sense than philosophy to me, so I see the reformation through the lense of Henry VIII, or the Duke of Prussia who dissolved the teutonic order, or France siding with the protestants during the 30 Years War because Protestants > Hapsburgs

So sorry to take so long!

If you needed this answer for academic reasons, given that summer term is pretty much done I’m probably too late to help, but I hate to leave an ask unanswered.

HELLA LONG ESSAY BENEATH THE CUT SORRY I WROTE SELF-INDULGENTLY WITHOUT EDITING SO THERE IS WAY MORE EXPLANATION THAN YOU PROBABLY NEED

Certainly religion has been politicised, you need look no further than all the medieval kings having squabbles with the pope. Medieval kings were not as devastated by the prospect of excommunication as you’d expect they’d be in a super-devout world, it was kinda more of a nuisance (like, idk, the pope blocking you on tumblr)  than the “I’m damned forever! NOOOOOOO!” thing you’d expect. I’m not saying excommunication wasn’t a big deal, but certainly for Elizabeth I she was less bothered than the pope excommunicating her than the fact that he absolved her Catholic subjects of allegiance to her and promised paradise to her assassin (essentially declaring open season on her).

I think, however, in our secular world we forget that religion was important for its own sake. Historians since Gibbon have kind of looked down on religion as its own force, seeing it as more a catalyst for economic change (Weber) or a tool of the powerful. If all history is the history of class struggle, then religion becomes a weapon in class warfare rather than its own force with its own momentum. For example, historians have puzzled over conversion narratives, and why Protestantism became popular among artisans in particular. Protestantism can’t compete with Catholicism in terms of aesthetics or community rituals, it’s a much more interior kind of spirituality, and it involves complex theological ideas like predestination that can sound rather drastic, so why did certain people find it appealing?

(although OTOH transubstantiation is a more complex theological concept than the Protestant idea of “the bread and wine is just bread and wine, it’s a commemoration of the Last Supper not a re-enactment, it aint that deep fam”).

I’ve just finished an old but interesting article by Terrence M. Reynolds in Concordia Theological Quarterly vol. 41 no. 4 pp.18-35 “Was Erasmus responsible for Luther?” Erasmus in his lifetime was accused of being a closet Protestant, or “laying the egg that Luther hatched”. Erasmus replied to this by saying he might have laid the egg, but Luther hatched a different bird entirely. Erasmus did look rather proto Protestant because he was very interested in reforming the Church. He wanted more people to read the Bible, he had a rather idyllic dream of “ploughmen singing psalms as they ploughed their fields”. He criticised indulgences, the commercialisation of relics and pilgrimages and the fact that the Papacy was a political faction getting involved in wars. He was worried that the rituals of Catholicism meant that people were more mechanical in their religion than spiritual: they were memorising the words, doing the actions, paying the Church, blindly believing anything a poorly educated priest regurgitated to them. They were confessing their sins, doing their penances like chores and then going right back to their sins. They were connecting with the visuals, but not understanding and spiritually connecting with the spirit of Jesus’ message and his ideals of peace and love and charity and connecting with God. Erasmus translated the NT but being a Renaissance humanist, he went ad fontes (‘to the source’) and used Greek manuscripts, printing the Greek side by side with the Latin so that readers could compare and see the translation choices he made. His NT had a lot of self-admitted errors in it, but it was very popular with Prots as well as Caths. Caths like Thomas More were cool with him doing it, but it was also admired by Prots like Thomases and Cromwell and Cranmer and Tyndale himself. When coming across Greek words like presbyteros, Erasmus actually chose to leave it as a Greek word with its own meaning than use a Latin word that didn’t *quite* fit the meaning of the original.

