The film launched the 6th Festival of German Cinema and the Reformer is depicted as a young man overwhelmed by the liberating power of God's Word. Played by Joseph Fiennes, the star of 'Shakespeare in Love', the portrayal highlights Luther's fragility and humanity, and is a far cry from the monstrous figure created by the dark legends of Catholic propagandists in Spain.

A.C.Press art critic, José de Segovia, comments: "Whoever thinks that the Reformation is no more than a question of politics, and that Luther was merely the instrument of German princes against the peasantry does not recognise the person they see on the screen. There is more Gospel in this film than in the entire Mel Gibson film, 'The Passion'. Because the theme of the film is the reality of the grace of God."

The film begins with Luther's torment when he decides to become a monk in Erfurt in 1505. There he meets the leader of the Augustinians in Germany, Staupitz, played brilliantly by the Swiss actor, Bruno Ganz, who "reflects the prototype of pseudo-Protestant Catholicism, so close yet so far from the Reformation. For him, as for so many Catholics today, the problem of Protestantism is that it does not see what is still positive within the Church of Rome, although he recommends that Luther read the Bible every day, sending him to Wittemberg to study."

Luther's famous visit to Rome was actually filmed in Italy. Luther saw the religious circus the papacy had become, scandalised at the manipulation, superstition and immorality among the clergy, which reached its nadir in the massive sale of indulgences. The film manages to convey "this denunciation of corruption...especially contemporary in its attack on tyranny and spiritual oppression. Luther's 95 thesis against Vatican commercialisation do not only set off the Reformation on October 31st, 1517, but continue denouncing today all kinds of spiritual corruption."

The film continually shows "the amazing grace of God, seen in a man like Luther, with all his weaknesses, capable of confessing to his wife Catherine that there are days when he is so depressed he cannot get out of bed. This is why many of us believe the Reformation was God's work. This is not the story of a great man, but of a great God, who loves deeply such miserable and tormented creatures as that monk."

Madrid, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
The Chairman of the Federation of Israeli Communities in Spain, Jacob Garzón, closed their annual Convention with a call for genuine religious equality for all religious minorities in Spain, and and an end to the preferential treatment afforded the Catholic Church.

The Jewish Federation presented a document entitled 'Religious discrimination in Spain from a Jewish perspective; ten proposals to improve religious neutrality.' Garzón said Jews had fought shoulder to shoulder with Protestants for liberty in Spain since the distant Constitution of 1869, yet regretted the lack of progress regarding the implementation of the latest Constitution, already 25 years old.

"Above all we need (religious freedom) because the Jewish population, in whom democratic values and the Constitution are deeply rooted, has no wish to remain an isolated minority, but wants to belong to a diverse majority."

Madrid, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
In what could prove a watershed case, a court has upheld a policeman's complaint that his right to religious freedom was being denied when his unit participated in a Roman Catholic ritual.

Antonio Cordovilla refused to attend a ceremony in which his police unit joined forces with a Catholic brotherhood in Málaga. His superiors rejected his request and said he must join in the 'penitence' procession, which was accompanied by police on horseback. Cordovilla took his case to court, also asking that his unit be disassociated from the brotherhood. The law on religious liberty states that the only limits are "those necessary for the maintenance of public order", and this was clearly not the case in this instance.

The court found in the policeman's favour, concluding that the service he was being asked to give was confessional in nature, and unconnected to questions of public order. However, they refused Cordovilla's request to sanction the breaking of the link between the police corps and the brotherhood, alleging that the Constitutional  Court was not the correct channel for such a move.

Bilbao, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
The unexpected Socialist victory at the March general election caught Catholic bishops on the hop. Anticipating the continuance of their 'special relationship' with the state under the centre-right Popular Party, they have had to start from scratch, concerned at the shift in religious and ethical policy threatened by the new government.

Cardinal Rouco got up early to congratulate Zapatero on his triumph, and the appointment of staunchly Catholic José Bono to the post of Foreign Minister drew the papal nuncio, Manuel Monteiro, to his swearing-in. Yet relief was short-lived when the new Prime Minister intervened personally to appoint Mercedes Rico, a secular career diplomat, to the important post of Head of Religious Affairs within the Justice Ministry. The bishops had expected someone from the university world, and certainly a militant Catholic. Rico was previously Ambassador in Rome and sources there recall her as someone who kept her distance from all things religious.

So is the Socialist Party preparing to launch an all-out attack on the Roman Catholic Church? Will it recover its historical anti-clericalism in an effort to show its Left-wing credentials? It is unlikely, but it does want to end the concept ­ held dearly by Catholic leaders ­ that the Catholic Church should hold on to privileges indefinitely, and wants Rome to learn to become one more free institution in a pluralist society. Religious freedom for all is on the table once more.

Rico's appointment ­ she speaks Italian which would prove useful in any negotiations with the Vatican  - suggests the government is prepared to modify the 1979 Accords which gave Rome preference over all other religious groups in Spain. It is not only politicians who believe the time is ripe for a change; legal experts say successive governments have been more than generous and condescending towards the Catholic Church. A new wind is blowing.

Madrid, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
The Pope has attempted to defuse his criticism of the new Spanish government by thanking the new Spanish Ambassador for his visit and re-affirming their joint commitment to fighting terrorism and promoting peace.

John Paul II used the occasion of the presentation of Jorge Dezcallar to call on Spain to "respect the basic right to life", condemning the Socialists' proposal to legalise abortion, as well as suggestions of legalising homosexual unions. However, for the visit of José Luis Zapatero, he modified his discourse, and encouraged the Prime Minister to "bear in mind the ethical values rooted in the religoius and cultural tradition of the population." The meeting was cordial but perhaps the papal emphasis on the 'youth' of the Spanish leader could be read one of two ways.

