¤[Theme music]
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>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
00:00:19.65\00:00:21.62
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:00:21.65\00:00:23.32
Thanks for joining me in Rome.
00:00:23.35\00:00:25.92
¤[Music]
00:00:25.95\00:00:27.59
Three million
people call this city home.
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It's one of the most
visited cities in the world--
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and has some of the planet's
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most recognizable
tourist attractions.
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Twenty million people
visit Rome every year;
00:00:41.14\00:00:45.11
4 million alone
visit the Colosseum--
00:00:45.14\00:00:48.71
that's 11,000 a day.
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[Traffic whirring]
00:00:50.71\00:00:53.45
Legend has it that
Rome was founded in 753 BC,
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which means people
have been living here
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almost 3,000 years--
most likely a lot longer.
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Rome was home to the emperors--
00:01:04.23\00:01:06.33
Constantine and
Trajan and Nero and others.
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The Olympic Games
were held here in 1960.
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Rome was bombed
during World War II.
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History oozes from the
pores of the "Eternal City."
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The Roman Empire, which
ruled for around 600 years,
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was governed from Rome.
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As well as being the
capital of Italy today,
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Rome was the
capital of the Roman Empire,
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and for half a millennium was
the largest city in the world.
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The Roman Empire stretched
all the way from Hadrian's Wall
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in the north of England,
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across Europe and north
Africa to the Persian Gulf.
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But visit Rome and there's
no escaping an obvious fact:
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The city is
dominated by a certain entity,
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which happens to be the
largest Christian denomination
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in the world.
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St. Peter's
Basilica in the Vatican City
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is one of the largest
church buildings in the world.
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It's not a cathedral.
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The cathedral of
the pope of Rome,
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who also happens to
be the bishop of Rome,
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is the Archbasilica
of St. John Lateran,
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which is about
three miles from here.
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And the faithful come
here from all over the world
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to visit shrines and
cathedrals and holy sites
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that are
important to their faith.
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Rome claims that it is the one
true church founded by Jesus,
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and that the pope is
St. Peter's successor.
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But while the church of
Rome has occupied the place
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of greatest influence
of any church in the world
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for well over a thousand years,
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there was a time when
its influence and supremacy
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was jeopardized.
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When the Protestant
Reformation challenged
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the authority of the established
church 500 years ago,
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it took on what had become
the most powerful institution
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in western civilization.
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So how did the
church become so powerful?
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Well, when the Roman Empire
collapsed in the 5th century AD,
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an enormous power
vacuum was created in Europe.
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By that time, Christianity
had been established
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as the state
religion of the Roman Empire.
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That had been so
for more than 150 years.
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There was only one
power that could provide
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any measure of stability.
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One historian put it this way:
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"With the breakup of
the Roman bureaucracy,
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the structure of
daily life was threatened
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with disintegration.
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The only trace left
of the Roman organism
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was the Catholic Church,
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and the only men with
administrative experience
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were the bishops."
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Another historian wrote:
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"The reins and skills of
government were handed down
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by a dying empire
to a virile papacy;
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the lost power
of the broken sword
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was rewon by the
magic of the consoling word;
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the armies of the state were
replaced by the missionaries
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of the Church
moving in all directions
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along the Roman roads,
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and the revolted provinces,
accepting Christianity,
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again acknowledged
the sovereignty of Rome."
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The transition from
ancient to medieval Christianity
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began in earnest
with the conversion
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of the emperor Constantine,
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which was almost certainly
only a nominal conversion.
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Constantine's Arch, built
more than 1,700 years ago,
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very near the Colosseum,
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commemorates the victory that
brought Constantine to power
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in 312 AD.
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Constantine claimed that
he'd received a vision from God,
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assuring him
that he would triumph,
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which led him to
embrace Christianity,
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which until that time
had been a persecuted sect.
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Christianity became the
means through which Constantine
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brought peace and
unity to the empire.
00:05:12.64\00:05:16.18
But that peace and
unity came at a high price.
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As the church found acceptance
with kings and emperors,
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Christianity itself
underwent a metamorphosis.
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It began to resemble less and
less the early Christian church
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and was influenced
more and more by paganism.
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Keep in mind that the Roman
emperors, including Constantine,
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had been pagans.
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As you might imagine,
it would've been difficult,
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at best, for
Constantine's new-found faith
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not to have been influenced
by his pagan background.
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Turned out to be impossible.
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Centuries before, Jesus
had said of the Pharisees,
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"In vain they worship me,
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teaching as doctrines
the commandments of men."
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Matthew 15:9.
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Throughout western Christianity,
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paganism and the faith of Jesus,
along with church and state,
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were blended together.