However, he did disagree with Protestants on fundamental issues, especially the question of free will. For Luther, the essence was sole fide: salvation through faith alone. He took this from Paul’s letter to the Romans, where it says that through faith alone are we justified. Ie, humans are so fallen (because of the whole Eve, apple, original sin debacle) and so flawed and tainted by sin, and God is so perfect, that we ourselves will never be good enough. All the good works in the world will never reach God’s level of perfection and therefore we all deserve Hell, but we won’t go to hell because God and Jesus will save us from the Hell we so rightly deserve, by grace and by having faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, who will alone redeem us.  The opposite end of the free will/sola fide spectrum is something called Pelagianism, named after the guy who believed it, Pelagius, who lived centuries and centuries before the Ref, it’s the belief that humans can earn their salvation by themselves, by good works. Both Caths and Prots considered Pelagius a heretic. Caths like Erasmus believed in a half-way house: God reaches out his hand to save you through Jesus’ example and sacrifice, giving you grace, and you receive his grace, which makes you want to be a good person and do good works (good works being things like confession of sins, penances, the eucharist, charity, fasting, pilgrimages) and then doing the good works means you get more grace and you are finally saved, or at least you will go to purgatory after death AND THEN be saved and go to heaven, rather than going straight to Hell, which is what happens if you reject Jesus and do no good works and never repent your sins. If you don’t receive his grace and do good works, you won’t make the grade for ultimate salvation.

(This is why it’s important to look at the Ref as a theological as well as a political movement because if you only look at the political debates, Erasmus looks more Protestant than he actually was.)

There are several debates happening in the Reformation: the role of the priest (which is easily politicised) free will vs predestination, transubstantiation or no transubstantiation (is or isn’t the bread and wine transformed into the body and blood of Jesus by God acting through the priest serving communion) and the role of scripture. A key doctrine of Protestantism is sola scriptura. Basically: if it’s in the Bible, it’s the rules. If it’s not in the Bible, it’s not in the rules. No pope in the bible? No pope! No rosaries in the bible? No using rosaries! (prayer beads)

However, both Caths and Prots considered scripture v.v. important. Still, given that the Bible contains internal contradictions (being a collection of different books written in different languages at different times by different people) there was a hierarchy of authority when it came to scripture. As a general rule of thumb, both put the New T above the Old T in terms of authority. (This is partly why Jews and Muslims have customs like circumcision and no-eating-pig-derived-meats that Christians don’t have, even though the order of ‘birth’ as it were goes Judaism-Christianity-Islam. All 3 Abrahammic faiths use the OT, but only Christians use the NT.)

1.       The words of Jesus. Jesus said you gotta do it, you gotta do it. Jesus said monogamy, you gotta do monogamy. Jesus said no divorce, you gotta do no divorcing (annulment =/= divorce). Jesus said no moneylending with interest (usury), you gotta do no moneylending with interest (which is partly why European Jews did a lot of the banking. Unfortunately, disputes over money+religious hatred is a volatile combination, resulting in accusations of conspiracy and sedition, leading to hate-fuelled violence and oppression.) The trouble with the words of Jesus is that you can debate or retranslate what Jesus meant, especially  easily as Jesus often spoke in parables and with metaphors. When Jesus said “this is my body…this is my blood” at the Last Supper, is that or is that not support for transubstantiation? When Jesus called Peter the rock on which he would build the church, was that or was that not support for the apostolic succession that means Popes are the successor to St Peter, with Peter being first Pope? When the gospel writers said Jesus ‘did more things and said more things than are contained in this book’, does that or does that not invalidate the idea of sola scriptura?

2.       The other New Testament writers, especially St. Paul and the Relevation of St John the Divine. (Divine meaning like seer, divination, not a god or divinity). These are particularly relevant when it comes to discussing the role of priests and priesthood, only-male ordination, and whether women can preach and teach religion.

3.       The Old Testament, especially Genesis.

4.       The apocryphal or deuterocanonical works. These books are considered holy, but there’s question marks about their validity, so they’re not as authoritative as the testaments. I include this because the deuterocanonical book 2 Maccabees was used as scriptural justification for the Catholic doctrine of purgatory, but 2 Maccabees is the closest scipture really gets to mentioning any kind of purgatory. Protestants did not consider 2 Maccabees to be strong enough evidence to validate purgatory.

