It Was This Month Long, Long Ago . . .

It's difficult to set an exact date when the Reformation actually began. But, if we were to have an annual memorial to this great event, it would have to be October 31st. It was on that date in 1517 that a young monk named Martin Luther boldly stepped up to the door of the Castle Church in the town of Wittenberg in Germany and nailed his famous "Ninety-five Theses of Religion" to that door. In his theses Luther denounced the sale of "The Pope's Indulgence", a paper which gave direct forgiveness from the Pope for those who had sinned, or ever would sin. Through the purchase of these Indulgences, the faithful were told that they could free the souls of the loved ones now in the pains of "Purgatory", and assure forgiveness for them and themselves.

When Luther was asked to recant on his teachings, he responded with these famous words: "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."

Click here to see Martin Luther's speech at the Diet of Worms

There were four basic doctrines the reformers believed the Roman Catholic Church to be in error. These four questions or doctrines are:

1. How is a person saved?
2. Where does religious authority lie?
3. What is the church?
4. What is the essence of Christian living?

In answering these questions, the Reformers established what became known as the “Five Solas” of the Reformation (sola being the Latin word for “alone”). These five points were the heart of the Protestant Reformation, and it was for these five essential Biblical doctrines that the Reformers would take their stand against the Roman Catholic Church, resisting the demands placed on them to recant, even to the point of death.

Let's mark October as "Reformation Month" on our calenders and remember those who went before us to bring us the freedom we have to celebrate our faith. In this celebration we find not only the priviledge of studying theology, but the necessity.

Soli De Gloria