Reformation | October 31, 2016
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| The doors of Castle Church, Wittenberg |
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a German monk, posted his 95 Theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Because it was common for scholars to post disputations to the door, there was no fanfare and no reason to give it a second glance. Yet, this particular sheet of paper sent shivers down the spine of Christianity.
It’s the second time in history that the fate of humanity has been nailed to a piece of wood.
The church of the Middle Ages had become massive and exceedingly wealthy. Church leaders became the power brokers in all things religious and political, in some cases creating a theology that did little more than maintain the church’s power and authority. After centuries of growing fat with worldly prosperity — often on the backs of the working poor — the church was soon to be shaken out of its slumber. The 95 Theses became a rallying cry for reform.
No one ever imagined that reforming the church would literally change the world. But that’s precisely what happened.
Jon Bloom expounds on the impact of the Reformation:
Wherever the church opened the door to Jesus, repentance and reformation was like chemotherapy to the cancer of spiritual corruption, and recovered belief in the gospel of Christ spread spiral health through much of Europe, then on to the New World, Asia, and Africa. It spawned massive evangelism, church planting, Bible translation, and frontier missions efforts. And in its wake, it brought about all manner of social good: stronger families, honest commerce, economic empowerment for the poor, hospitals and clinics for the sick, education for the masses, encouragement for the scientific enterprise, democratic forms of civic government, and on and on.
October 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, what Time magazine calls one of the most important events of the last 2000 years. This Reformation (October 31, 2016) begins a one year celebration — a year marked by special worship services, Reformation concerts by the Salisbury Symphony and the Lenoir-Rhyne A Capella Choir, a play jointly produced by St. John’s and the Piedmont Players, and the opening of our Lutheran Heritage Museum. It’s a lot to look forward to, to be sure.
Let’s not let October 31 go to waste. Instead, use it as an opportunity to reconnect with our Lutheran heritage and recommit to the time-honored disciplines of faith.
May God’s blessings rest upon you and the church he serves as Shepherd and Lord.
Peace+
Pastor Rhodes