5.       The Church Fathers, eg. Origen, Augustine of Hippo. Arguably their authority often comes above apocryphal scripture. It’s from the Church Fathers that the concept of the Trinity (one god in 3 equal persons, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) is developed because it’s not actually spelled out explicitly in the NT. Early modern Catholics and Protestants both adhered to the Trinity and considered Arianism’s interpretation of the NT (no trinity, God the Father is superior to Jesus as God the Son) to be heresy. Church Fathers were important to both Catholics and Protestants: Catholics because Catholics did not see scripture as the sole source of religious truth, so additions made by holy people are okay so long as they don’t *contradict* scripture, and so long as they are stamped with the church council seal of approval, Protestants because they believed that the recent medieval theologians and the papacy had corrupted and altered the original purity of Christianity. If they could show that Church Fathers from late antiquity like Augustine agreed with them, that therefore proved their point about Christianity being corrupted from its holy early days.

Eamon Duffy’s book Stripping of the Altars is useful because it questions the assumptions that the Reformation and Break with Rome was inevitable, or that the Roman Catholic Church was a corrupt relic of the past that had to be swept aside for Progress, or that most people even wanted the Ref in England to happen. Good history essays need to discuss different historians’ opinions and Duffy can be relied upon to have a different opinion than Protestant historians. Diarmaid MacCulloch’s works are good at explaining theological concepts, he is a big authority on church history and he’s won a whole bunch of prizes. He was actually ordained a deacon in the Church of England in the 1980s but stopped being a minister because he was angry with the institution for not tolerating the fact he had a boyfriend. The ODNB is a good source to access through your university if you want to read a quick biography on a particular theologian or philosopher, but it only covers British individuals. Except Erasmus, who has a page on ODNB despite being not British because he’s just that awesome and because his influence on English scholarship and culture was colossal. Peter Marshall also v good, esp on conversion. Euan Cameron wrote a mahoosive book called the European Reformation.“More versus Tyndale: a study of controversial technique” by Rainer Pineas is good for the key differences in translation of essential concepts between catholic and protestant thinkers. The Sixteenth Century Journal is a good source of essays as well.

[scramblingminds]

Anon, why you do this to me???! I tried to bring the angst but idk so I hope this is what you were hoping for. Enjoy.

Make Peace

It had taken months for things to stabilize after the war. Over the course of only a few days so much got destroyed. Alexandria was nearly reduced to ash and the Hilltop took a fair share of damage but stayed standing. For weeks people from the different communities drifted around, working to rebuild walls and homes. Then it took even longer to get back to trading, since so much of the crops and livestock had been lost.  

Somehow, they all managed to survive and life seemed to go on. Ezekiel found the strength to lead again after being taken captive by the Saviors, Carol being at his side seemed to be a large part of it. Maggie was perfect for leadership at Hilltop, she got her hands dirty in every way possible so that it could go back to its former glory. Rick stepped back after Negan was locked away, Carl easily falling into his place and making sure Alexandria was revived.  

Daryl had a hard time after, finding a place for his anger. Even after the Saviors surrendered and Dwight took over Daryl just wanted them dead. He knew it couldn't be like that though, a certain ninja made that very clear to him. Slowly, his rage slipped away. It helped to have things to do; rebuild the wall and houses, go on runs to help restock all the pantries across the communities and when one Hilltop resident moved to Alexandria permanently.  

It started before the war, in the days after the satellite station. Paul Rovia managed to slide so easily into his life and make him remember feelings he thought he forgot a while back. Paul made him feel good, like he wasn't just a bundle of raw nerves waiting for the next thing to screw up. He made him feel like he was actually able to do the right thing, like letting the Saviors live even after all they did.  

Daryl had a feeling that he loved the man even before the real Negan showed up. Those emotions got put on the back burner for a while though. Daryl was focused on not falling to pieces after what happened that morning in that clearing and then when he was in the Sanctuary. Paul was still there through it all, he didn't back away when Daryl snapped or flinched away from touch at times.  