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The Roman Empire
was a pagan empire.
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When it embraced Christianity,
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it didn't rid
itself of pagan influences.
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Instead, it embraced
them and absorbed them.
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As a result, the church
lost the power of the gospel.
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The story is told
that Pope Julius II
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was once speaking with the
scholar Erasmus here in Rome.
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He referred to the
church's great wealth
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and then referenced Peter's
statement in Acts chapter 3:
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"Silver and gold have I none."
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The pope turned to
the scholar, and he said,
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"Well, we cannot
say that now, can we?"
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And the scholar
replied by saying,
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"No, we cannot.
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And neither can we
say, 'Rise up and walk.'"
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Back with more in just a moment.
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¤[Music]
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>>John: I'm John
Bradshaw from It Is Written,
00:07:05.62\00:07:07.79
inviting you to
join me for "500,"
00:07:07.82\00:07:11.43
nine programs
produced by It Is Written,
00:07:11.46\00:07:13.73
taking you deep
into the Reformation.
00:07:13.76\00:07:16.83
This is the 500th
anniversary of the beginning
00:07:16.87\00:07:19.97
of the Reformation,
00:07:20.00\00:07:21.14
when Martin Luther
nailed his Ninety-five Theses
00:07:21.17\00:07:23.61
to the door of the Castle
Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
00:07:23.64\00:07:26.37
We'll take you to Wittenberg,
00:07:26.41\00:07:27.88
and to Belgium, to
England, to Ireland,
00:07:27.91\00:07:31.08
to Rome, to the Vatican City,
00:07:31.11\00:07:33.18
and introduce you to the people
who created the Reformation,
00:07:33.21\00:07:36.18
who pushed the
Reformation forward.
00:07:36.22\00:07:38.09
We'll take you to
sites all throughout Europe
00:07:38.12\00:07:40.06
where the reformers
lived and, in some cases, died.
00:07:40.09\00:07:42.86
We'll bring you
back to the United States
00:07:42.89\00:07:44.56
and take you to a
little farm in upstate New York
00:07:44.59\00:07:47.50
and show you how God
spread the Reformation here.
00:07:47.50\00:07:50.40
Don't miss "500."
00:07:50.43\00:07:52.53
You can own the
"500" series on DVD.
00:07:52.57\00:07:55.60
Call us on 888-664-5573,
00:07:55.64\00:08:00.38
or visit us online
at itiswritten.shop.
00:08:00.41\00:08:05.11
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:08:06.48\00:08:08.98
The New Testament
church had very little wealth
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and absolutely
no political power.
00:08:11.99\00:08:15.19
But it did have what the
Apostle Paul described as
00:08:15.22\00:08:17.93
"the power of God to salvation."
00:08:17.96\00:08:20.80
And the book of
Acts says that that power
00:08:20.83\00:08:23.26
"turned the world upside down."
00:08:23.30\00:08:26.10
But when the church
compromised with the world
00:08:26.13\00:08:28.27
in order to receive
favor and protection,
00:08:28.30\00:08:31.61
that primitive power
of the gospel was lost.
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¤[Music]
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But civil and ecclesiastical
power soon fell into the hands
00:08:41.12\00:08:44.99
of the church as
Europe searched for stability.
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The emperor Justinian,
00:08:49.02\00:08:50.43
who had ruled what
was once the eastern half
00:08:50.46\00:08:52.63
of the Roman Empire,
00:08:52.66\00:08:53.60
became the champion
for Roman Christianity.
00:08:53.63\00:08:56.83
The emperor became
the defender of the church
00:08:56.87\00:09:00.04
and set about to
destroy, by military means,
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the theological
enemies of the church.
00:09:03.47\00:09:06.41
Tribes such as the Heruli,
00:09:06.44\00:09:08.28
the Ostrogoths, and the Vandals
were subdued and conquered.
00:09:08.31\00:09:13.21
One historian
reflected upon these conquests:
00:09:13.25\00:09:16.85
"The Church, with the shadow of
the ancient authority behind it,
00:09:16.89\00:09:20.72
was the only symbol
left of imperial Rome,
00:09:20.76\00:09:24.06
and its bishop, the Pope,
00:09:24.09\00:09:26.09
was the city's only recourse
for leadership and protection.
00:09:26.13\00:09:29.66
The Roman Empire in
Europe would be replaced
00:09:29.70\00:09:32.43
by the spiritual empire--
00:09:32.47\00:09:34.37
which came to be
temporal as well--
00:09:34.40\00:09:37.04
whose reigning seigneur
was the bishop of Rome."
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There were some
colorful characters
00:09:42.84\00:09:44.48
associated with the
papacy in the Middle Ages.
