What IS Reformation Day?
Reformation Day is a day to commemorate October 31st, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis (95 reasons) on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany – which he posted as public argument against the practice of indulgences (where the Catholic church led its members to believe they could pay the church a fee to absolve their sins) and other clerical abuses.
This act made the German priest an outlaw, resulted in his excommunication and was the primary catalyst for the Protestant reformation (the branching out of Protestantism away from Catholicism.)
Going against the Catholic faith he had served up to that point, Luther taught that Salvation is not earned by good deeds but can only be given by God through faith in Jesus Christ as our redeemer from sin. He taught that the bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge (challenging the Pope’s authority) and translated the bible into the common language to put it directly in the hands of the people.
All these things and more have had a lasting effect on Protestantism that many do not even realize. Because of his actions and the resulting reformation, we are free from the practices of indulgences today, we have a bible in our own language — and what Protestant has not sung or heard “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (written by Luther circa 1527) at least once in their life?
And Happy Reformation Day!
You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.
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