Why should Protestant Christians identify with and be repenting of wars begun by Roman Catholics?
LG: First of all, we’re not repenting. I acknowledge the theological and historical debates about confessing the sins of long-deceased ancestors, but considering the effects of the Reconciliation Walk such debate becomes secondary. Reconciliation between people, any people, is a noble and laudable aim. We’re not repenting on behalf of our ancestors. In fact, those who strongly disagree about what is often called “identificational repentance” can fully participate in the Walk. The fact that there was only a Roman Catholic church in the West at that time (the Orthodox split with Rome was only just beginning) is largely irrelevant for what we’re doing. What the church of that era represented to Muslims and Jews was Western Christianity. That’s what we represent. Our audience understands that is what we represent. CS: Obviously they’re hearing something that many Western Christians are not able to. LG: Whether we have the right to apologize never comes up with the Muslims, the Jews, or Eas