00:09:44.51\00:09:47.72
Pope Gregory VII, who
reigned in the 11th century,
00:09:47.75\00:09:51.59
forced the
German emperor Henry IV
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to wait outside in
the snow for three days
00:09:54.99\00:09:59.33
before agreeing to see him
and reconcile him to the church.
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Now, you might not expect things
to be done that way today,
00:10:03.57\00:10:05.80
but in the medieval church,
that's how things were done.
00:10:05.83\00:10:09.34
¤[Music]
00:10:09.37\00:10:13.78
Pope Sixtus IV,
00:10:13.81\00:10:15.78
famous for building
the Sistine Chapel in Rome,
00:10:15.81\00:10:18.45
which was named for him,
reigned in the 15th century.
00:10:18.48\00:10:23.92
He was also deeply
involved in the politics
00:10:23.95\00:10:26.42
of the Italian states,
00:10:26.45\00:10:28.72
and in 1476 he was
involved in a conspiracy
00:10:28.76\00:10:32.36
to assassinate an Italian
statesman and his brother,
00:10:32.39\00:10:36.23
whose family at the time were
rulers in the city of Florence.
00:10:36.26\00:10:40.20
Other popes, such as
Alexander VI and Julius II,
00:10:40.24\00:10:43.67
kept mistresses and
fathered illegitimate sons,
00:10:43.71\00:10:47.24
and even maneuvered
these illegitimate sons
00:10:47.28\00:10:49.58
into positions of influence.
00:10:49.61\00:10:51.91
¤[Music]
00:10:55.22\00:10:56.18
[Crowd murmuring]
00:10:56.22\00:10:59.09
[Water running]
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Of course, they weren't all bad,
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and you can't judge
an entire organization
00:11:06.46\00:11:08.43
by a few rotten eggs.
00:11:08.46\00:11:11.17
But it was a system
that dictated to countries,
00:11:11.20\00:11:13.40
manipulated states,
00:11:13.44\00:11:15.54
and believed that the line
separating church and state
00:11:15.57\00:11:18.51
should simply disappear.
00:11:18.54\00:11:21.21
And it helps us to
understand why the Reformation
00:11:21.24\00:11:23.58
should take place at all.
00:11:23.61\00:11:25.78
The system was simply broken.
00:11:25.81\00:11:28.78
In time, the
papacy got to the place
00:11:28.82\00:11:30.52
where tradition had
authority over Scripture.
00:11:30.55\00:11:34.16
Pope Innocent III, who
ruled between 1198 and 1216
00:11:34.19\00:11:38.19
and was the most powerful
of all of the medieval popes,
00:11:38.23\00:11:41.23
had this to say
about his spiritual role:
00:11:41.26\00:11:44.67
"The successor of
Peter is the Vicar of Christ;
00:11:44.70\00:11:48.34
he has been established as a
mediator between God and man,
00:11:48.37\00:11:52.27
below God but beyond man,
00:11:52.31\00:11:54.71
less than God but more than man,
00:11:54.74\00:11:57.81
who shall judge all
and be judged by no one."
00:11:57.85\00:12:01.48
And the church had
tools at its disposal
00:12:02.28\00:12:04.59
to strike fear into
the heart of people--
00:12:04.62\00:12:07.12
a people who were
largely ignorant and,
00:12:07.16\00:12:09.79
when it came to the Scriptures,
completely illiterate.
00:12:09.82\00:12:13.56
The sentence of
interdict, a sort of censure
00:12:13.60\00:12:16.67
that the church would
place upon dissenters,
00:12:16.70\00:12:18.43
meant that sins
couldn't be forgiven;
00:12:18.47\00:12:21.07
the sacraments
couldn't be dispensed;
00:12:21.10\00:12:22.84
prayers for the
dead couldn't be heard.
00:12:22.87\00:12:25.27
Essentially, heaven was cut off
00:12:25.31\00:12:28.11
for people who were
living in the affected area.
00:12:28.14\00:12:30.45
And when you consider that the
church is the doorway to heaven,
00:12:30.48\00:12:34.35
well, when the church
goes ahead and shuts that door,
00:12:34.38\00:12:37.35
you can imagine.
00:12:37.39\00:12:38.59
During the
reign of Innocent III,
00:12:38.62\00:12:40.19
the nation of France
was placed under interdict
00:12:40.22\00:12:43.09
as the pope tried
to persuade the king
00:12:43.12\00:12:46.16
to take back his estranged wife.
