It may however be pointed out that the catholic system of church order is such that its emphasis upon the institution of the church, with its associated ecclesiastical apparatus, means that a prolonged period of spiritual mediocrity or even decline can be sustained without undue damage, to await spiritual renewal and regeneration at a future date. If the lifeblood of the Christian faith appeared to cease to flow through her veins, at least the church was able to retain her outward structures for the day when renewed spiritual fervour would revitalise her, raising her form her knees and propelling her forward to meet the challenges and opportunities of a new age.
Alister McGrath, Luther's Theology of the Cross
And yes, I've been reading about Luther recently...
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