Barcelona, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
The current Pope has supported enthusiastically several para-church organisations in his drive to 're-conquer' nations where Catholicism has fallen on hard times. One of the groups which has flourished most during his tenure is the cult-like 'Opus Dei.'

Opus Dei was founded in 1928 by the Spaniard, José María Escrivá de Balaguer, with just such a crusading purpose. Taking the option of holiness at work and in daily life, it was an ideal tool for reaching places where the pulpit did not go ­ the workplace. When Karol Wojtyla took over the reins of Catholic power in 1979, he said "the Opus Dei has anticipated the lay theology of Vatican II", a phrase which did not please other Catholic groups who looked on Opus as an ultra-conservative group. Yet it was clear that Opus Dei was set to prosper under his papacy.

Balaguer began the Opus Dei in Madrid but moved to Rome in 1946. Four years later, papal approval arrived courtesy of Pius XII, and by the time of the founder's death in 1975, Opus Dei had 60,000 members. However, in 1982, the group was taken more closely under the papal wing through a decision which made it his personal prelature. This move, intended for special pastoral concerns, meant that the group now depended upon the prelature and not on the diocesan structure, having its own clergy.

Opus Dei grew from this moment onwards on the back of Vatican privileges, and its efficiency contrasted with the often awkward progress of the day-to-day machinations of the Catholic Church. Balaguer was beatified in 1992 and canonised ten years later, and a similar process is underway for his successor, Alvaro del Portillo, who died in 1994. Opus Dei now has around 80,000 members, some of them high-ranking officials ­ like Cardinal Julián Herranz. The greatest number live in Latin America and include four Archbishops.

Madrid, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
A fat lot of good it did the Spanish football team asking a statue for help ­ they got knocked out in the first round of the European Championship.

The only victory in their three matches came courtesy of a goal by evangelical player, Valerón, the only one who refused to bow down before (actually, hug) the idol in Santiago Cathedral. The team manager, Iñaki Sáez, pronounced these words to the lump of stone which is supposed to represent the apostle James: "You illumine and give strength to whoever draws close to you. That is why we are here. We are the Spanish football team, that is, we represent in some measure all the people of Spain united in their passion for football. Dear apostle, football is our passion and that of millions of Spaniards. We realise the influence we exercise over youngsters and that is why we are here to ask for your divine (sic) inspiration."

Yes, he really said that, in the year 2004 AD. Following his speech, all the players and staff ­ except Valerón ­ gave the statue a hug. 'El País' newspaper commented on the exception: "The only Spanish player who did not hug the figure of the apostle James. For moral reasons, one assumes, not for lack of faith." Another sportswriter, Carlos Carbajosa, expressed his puzzlement: "It was, actually, rather strange. It wouldn't have cost him anything to do it." Well, actually, it would have cost him his integrity as a believer. Carbajosa should read the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and their refusal to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue.

-ACPress columnist, Juan Antonio Monroy, observed: "It wouldn't have cost him anything? Is loyalty to the message of Jesus nothing? Is faithfulness to the faith he professes nothing? Is obedience to the biblical command not to make images nothing? Would Carbajosa hug a statue of Buddha? Valerón showed, bravely, that his faith is a sincere spirituality, not a mere charade of religiosity."

In the last match, interestingly enough, Valerón stayed on the bench and Spain lost and were eliminated. Despite this being one of the worst performances by Spain at a major tournament in recent years, noone now recalls the invocation of the statue just a couple of weeks earlier. And, says Monroy, this sums up Spain. It prefers to trust in superstitious traditions rather than have straightforward faith in the Bible as the Word of God.

Oviedo, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
The Anglican Church has more than 1,000 members (including nominal ones) in the northern province of Asturias, but the group continues to be viewed with caution by many, through fear of the unknown.

14 new members were confirmed by the Bishop of Spain, Carlos López, on June 20th. However, fewer than 20% of the Anglicans in Asturias are Spanish. Many of them are British, as well as people from a variety of other nationalities. López believes the Church is attracting new members who want a more democratic organisation, and one which has the dynamism of a smaller group. "Our aim is to serve the people, we are an open Church which tries to help those who identify with us."

López also said that the Anglican Church in Spain uses the ancient liturgy from Hispanic worship. "When the Church was organised in our country in 1880, they thought the best thing would be to adopt a genuinely Spanish form of worship instead of translating the service forms of foreign churches. We differ from the Catholic Church in that our source of authority is the Bible, and not tradition or the Pope."

López explained that he was happily married and that since 1992, women can be priests in the Anglican Church. However, he added that marriage should be between a man and a woman and that the cases of homosexual bishops elsewhere in the Anglican Communion "are isolated cases." The Anglican Church in the Asturian capital, Oviedo, meets in the Chapel of St. John, lent to them by its priest, Fernando Rubio, six years ago. It is the only building available to the denomination in the province.

Pizarrales, June 30th, 2004 (ACPress.net).
The music and singing of Pizarrales Evangelical Church has led to complaints by neighbours, and the case is currently under consideration by the Town Council.

In March, police called at the church after receiving complaints from the neighbour who lives over the church. Having taken acoustic measurements, they found that the noise level exceeded the 5.6 decibels permitted in daytime. Now the Council has to decide what action, if any, to take. However, it seems that the authorities have one rule for churches, another for bars and discotheques, which pump out far more noise, especially at weekends.