Daryl figured that meant maybe Paul loved him too. You had to love someone if you stay by them when you deserved them the least. Daryl often thought Paul deserved more than his twitchy personality and short fuse but Paul didn't leave. That's why it was so easy, that morning after huddling in the tunnels then sneaking to Hilltop, for Daryl to march right up to the scout and kiss him.  

They all could die at any moment, there was no sense in denying how they felt. Paul had leaned into it without hesitation, hands coming up to hold the back of Daryl's neck as if to dare him to break the kiss too soon. Paul didn't fight when Daryl told him he had to go after that, Rick needed him and they had to go back into the trenches.  

Paul had just kissed him again, long and deep. He didn't tell him to be careful or stay safe or to even come back to him. He didn't need to, Daryl could feel it in how tight he gripped his wrist before letting him go. Daryl wasn't safe or careful but he did come back, Paul took what he could get and that was a bloody Daryl Dixon. Which didn't seem to bother him in the least.  

After Alexandria had some life back Paul showed up one day. He had a duffle bag on his back and a smile on his face when he moved himself into Daryl's room. Daryl didn't even question him on it, he just cleared a drawer and let him know the side of the bed near the door was his. They never really had a conversation about it but after that it was clear they were together.  

Over time all Daryl's hurt and anger was replaced by the warmth the scout brought in. Daryl never took himself to be the touchy feely or romantic type but somehow with Paul it just came naturally. Paul was a physical person, he reached out for hands or patted shoulders often. Daryl wasn't like that with anyone save for his closest family and then Paul.  

So, when Paul came up to see him on his watch Daryl didn't think anything of slipping his arm around his shoulders. Paul was leaving soon for a run with Tara, Rosita and Aaron while Daryl had watch until midafternoon. Paul leaned into his side, leeching some of the larger man's warmth. Winter was fast approaching and the days were getting shorter and chillier.  

"I hope we can find some good coats today," Paul twisted around to tuck into Daryl leather jacket, "Some thermal underwear would be good too."  

Daryl snorted as he looked over Paul's head as the scout nuzzled into his neck, "Thought ya were some kinda badass but yer bellyaching about a little cold air."

"I am a badass," Paul leaned back just enough to mock glare at the redneck, "I just prefer to be a warm one."

Daryl shook his head, chuckling when Paul leaned forward to nip at the hinge of his jaw. Daryl reached up tugging his beanie down on his forehead getting a grunt of protest. Daryl squeezed him when Paul tried to wiggle away. Daryl grinned as Paul played at pouting up at him before leaning in to kiss his nose. It was a bit cold so Daryl repeated the gesture, not missing how Paul smiled and melted into him.  

Daryl trailed his lips over Paul's cheek, nuzzling into his beaded jaw and Paul just pressed closer with a content sigh. They both jumped at the loud wolf whistle that came from below them. Their faces went hot as they pulled apart enough to look down and see Rosita smirking with Tara and Aaron trying to conceal they were giggling like school girls.  

"Time to go, loverboy." Rosita jerked her thumb at the cars they hadn't notice pulling up to the gate.  

Paul stepped back, fixing his beanie as Daryl dipped forward to give him one more kiss to the corner of his mouth, "See ya later, Paul."

Paul smiled softly as he moved to climb down the ladder, "We'll be back before dark, I'll meet you at home."

Daryl nodded watching him reach the ground and go to the car with Tara behind the wheel while the other two got in the second car. Paul paused just long enough to wave up at him as the gate was opened for them. Daryl waved back as he climbed in and soon they were heading down the road. Daryl leaned against the wall, watching them fade away and admitting to only himself that he really wouldn't mind some thermals.  

----------------------------

Daryl was a bit on edge when it got to be dinner time. The sun was creeping closer and closer to the horizon but they still weren't back. Rick and Michonne could see the tension in him as they ate. Daryl didn't voice anything, he ate and moved to the couch with Judith. He read to her when she shoved a book at him and curled into his lap. Carl was helping Michonne with the dishes when they heard it, the sound of a horn getting closer.

Daryl sat up whispering to Judith, "Go ta yer room like we practiced, ya remember?"

Judith nodded and whispered back, "Yes, Uncle Daryl."