00:12:46.19\00:12:48.46
During the 1400s,
the city of Prague,
00:12:48.50\00:12:51.30
in what was then Bohemia
and is now the Czech Republic,
00:12:51.33\00:12:54.57
suffered a similar fate during
the ministry of John Huss.
00:12:54.60\00:12:58.51
¤[Music]
00:12:58.54\00:13:02.21
[Wind blowing]
00:13:02.24\00:13:04.31
And it got much
worse than interdict.
00:13:04.35\00:13:06.98
Anyone living in the
world dominated by the church
00:13:07.02\00:13:09.78
in the Middle Ages had to
deal with some grim realities.
00:13:09.82\00:13:14.19
Under the
influence of Saint Augustine,
00:13:14.22\00:13:16.49
the church accepted the
theory that humanity's willpower
00:13:16.52\00:13:19.83
was so depraved that the
use of force against heretics
00:13:19.86\00:13:24.40
and sinners was
sometimes necessary.
00:13:24.43\00:13:28.14
As a result, the
medieval church resorted
00:13:28.17\00:13:30.91
to some of the most brutal
tactics ever seen in history,
00:13:30.94\00:13:34.08
as a means of controlling
the consciences of God's people.
00:13:34.11\00:13:37.55
Christians
during these centuries
00:13:37.58\00:13:39.11
were burned at the stake,
00:13:39.15\00:13:40.88
tortured on the rack,
00:13:40.92\00:13:42.92
and a whole lot more--
all in the name of God.
00:13:42.95\00:13:47.89
¤[Music]
00:13:47.92\00:13:54.36
One historian wrote,
00:13:54.36\00:13:56.00
"Compared with the
persecution of heresy in Europe
00:13:56.03\00:13:58.77
from 1227 to 1492,
00:13:58.80\00:14:02.14
the persecution of
Christians by Romans
00:14:02.17\00:14:04.24
in the first three
centuries after Christ
00:14:04.27\00:14:07.04
was a mild and humane procedure.
00:14:07.08\00:14:10.78
Making every allowance
required of an historian
00:14:10.81\00:14:13.82
and permitted to a Christian,
00:14:13.85\00:14:15.72
we must rank the Inquisition,
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.82
along with the wars and
persecutions of our time,
00:14:17.85\00:14:20.86
as among the darkest
blots on the record of mankind,
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.39
revealing a ferocity
unknown in any beast."
00:14:24.43\00:14:28.60
¤[Music]
00:14:28.63\00:14:29.80
So you can understand why
Wycliffe spoke out in England,
00:14:29.83\00:14:33.10
and why John Huss protested
in what we know today to be
00:14:33.13\00:14:35.94
the Czech Republic,
00:14:35.97\00:14:37.47
why Calvin rose up in Geneva
00:14:37.51\00:14:39.64
and Knox in Scotland
00:14:39.67\00:14:41.08
and Zwingli in Zurich.
00:14:41.11\00:14:42.88
The church was
broken, abusing its power,
00:14:42.91\00:14:46.85
choking off the
Scriptures from the people,
00:14:46.88\00:14:49.15
and teaching
falsehood in the place of truth.
00:14:49.18\00:14:53.12
Of course, church
leaders today don't speak
00:14:54.26\00:14:56.36
in quite the same tone
as Pope Innocent III did,
00:14:56.39\00:14:59.33
all those years ago.
00:14:59.36\00:15:01.00
But Rome still takes a
hard line on how its teachings
00:15:01.03\00:15:04.03
are to be evaluated,
00:15:04.07\00:15:05.30
maintaining it holds a unique
place among Christian faiths.
00:15:05.33\00:15:09.74
In 1997,
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,
00:15:09.77\00:15:12.67
who went on to
become Pope Benedict XVI,
00:15:12.71\00:15:15.58
said that the use of Scripture
to evaluate church teaching
00:15:15.61\00:15:19.15
"was one of the
most dangerous currents
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.62
to flow out of the
Vatican II Council."
00:15:21.65\00:15:25.52
So what do you do when
you're a church leader,
00:15:25.55\00:15:28.36
and you discover that
there are inconsistencies
00:15:28.39\00:15:30.89
between what the Bible teaches
and what you hold to be true
00:15:30.93\00:15:34.63
as an organization?
00:15:34.66\00:15:36.06
Problem or not?
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.07
We'll find out in just a moment.
00:15:38.10\00:15:40.64
¤[Music]
00:15:40.67\00:15:46.07
>>Announcer: In Matthew
4:4, the Word of God says,
00:15:48.71\00:15:51.38
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:15:51.41\00:15:54.52
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:15:54.55\00:15:58.25
"Every Word" is a one-minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:15:58.29\00:16:01.56
presented by
Pastor John Bradshaw
00:16:01.59\00:16:03.43
and designed especially
for busy people like you.
