Reformation Day 2010 actually falls on October 31 providing an opportunity to recall the anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing of his 95 theses on the church door at Wittenburg in 1517.
Although Presbyterians don’t go in for special days, it’s worth some sort of mention.
The ecumenical spirit of the age seems a trifle embarrassed about marking the occasion these days.
Folk want to back-pedal on the claim that the substantive body claiming to be the Christian church in the west had so confused the doctrine of justification that they had effectively forsaken the Gospel itself.
Even the Lutheran church, in some areas, seems prepared to concede that the whole situation can be explained as differing emphases.
It is true that justification by faith was not the primary motivation for Luther’s actions. That understanding would soon come as he scoured the Scriptures in order to bring peace to his own mind about how a sinner like him could be received as righteous by a just and holy God.
Here are a couple of popular level resources if you want background information Luther’s formative role in the Reformation.
Carl Trueman, in Church History lecturer mode, answers basic questions about the actions of October 31, 1517 for Justin Taylor.
Chris Castaldi offers a short essay that deals with Luther’s declaration at the Diet of Worms in April 18, 1521.
In the week when the Protestant church looks back to the advertising of a public debate by a professor, Martin Luther, at Wittenberg University on October 31, 1517, and celebrates that event as the start of the Reformation, Derek and I head to Heidelberg. In fact, Heidelberg is a more likely candidate for the real, public start of the theological reformation as, on April 26, 1518, the Saxon Chapter of the Augustinian Order gathered to hear one Leonhard Beier defend a series of theses composed by Martin Luther, who presided over the proceedings. On that day, Luther’s famous distinction between theologians of glory and theologians of the cross received its first public airing. The full set of theological theses, with Luther’s explanations, can be found here; but I give the final thesis below. It is worth meditating on, given that the first sentence captures the essence of biblical teaching about God, in contrast with human beings, and is one of the most profound and beautiful statements found outside of the biblical canon:
The love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it. The love of man comes into being through that which is pleasing to it.
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The ecumenical spirit of the age seems a trifle embarrassed about marking the occasion these days.
What I’m embarrassed about is how we Presbyterians (and other capital R reformed folk) seem to think that marking days like this proves our orthodoxy.
I’m all for noting special days. But, like Valentines Day, every day is Reformation Day for all of those who truly trust in Jesus alone.
Which, the more often I read it, sounds like we agree with each other.
What I meant by saying “The ecumenical spirit of the age seems a trifle embarrassed about marking the occasion these days.” is that it’s not so much the marking of a special day which is the embarrassment but the reason why it exists. There is a rising notion that the Reformation was all about a difference in emphasis and that we’re beyond splitting hairs over doctrinal formulations these days.
For that reason alone I want to encourage people to remember that the institutional church can forget the Gospel, but God will preserve His people and will not be without a witness.
That’s worth acknowledging.
So, what are you doing on St. Andrew’s Day?
hahaha. hilarious. I love it.
I agree that we agree:)
St Andrews Day? I don’t even know when it is. November? I do play the bagpipes. And I was married in a kilt so I have all the accoutrements to go all the way.
But I suspect it will pass by unnoticed by me.