Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda
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It was the last few hours of October 31st, 1520, All Hallows Eve. Martin Luther hurried past the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, where exactly three years earlier, he had posted his 95 Theses. This collection of nearly one hundred sentences targeted the Roman Catholic practice of selling indulgences, igniting a revolution that would reshape the religious landscape of Europe.
INDULGENCES: A SPIRITUAL MARKETPLACE
The word "indulgence" itself comes from the Latin word meaning "permit," creating a spiritual "get out of jail free card" that the Church could issue to paying masses. For the right price, an indulgence could be purchased from the Church, guaranteeing a shorter stay in purgatory, where loved ones were believed to be suffering under the weight of their sins, being purified in this halfway house between earth and heaven.
The Church argued that this was possible since some extraordinary saints had earned a surplus of merit that exceeded what was needed to get into heaven. That merit could be applied to the account of ordinary men. According to Papal doctrine, the Church alone had the keys to this storehouse and depository of righteous merit. With a simple transaction of a few coins, the Church could apply the merit of a saint to the account of a sinner, shortening their stay in purgatory.
LUTHER'S EARLY DISCONTENT WITH INDULGENCES
However, as Luther penned his 95 Theses, we must remember that, by 1517, Luther was not entirely against the selling of indulgences. He would eventually get there, but his primary grievance was with the abuse of the practice, especially considering how the money was being used to build more and more elaborate cathedrals while many of the men and women of his own Church were starving. Luther questioned, "Why doesn't the pope empty the halls of purgatory himself, by pure Christian love and with his own money, rather than burdening the pockets of destitute believers?"
JOHANN TETZEL AND THE PROLIFERATION OF INDULGENCES
Infamous in the distribution of these indulgences was a man named Johann Tetzel, who took the selling of indulgences to the streets. His marketing pitch was cleverly stated: "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." Tetzel would even dramatize the voices of dead loved ones crying out in pain and anguish, begging their living relatives to end their suffering by purchasing one of these papal permits.
This crass commercialization of salvation deeply troubled Luther, as it struck at the very heart of his understanding of Christian faith. He could no longer remain silent as he saw the masses being misled and exploited by this elaborate scheme.
SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
By 1517, even while Luther's theology was still developing, he had come to understand that salvation could not depend upon our good works. Not even to the slightest degree. Salvation, as Augustine and the Scriptures had taught him, was a gift from God, purifying the sinner entirely by grace and motivating a real and living faith in the one who was justified.
The thought that anyone could work their way into heaven was thoroughly preposterous to Luther, much less that some saints had an excess of available merit to share with anyone else.
NAILING THE 95 THESES: A FATEFUL DECISION
This is precisely why the German Augustinian monk nailed the 95 Theses on the door of the Church on October 31st, All Hallows Eve. The very next day was All Saints Day, the holiday when the Church would celebrate all the saints whose lives contributed to the treasury of merit. By nailing the document to the church door on that day, Luther was not only questioning the validity of the practice, but he was unwittingly provoking the full fury and power of Rome to be weaponized against him, kicking off the Protestant Reformation.
Luther's bold act of nailing the 95 Theses was not just an act of defiance but a call for discussion. He wished to engage in a theological debate about the sale of indulgences, inviting scholars to challenge his ideas. However, his actions sparked a firestorm that he couldn't have foreseen. The printing press, a recent invention, played a crucial role in spreading Luther's ideas far and wide. Copies of his theses were printed and distributed across Europe, fueling a growing movement of dissent.
THE REFORMATION UNLEASHED
The 95 Theses marked the beginning of a seismic shift in the religious landscape. Luther's call for a return to the actual teachings of Christianity, as he saw it, gained traction among the masses who were disenchanted with the corruption of the Church.
In the years that followed, Luther's writings and teachings continued to challenge the established order. He emphasized the Bible as the ultimate authority, making it accessible to the common people by translating it into German. His doctrine of justification by faith alone and his critique of the papal authority ignited a theological revolution that would eventually lead to the rise of various Protestant denominations.
EXCOMMUNICATION AND THE DIET OF WORMS
As Luther's influence grew, the Church became increasingly threatened. In 1521, he was excommunicated by Pope Leo X for his heretical views. But excommunication didn't deter Luther; it only fueled his determination. He stood before the formidable Diet of Worms and famously declared, "Here I stand, I can do no other," refusing to recant his beliefs. This moment of courage and conviction turned him into an iconic figure of resistance.
LEGACY AND IMPACT
As we wrap up our journey through Martin Luther's life, it's clear that he was more than a mere reformer. He was a trailblazer who challenged the status quo, reshaping the religious landscape of Europe. His actions paved the way for the Protestant Reformation, leading to the rise of various Protestant denominations and changing the course of Western history.
Today, 505 years later, we stand on the shoulders of men like Martin Luther, who took a bold stand for the truth of the Word of God. Without Luther, there would be no John Calvin. Without Calvin, there would be neither the Dutch nor Scottish Reformation. Without these movements, there would be no Puritans. Without the Puritans, there would be no Protestant church, and there would be no country called America.
A few swings of a hammer broke the world, and we praise God that it did. The legacy of Martin Luther lives on as a testament to the power of conviction, faith, and the courage to challenge the status quo, forever altering the course of history. His actions sparked a movement that reshaped the religious, cultural, and political landscape of the world. It all began with the posting of 95 theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg on that fateful All Hallows Eve.
ECCLESIA REFORMATA, SEMPER REFORMANDA
Today, as we live in a similar time of heresy and spiritual decline, let us remember that the Protestant Reformation is not over. While Luther, Calvin, Knox, and others did much to reform the Church, there is always a need for Reformation in every generation! That is why one of the mottos of the Reformation was the Latin phrase, "Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda," which translates to "the church reformed, always reforming." This timeless creed reminds us that the work of Reformation is never truly finished. Luther's hammer strikes against the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg were not just echoes of a bygone era but an enduring call to ongoing action for Christ's true Church. We are ever summoned to continue that pursuit of purity in religion, to challenge complacency and heresy, and to strive for a more faithful and Biblically centered Church. Just as Luther's courage ignited a movement that reshaped the world, let us, too, embrace the same fiery spirit as we work to reform, renew, and revive the Church in our time. The echoes of Luther's hammer still resonate, urging us to stand boldly, unwavering in our convictions, and ever-zealous for the truth. Amen!