00:16:03.46\00:16:06.43
Look for "Every
Word" on selected networks
00:16:06.46\00:16:09.13
or watch it online
every day on our website,
00:16:09.16\00:16:11.63
itiswritten.com.
00:16:11.67\00:16:14.00
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:16:14.04\00:16:16.10
Watch "Every Word."
00:16:16.14\00:16:17.07
You'll be glad you did.
00:16:17.11\00:16:19.07
Here's a sample.
00:16:19.11\00:16:21.88
¤["Every Word" theme music]
00:16:22.51\00:16:27.82
>>John Bradshaw:
Five hundred years
00:16:27.85\00:16:28.92
after the
Protestant Reformation began
00:16:28.95\00:16:30.55
on October the 31st, 1517,
00:16:30.59\00:16:33.32
we might be tempted to
wonder what Luther and Knox
00:16:33.36\00:16:35.42
and Zwingli and Calvin
00:16:35.46\00:16:36.29
and Farel and
Beza and the Huguenots
00:16:36.32\00:16:37.89
and the Anabaptists and
so many others achieved.
00:16:37.93\00:16:41.63
Today it would seem
that the protest is over.
00:16:41.66\00:16:44.30
Even though the most
influential church in the world
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.43
offers indulgences,
00:16:46.47\00:16:47.57
hears confessions,
00:16:47.60\00:16:48.54
teaches justification
by faith and works,
00:16:48.57\00:16:51.31
considers Mary
the queen of heaven,
00:16:51.34\00:16:53.64
where are the Protestants today?
00:16:53.68\00:16:55.44
Protestants are being welcomed
back into the church of Rome,
00:16:55.48\00:16:57.75
and many see this as positive.
00:16:57.78\00:16:59.45
It's been said,
00:16:59.48\00:17:00.98
"It's more important
to be divided by truth
00:17:01.02\00:17:03.69
than it is to be
united by error."
00:17:03.72\00:17:05.79
Paul said in 2
Timothy 4, verse 2,
00:17:05.82\00:17:08.22
"Preach the Word; be instant
in season, out of season;
00:17:08.26\00:17:11.66
reprove, rebuke, exhort with
all longsuffering and doctrine."
00:17:11.69\00:17:14.76
The Word.
00:17:14.83\00:17:16.67
Anything less will never do.
00:17:16.70\00:17:18.37
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:17:18.40\00:17:19.80
Let's live today by every word.
00:17:19.83\00:17:22.27
¤[Music]
00:17:22.90\00:17:25.24
>>John Bradshaw: By the
time of the Reformation,
00:17:25.27\00:17:26.98
the church of Rome
had become, by far,
00:17:27.01\00:17:29.58
not only the most
powerful church on the planet,
00:17:29.61\00:17:32.81
but also the most
powerful political entity.
00:17:32.85\00:17:35.68
And that happened
as Rome filled a vacuum
00:17:35.72\00:17:37.99
left by the failed Roman Empire.
00:17:38.02\00:17:40.49
It was basically
thrust into that role.
00:17:40.52\00:17:42.86
That could have been
a wonderful opportunity
00:17:42.89\00:17:44.89
for church leaders to elevate
the gospel and the message
00:17:44.93\00:17:48.03
of Christ's righteousness
and grace and mercy.
00:17:48.06\00:17:53.13
But tradition started
coming into the church
00:17:53.17\00:17:55.44
a lot like a rising
tide creeping up a beach.
00:17:55.47\00:17:58.57
One of the unique teachings that
the reformers were up against
00:17:58.61\00:18:02.04
was that of the magisterium,
00:18:02.08\00:18:03.45
the teaching
office of the church,
00:18:03.48\00:18:05.91
the church's ability to decide
what's true and what is not.
00:18:05.95\00:18:10.29
It's said that Jesus Christ
00:18:10.32\00:18:13.05
is the source of all
of the church's teachings,
00:18:13.09\00:18:15.32
but that those
teachings rest upon Scripture
00:18:15.36\00:18:18.49
and "sacred tradition."
00:18:18.53\00:18:21.13
In other words,
00:18:21.16\00:18:22.36
our traditions provide us with
an unerring source of truth,
00:18:22.40\00:18:25.70
and we know that to be
true because we say it is true,
00:18:25.73\00:18:30.57
and we can say it's
true because God has given us
00:18:30.61\00:18:33.17
the authority to do that,
00:18:33.21\00:18:34.41
and we know He's given us that
authority because we say so.