"Good girl," Daryl kissed her temple and nudged her, "Don't move 'til we come get ya."

She nodded again and ran up the stair. He and Rick had been teaching her to go in her room, into her closet and hide to keep her safe. Daryl snatched up his bow running to meet where more than half the Safe Zone was piling around the gate. The horn was getting louder, head light beams pouring up the road.

"It's one of ours!" Scott yelled down and they rushed to get the gate open.

The horn stopped as soon as the car came to a screech halt inside. Aaron was behind the wheel and franticly opened the door. He was covered in blood, his hands shaking as he hurried to get the back door open.

"Someone, help!" Aaron yelled.

Daryl, Rick and Tobin rushed forward. Rosita was sitting in the backseat, more blood drenching her chest and streaking her face, which was set in a hard expression. When they got closer they could see in the dim light the source of the blood.

"PAUL?!" Daryl felt sick. His knees going a little weak and Rick grabbed him to keep him up.  

Clutched tight to Rosita was Paul's head, beanie gone and hair one clump of red. He wasn't moving, it barely looked light he was breathing as Aaron and Tobin carefully lifted him from the car. He was limp, face white and soaked with blood.  

"Tara went to get Carson," Rosita rushed out of the car, "Get him to the infirmary."

"What happened?" Rick asked as they followed the men carrying the scout.  

Daryl didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to fix this. Paul already looked dead as they got him on an exam table. He wanted to grab him but was terrified to touch him. Rosita was grabbing bandages and alcohol off the self before moving to start sifting through Paul's wet hair.

"We had just gotten to a store, it didn't look too bad, only a few walkers but there were people inside, seven of them," Aaron supplied as Rosita revealed a deep gash from his left temple running down behind his ear, "They attacked as soon as we set foot inside."

"They didn't have guns but the ambush was enough to catch us off guard," Rosita cleaned the wound, it was still trickling steadily, "Jesus took out three of them before we even got one each. None of us saw the last guy."

Rosita sniffled, swiping at her cheek uncaring of the blood she left behind as she compressed the wound. Aaron's voice cracked, "Jesus was turning to make sure we were alright then there was a crack and he went down. Guy hit him with something, looked like a cane or piece of wood. He didn't even see the coward."

Daryl could feel his blood boiling. Paul had been protecting the group, which was such his nature and that asshole had snuck up on him. Daryl didn't know he was shaking until Michonne grabbed his hand and squeezed. It wasn't to calm him, that wasn't a possibility but it did help.  

"Tara shot the guy and we grabbed Jesus and booked it, Tara should be on the way with Carson by now," Aaron looked over at Daryl, "I'm so sorry, Daryl."

"Did ya hit him?" Daryl looked over to see Aaron shake his head, "Then don't start with that shit, wasn't y'all's fault."  

Daryl stayed planted at the end of the bed as everyone started filtering out, giving Rosita space as she tried to slow the bleeding. It was an hour and a trashcan full of gauze later that Carson got there. He took over for the Latina, he whispered to her and she nodded after a moment.

Rosita walked over and linked her arm through Daryl's, looking up at him with big watery eyes as she started pulling him toward the door. He tried to protest, dig his heels in but she shushed him and keep tugging. She closed the door once they were on the other side and Daryl leaned his head against the wood.

"Have faith in Carson, Daryl." Maggie's voice came from behind him, he hadn't even known she had come but it wasn't a surprise.  

Daryl didn't have faith in much. He had never been the praying kind or the type who had faith in what he couldn't see. He didn't much believe in people either, not after everything he had been through. Daryl sighed shaking his head as her arms wrapped around his waist.

Daryl could feel her hold him close, her slowly growing bump pressing warmly into his back. Her head resting on his shoulder, not trying to get him to move from the spot. He covered her hand with his as she whispered, "Then believe in Jesus, Daryl."

Daryl swallowed thickly, the pain in his voice plain even to him, "I do."

