Reflections on this Reformation Day.
October 31, 1517 was the day Martin Luther nailed ninety-five theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg. It is hard to believe that about five centuries have elapsed since, but what resulted was the birthing of the Protestant Reformation. Things had certainly gone awry in the earthly church and a corrective needed be set in place. What Luther did was a common practice at the time for inviting others into theological debate. The issue concerned the abuse of the indulgences, particularly with the preaching of John Tetzel, who would implore peasant Christians to give form their poverty towards the building of Saint Peter’s Basilica otherwise their deceased loved ones would remain in the sufferings of a fiery Purgatory for venial sins committed. Tetzel’s jingle “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings the soul from purgatory springs.” Luther’s intent was to demonstrate this message undermined the sufficiency of the Gospel. Reading over the ninety-five theses again as a thing apro...