00:18:34.44\00:18:40.32
¤[Music]
00:18:40.35\00:18:49.16
The teachings of the
magisterium are said to be
00:18:49.19\00:18:51.46
"the prime God-given
means of finding the truth."
00:18:51.49\00:18:55.76
But appealing to the
Bible as your authority
00:18:55.80\00:18:59.03
only gets you
someplace if people accept
00:18:59.07\00:19:02.24
that the Bible is authoritative.
00:19:02.27\00:19:04.84
Now, do the
teachings of the church
00:19:04.87\00:19:06.21
ever contradict the
teachings of the Bible?
00:19:06.24\00:19:08.71
Yes, at times they do.
00:19:08.74\00:19:10.81
But that's okay, because
the church says it's okay.
00:19:10.85\00:19:16.08
Even Pope John Paul II admitted
that he was contradicting
00:19:16.12\00:19:19.72
the teachings of Jesus:
00:19:19.75\00:19:22.16
"Have no fear when people
call me the Vicar of Christ,
00:19:22.19\00:19:25.96
when they say
to me 'Holy Father'
00:19:25.99\00:19:28.13
or 'Your Holiness,'
00:19:28.16\00:19:29.63
or use terms similar to these,
00:19:29.66\00:19:31.83
which seem even
inimical to the gospel.
00:19:31.87\00:19:35.04
Christ Himself declared,
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.11
'Call no one on
earth your father;
00:19:37.14\00:19:39.67
you have but one
father in heaven.
00:19:39.71\00:19:41.84
Do not be called Master;
00:19:41.88\00:19:43.65
you have but one Master,
the Messiah' (Matthew 23:9-10).
00:19:43.68\00:19:48.62
These expressions, nevertheless,
00:19:48.65\00:19:50.22
have evolved out
of a long tradition,
00:19:50.25\00:19:52.92
becoming part of common usage.
00:19:52.95\00:19:55.66
One must not be afraid
of these words either."
00:19:55.69\00:19:59.86
Modern popes have also made it
clear that people must confess
00:19:59.89\00:20:03.73
their sins to a priest to
receive God's forgiveness.
00:20:03.77\00:20:08.04
"Rebuffing a belief
widely shared by Protestants
00:20:09.20\00:20:12.24
and a growing
number of Roman Catholics,
00:20:12.27\00:20:14.01
Pope John Paul II
on Tuesday dismissed
00:20:14.04\00:20:17.45
the 'widespread idea that
one can obtain forgiveness
00:20:17.48\00:20:21.15
directly from God,'
00:20:21.18\00:20:22.98
and exhorted
Catholics to confess more often
00:20:23.02\00:20:25.79
to their priests."
00:20:25.82\00:20:27.92
The Apostle John wrote,
00:20:27.96\00:20:29.19
"If we confess our sins,
00:20:29.22\00:20:31.26
He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:20:31.29\00:20:35.06
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:20:35.10\00:20:40.57
And the reformers knew that
00:20:40.60\00:20:42.87
and were determined that people
could find forgiveness in Christ
00:20:42.90\00:20:46.68
rather than through a
church and its sacraments.
00:20:46.71\00:20:50.15
One of the practices
that spurred Martin Luther
00:20:50.18\00:20:52.68
to write his Ninety-Five Theses
was the selling of indulgences.
00:20:52.71\00:20:57.22
But even though the
selling of indulgences
00:20:57.25\00:20:58.82
virtually
kick-started the Reformation,
00:20:58.85\00:21:01.56
things haven't changed.
00:21:01.59\00:21:03.49
"Pope John Paul II
announced yesterday
00:21:03.53\00:21:05.69
that throughout the
millennium celebration,
00:21:05.73\00:21:08.03
penitents who do a charitable
deed or give up cigarettes
00:21:08.06\00:21:11.60
or alcohol for a day
can earn an 'indulgence'
00:21:11.63\00:21:15.50
that will
eliminate time in purgatory."
00:21:15.54\00:21:18.21
This was reported
in the New York Times:
00:21:18.24\00:21:21.31
"In recent months
dioceses around the world
00:21:21.34\00:21:24.15
have been offering
Catholics a spiritual benefit
00:21:24.18\00:21:26.61
that fell out of favor
decades ago, the indulgence.
00:21:26.65\00:21:30.89
A sort of amnesty from
punishment in the afterlife
00:21:30.92\00:21:34.09
and reminding them
of the church's clout
00:21:34.12\00:21:36.36
in mitigating the wages of sin.