--------------------------

Carson was frank, he didn't know the extent of the damage. The wound was easy enough to stitch and clean, getting the scout on antibiotics to prevent infection. The trauma wasn't something he could measure. There was swelling but it wasn't as bad as it could have been and Paul was still breathing on his own. Only time would tell and if Paul didn't wake up to eat he would starve, they didn't have the means for a feeding tube and the fluids he was on would only keep him going so long.  

"So, what's the odds?" Daryl asked from where he was sitting next to the bed. The room was packed with everyone it seemed as Carson checked Paul's eyes with a light again.  

The scout didn't look any better. His skin was just as pale even with the blood cleaned away. Eyelids looking bruised and lips ashen. Carson had to shave the hair around the wound so get to it easier, only about a half inch of bare skin around the bandage.  

"Do you want the honest answer or the sugarcoated one?" Carson sighed, rubbing his eyes either from emotion or tiredness or both.  

"No bullshit, doc." Daryl felt someone squeeze his shoulder but he didn't even look to see who. His eyes locked on Paul, on the movement of his chest with each slow breath.  

Carson nodded clearing his throat, "It would probably be best to not get your hopes up too high. Make peace."  

Daryl felt like he had been hit in the chest, his ribcage was crushing in on him but he didn't move to do more than nod. He felt lost, all he wanted was to ask Paul what he was supposed to do but he couldn't. Paul was laying on that little bed with his head bandaged up and who knows what kind of brain damage.  

Over the next few days Daryl barely moved from Paul's side, only to use the bathroom. People came and went, some sitting for hours while others briefly expressed their condolences, like Paul was already dead. Daryl didn't say much, even to Maggie or Rick when they came by. Daryl sat through every range of farewell and each one just made him number.  

It didn't feel real, every time Daryl passed out in the uncomfortable chair he wondered if he would wake up in bed with Paul sound asleep next to him. He could kiss his whiskered chin and those kaleidoscope eyes would open. Daryl woke up each day with increasingly bad neckache and still shut eyelids.  

By the end of the fourth day Daryl was afraid. He didn't want to bury anyone else, he couldn’t lose someone again. Daryl didn't know how to function without Paul now. Paul who could calm him with a touch or rile him up with just a grin. Paul who helped him find the Daryl he almost forgot how to be. Paul who was so strong and selfless and kind and didn't deserve to be taken out by a coward with a stick.  

Tara and Aaron had told him in detail how when they got attacked Paul hadn't hesitated to act. Moving ahead of the others, drawing the three men away from the others and swiftly taking care of them. How he turned to see if they needed them, caring about them being safe more than himself. The new world needed people like Paul and Daryl just couldn't accept this.  

Daryl scooted his chair up to the side of the bed, his aching body leaning on the edge as he picked up Paul's hand. His fingertips tracing over knuckles and small scars that came from years of training, he kissed the palm, "Don't leave me, please Paul."

Daryl sniffed leaning to rest his head on Paul's thigh, watching his chest rise and fall, "I can't say goodbye anymore, baby. I'm not strong without ya."

Daryl felt the tears dripping onto the white sheet under his head, not caring if anyone came in and saw him. He closed his eyes, squeezing Paul's limp hands, "I don't want to miss ya, too."  

------------------------------

Daryl must have fallen asleep because next thing he knew his back was screaming for him to move. He didn't want to though. The fingers combing through his hair was so soothing, trailing down to rub his neck then repeat the motion. All the last days had been was pain and worry and it felt so nice.  

After just a few more moments he gave in and blinked slowly, eyes stinging from the overhead light. They took a minute to focus, the hand pausing to cup his cheek and Daryl leaned into it before realizing what he was doing.

It slowly coming to him that no one should be that comfortable petting him, "You look like shit."  

Daryl head popped up at the dry, raspy voice that was followed by a hard cough. Daryl locked eyes with seafoam ones, ones he hadn't seen in almost a week. Paul grinned down at him, awake and in need of water and Carson. Daryl moved to grab the bottle by the bed, the scout taking a small grateful sip.  

With a trembling hand Daryl cupped Paul's cheek, the smaller man smiling at the touch and this was real "Yer a sight for sore eyes."