Lucas Cranach the Elder *Martin Luther* 1528
© *Luther Memorials Foundation of Saxony- Anhalt*

On October 31st, 1517, a young theology professor changed the Christian church and world history forever. Well, maybe not all in one day, but on that day a series of events were set into motion that changed everything. Brother Martin Luther, a friar of the Augustinian order, sent his work, Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, in the mail to Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz. You might know this work better as the 95 Theses.

These events set into motion a movement we refer to today as the Reformation. Martin Luther never set out to begin a movement, nor divide the church. To Luther, these 95 Theses addressed necessary concerns of his time and his place. Luther believed that ‘justification’, or being ‘right with God’ happened through faith alone. It couldn’t be bought or achieved or worked toward, rather God’s grace only came through trusting God.

Why did Luther write these 95 Theses? In Luther’s time and place, indulgences were becoming a more common practice in the church. These indulgences were a part of the theological understanding of the world in the Middle Ages. While they believed God forgave all spiritual sin, it was taught that indulgences were a way to pay back the earthly penalty of sin. Luther saw a way to talk about God’s faithfulness in his critique of indulgences. He used his time and place to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ for all people.

He began a tradition of reformation that we continue today.

We don’t live in the Middle Ages of Western Europe. Our time and place is different than Martin Luther’s, yet our faith tradition asks us to look with a discerning eye. How do we practice and proclaim that faith alone is what God requires? In what ways do we turn faith into work that seeks to prove our worth, rather than trusting that God finds us worthy?

On October 29th we will celebrate the tradition of the Reformation and the confirmation of our students. The question of faith continues to permeate through our own time and place. We celebrate what Martin Luther began so many years ago. We remember through God all things are being made new. We are called to continue to discern the ways we are church in the world. Through God’s grace we are free to question and to change. We are called to trust in God alone for all life, healing, and wholeness.

This is what Luther began so long ago, and it’s a tradition we continue today.

Peace,

Pastor Lily