On October 31st, 1517 (500 years ago), Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the All-Saints’ Chapel in Wittenberg, Germany. This seemingly small act of personal conviction went on to become a watershed moment in the history of not only the church, but the world. The emergence of Anti-Establishment politics, Free Speech and the Abolition of Slave Trade were all directly impacted by this one-man act. Luther’s ninety-five theses became the catalyst for the reformation, which produced the Five Solas: (We are) saved by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, according to Scripture Alone, for the Glory of God Alone. In any endeavor, it’s the truth (and strength) of our personal convictions that heralds lasting change.
July 12, 2018 at 6:34 pm
Got a walk through earlier this year. Just amazing history and significance. The irony of it all is that the place of these origins has become largely secular.
July 12, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Hier stehe ich, ich kann nicht anders! But do you say, Prince Rufaro Makaya;-) Banter aside, the spiritual hollowness that Luther saw in Rome has now come full circle! And sadly, what you observed is repeated all over Europe. Most of these churches are now tourist monuments!
July 12, 2018 at 6:36 pm
Wow!!!
July 12, 2018 at 6:37 pm
But also had a dark side; antisemitism. As he grew older he became more and more hateful of the Jews comparing them with the devil in his book the Jews and their lies. This sentiment spread across Europe and was later used by the Nazi propaganda machine where 6 million Jews perished. It’s unbelievable that the man who had such revelation of the word of God could at the same time become a carrier of evil.
July 12, 2018 at 6:38 pm
Not only did Luther have very colorful views on polygamy, David, his abhorrence of the Peasant Revolt (the one that directly followed the Reformation) also encouraged the princes to take brutal action against their subjects. While the peasants were counting on his support, he outrightly gave them over to be executed! And that is not to talk about the bloody religious wars that engulfed Europe thereafter. History has largely swept some of these inconvenient truths under the carpet of hero worship! That God chooses to use weak vessels to advance His agenda will forever remain a mystery to us mortals. In his letter to his young protégé, Timothy, the super-apostle Paul, writer of two-thirds of the New Testament (but also a former murderer and religious zealot) captures this well; “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience…”
July 12, 2018 at 6:39 pm
This is the danger of taking only one portion of scripture and running with it! He he didn’t take the other passages in context to make a wholestic interpretation of scripture. I want to think he’s motives were politically driven given at the time the political super power was extracting money from peasants to finance architectural projects and debt. This is what primarily ignited Luther’s reformation.
July 12, 2018 at 6:40 pm
David, there’s no denying Martin Luther was greatly used of God, much like he used a drunkard called Noah to save the world, a hot-tempered fellow called Moses to deliver His people from slavery and adulterous David to lead a nation to unprecedented levels of prosperity. God doesn’t give us what we rightly deserve (Justice) but extends to us what we truly don’t deserve (Grace). That is the message of the cross. And that is the significance of the reformation, way beyond Martin Luther’s protest against the 16th Century Catholic Church’s practice of selling “indulgences.”
July 12, 2018 at 6:40 pm
God fought back against the forces of darkness