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The Heart of the Reformation The Historical Beginning of the Reformation by Rev. Raymond Coffey October 2009 The coming of October signals the arrival of Fall with all of its attendant blessings: the cool, crisp mornings and evenings, the changing colors of the leaves, apple picking and fresh cider (Russett apple cider is my favorite), and the observance and remembrance of Reformation Day, October 31. It is this last item that is most significant for us. On this day the church remembers her heritage and marks this day as a st milestone in her theological history. On October 31 , 1517, Martin Luther posted 95 theses, in Latin, on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany and this event was a turning point in not only church history but also in world history. In these succinct propositions Luther challenged the effectiveness of indulgences. This was a practice of the Roman Catholic church that involved the giving of monies for the purpose of releasing one from the temporal punishments of earthly sin in Purgatory, a place of purgation following death and prior to entrance into the glory of eternal life. When Luther nailed these theses for disputation to the door his purpose was to open discussion and debate about indulgences. The actual title of these statements was the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences.” In a matter of weeks these Theses were distributed throughout Germany and the Reformation of the church began. The act of posting these theses on the door of the Castle Church is significant for several reasons. First, the door of the church served as a public bulletin board, where various issues would be posted for public discussion. Also, the Castle Church contained one of Europe’s largest collections of religious relics, collected by Frederick III of Saxony. There were over 19,000 relics in his collection, purportedly including vials of milk from the Virgin Mary, straw from the manger of the infant Jesus, and the body of one of the innocents put to death by Herod. The relics were displayed once a year for the faithful to venerate, or give reverence to them. The viewing of the relics, for a price of course, would bring early release from purgatory and hasten entry into glory. Hence an indulgence was given for a gift. Finally, monies were being raised in this region for the repair of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Albert of Brandenburg, the Archbishop of Mainz, allowed the sale of indulgences in his parish district for this project as long as he would receive a portion of the sale in order to pay off debts that he had incurred in borrowing to pay for this high position in the church. Frederick of Saxony had his own purposes. He opposed the sale of the indulgences because it would affect his own fund raising efforts in his area of jurisdiction. On November 1, 1517, All Saint’s Day, Frederick would be selling his own indulgences in Wittenberg. On the eve of that day, Luther posted his theses and the fire of the Reformation was ignited. The Recovery of the Gospel This brief reflection on history, with all of the political intrigue that shaped it, enables us to frame the events that led to the Reformation of the church. Luther himself grew in understanding the issues that were at stake and came to grasp more clearly the meaning of the gospel and justification by faith alone over time. John Calvin, who was greatly influenced by Luther, came to grasp the essential truths of the gospel by the very grace which he would so masterly expound in his writings. Because of these and others, the church recovered the pure message of the gospel which had been corrupted by various additions and superstitions over time. These leaders did not intend to start a new church. Their desire was to reform the church, particularly in doctrinal and ecclesiastical matters. They sought to return the church to the center of the gospel as it is revealed in Jesus Christ. In restoring the gospel as the focal point of Scripture, they encountered opposition, persecution and ultimately excommunication from the church of Rome. What emerged from these conflicts and battles was a renewed understanding of that which was critical to understanding the gospel. These truths were expressed in what came to be known as the “sola’s” of the Reformation. These terms conveyed in a succinct and defined manner what the heart of the Reformation was about. They are as follows: Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone is Authoritative Sola Christus – Christ Alone is Lord Sola Gratia – Grace Alone Sola Fide – Faith Alone Soli Deo Glori – To God Alone Be Glory These terms enabled to the churches of the Reformation to focus on the essential themes of the gospel. The key is found in the word “alone,” or the Latin phrase “sola.” What this did was highlight the uniqueness of each theme. For instance, the Roman Catholic church accepts the authority of Scripture, but not Scripture alone. Alongside Scripture is the Magisterium of the church, which authoritatively interprets Scripture and states doctrines that may not be found in Scripture, e.g. the Assumption of Mary. The Reformers taught that only Scripture is our authority, not church councils or even the church herself. Councils, creeds, and the church’s authority is subject to the teaching of Scripture itself. When Luther stood before the Diet of Worms, he declared that his conscience was bound by the Word of God alone. In his famous words he declared, “Here I stand, I can do no other.” In future issues of Fairlines we will explore these themes and apply them to the life of the church. As a church of the Reformation, we are grateful for our heritage and the renewed focus on the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. May we grow in our knowledge of these truths and apply them to our ministry for the glory of God.