00:21:36.39\00:21:39.29
The fact that many Catholics
under 50 have never sought one,
00:21:39.33\00:21:42.56
and never heard of indulgences
00:21:42.60\00:21:44.07
except in high
school European history
00:21:44.10\00:21:46.57
(Martin Luther denounced
the selling of them in 1517
00:21:46.60\00:21:50.44
while igniting the
Protestant Reformation),
00:21:50.47\00:21:53.21
simply makes their
reintroduction more urgent
00:21:53.24\00:21:56.14
among church leaders bent
on restoring fading traditions
00:21:56.18\00:21:59.85
of penance in what they
see as a self-satisfied world."
00:21:59.88\00:22:04.15
So the issues that were raised
by the Protestant reformers
00:22:06.22\00:22:09.96
still exist today,
00:22:09.99\00:22:11.93
emphasized by a headline
that appeared on the front page
00:22:11.96\00:22:14.76
of the Los Angeles
Times back in the year 2000:
00:22:14.83\00:22:18.67
"Vatican Declares Catholicism
Sole Path to Salvation."
00:22:18.70\00:22:24.41
The Secretary of the World
Council of Churches at the time
00:22:24.44\00:22:27.24
said this in response:
00:22:27.28\00:22:29.14
"It's realistic to acknowledge
that this is the official
00:22:29.18\00:22:31.61
Catholic position and we
cannot simply wish it away."
00:22:31.65\00:22:35.98
Men like John Huss and his
colleague Jerome in Bohemia,
00:22:36.02\00:22:39.49
Louis de Berquin in France,
00:22:39.52\00:22:41.56
William Tyndale of England,
00:22:41.59\00:22:43.29
Ridley, Latimer,
and Cranmer in England,
00:22:43.32\00:22:45.89
Patrick Hamilton and
George Wishart in Scotland,
00:22:45.93\00:22:48.03
and millions of
others during those dark,
00:22:48.06\00:22:50.37
blood-stained
centuries, gave their lives,
00:22:50.40\00:22:53.27
in the words of
the Apostle John,
00:22:53.30\00:22:55.44
"for the Word of God and for
the testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:22:55.47\00:22:59.14
Revelation 1:2.
00:22:59.17\00:23:01.98
There's a remarkable story
told about a Dutch Anabaptist
00:23:02.01\00:23:04.78
named Dirk Willems,
00:23:04.81\00:23:06.88
who was condemned
to die by the church
00:23:06.92\00:23:09.18
for refusing to adhere
to the church's teachings,
00:23:09.22\00:23:11.69
specifically on infant baptism.
00:23:11.72\00:23:14.76
But Willems managed to escape
from where he was being held,
00:23:14.79\00:23:18.23
and he crept across the
frozen ice covering a moat.
00:23:18.26\00:23:22.00
A prison guard noticed what was
going on and pursued Willems,
00:23:22.03\00:23:25.60
but he fell through that
thin ice into the frigid waters.
00:23:25.63\00:23:29.74
He cried out for help.
00:23:29.77\00:23:30.91
There was nobody to help him,
00:23:30.94\00:23:32.54
except for the
escaping Dirk Willems,
00:23:32.57\00:23:35.14
who did not want
to see the man perish.
00:23:35.18\00:23:38.31
He went back
and rescued the man,
00:23:38.35\00:23:39.95
but he paid a high
price for his bravery.
00:23:39.98\00:23:44.89
He was recaptured,
00:23:44.92\00:23:46.65
put in prison again,
00:23:46.69\00:23:48.52
and was burned at
the stake by the church.
00:23:48.56\00:23:51.89
See, these great
men and women of faith
00:23:51.93\00:23:54.10
believed the words of Jesus
found in Revelation 2, verse 10,
00:23:54.10\00:23:57.23
where Jesus said,
00:23:57.27\00:23:58.20
"Be faithful unto death,
00:23:58.23\00:24:01.00
and I will give
you the crown of life."
00:24:01.04\00:24:03.41
This was the world into which
00:24:06.64\00:24:08.18
the Protestant
reformers were born.
00:24:08.21\00:24:10.21
They rose up to oppose
something God had never intended
00:24:12.28\00:24:15.35
would be created:
00:24:15.38\00:24:16.62
a system of salvation
based on works and not grace,
00:24:16.65\00:24:21.62
where the only
freedom believers had
00:24:21.66\00:24:23.43
was that given
them by the church.
00:24:23.46\00:24:25.46
A powerful system that,
00:24:25.49\00:24:28.20
believing it was
doing the work of God,
00:24:28.23\00:24:30.20
was prepared to use
force to get its way.
00:24:30.23\00:24:34.34
But the dark clouds that
held back the light of truth,
00:24:36.71\00:24:39.34
the unholy alliance
of church and state,
00:24:39.37\00:24:43.88
couldn't endure forever.
00:24:43.91\00:24:46.45
The corruption and cruelty
of the Renaissance church
00:24:46.48\00:24:49.35
was like the
hour before the dawn.
00:24:49.38\00:24:52.69
The morning sun would
soon drive away the darkness.
00:24:52.72\00:24:56.26
Grace and truth
would break forth.
00:24:58.09\00:25:00.83
¤[Music]
00:25:00.86\00:25:05.00
In Old Testament times,
00:25:05.03\00:25:06.30
God's people
suffered for many years
00:25:06.33\00:25:08.30
under the heavy
hand of Egyptian slavery.
00:25:08.34\00:25:11.84
But then there was a
miraculous breakthrough,
00:25:11.87\00:25:14.11
and God delivered His people,
00:25:14.14\00:25:15.51
opening up the Red Sea
00:25:15.54\00:25:17.81
and guiding them
to the Promised Land.
00:25:17.85\00:25:19.85
Well, there would be a
miraculous breakthrough again.
00:25:21.68\00:25:24.15
The light of God's
Word was going to shine.
00:25:24.19\00:25:26.65
God's plans would
not be frustrated.
00:25:26.69\00:25:29.92
A new day would dawn
for believers everywhere.
00:25:29.96\00:25:32.76
God's work was not done.
00:25:32.79\00:25:35.20
Great days were ahead.
00:25:35.23\00:25:36.46
¤[Music]
00:25:36.50\00:25:42.40
>>John: Who is the
mystery beast of Revelation?
00:25:43.91\00:25:46.44
The book of
Revelation speaks of a power
00:25:46.47\00:25:48.21
of tremendous religious
and political significance
00:25:48.24\00:25:51.01
that will rise up
in earth's last days.
00:25:51.05\00:25:53.85
Find out who it is by
receiving this free offer,
00:25:53.88\00:25:56.79
"The Mystery
Beast of Revelation."
00:25:56.82\00:25:59.25
Call us on 800-253-3000,
00:25:59.29\00:26:02.49
or visit us online
at itiswritten.com.
00:26:02.52\00:26:06.26
Or you can write to
the address on your screen.
00:26:06.29\00:26:09.00
I'd like you to
receive our free offer,
00:26:09.03\00:26:11.27
"The Mystery
Beast of Revelation."
00:26:11.30\00:26:13.80
Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:26:13.84\00:26:15.60
exists due to the gracious
support of people like you.
00:26:15.64\00:26:19.87
It's your support that makes
it possible for It Is Written
00:26:19.91\00:26:22.11
to share Jesus and the
great truths of the Bible
00:26:22.14\00:26:25.35
with the world.
00:26:25.38\00:26:26.92
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:26.95\00:26:28.72
to the address on your screen,
00:26:28.75\00:26:30.55
or you can support It Is
Written through our website:
00:26:30.59\00:26:32.75
itiswritten.com.
00:26:32.79\00:26:35.66
Thanks for your
generous support.
00:26:35.69\00:26:37.13
Our number is 800-253-3000,
00:26:37.16\00:26:40.50
and our web address is
00:26:40.53\00:26:41.46
itiswritten.com.
00:26:41.50\00:26:43.33
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
00:26:44.87\00:26:46.77
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:46.80\00:26:48.60
we thank You
that in Your goodness
00:26:48.64\00:26:49.90
You have
preserved Your Word for us.
00:26:49.94\00:26:52.87
We thank You for
Jesus, "the Word made flesh."
00:26:52.91\00:26:55.68
We wish that He
would live in our hearts,
00:26:55.71\00:26:57.41
and we pray You
would make that so.
00:26:57.45\00:27:00.22
And we pray that our lives
would be based on Your Word.
00:27:00.25\00:27:04.85
We thank You that there
were men and women of old
00:27:04.89\00:27:07.09
who dared to
stand up for Your Word.
00:27:07.12\00:27:08.96
They, in many cases,
00:27:08.99\00:27:10.69
paid the ultimate price so
we could have delivered to us
00:27:10.73\00:27:14.36
the freedom that comes
through knowing You personally,
00:27:14.36\00:27:19.27
through Your Word.
00:27:19.30\00:27:21.04
So bless us, Lord, I
pray, that any reform
00:27:21.07\00:27:23.51
that must take place in
our own lives would happen
00:27:23.54\00:27:26.84
so that we can
be, by Your grace,
00:27:26.88\00:27:28.94
everything that
You wish we would be.
00:27:28.98\00:27:32.38
We thank You and
ask Your blessing,
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and we pray
together in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Thanks so much for joining me.
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I'm looking forward
to seeing you again.
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Until then, remember:
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"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
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but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
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