Reformation Day A Blast from the Past
October 27, 2019
These four fellows are William Farel, John Calvin, John Knox, and Theodore Beza. You’ve probably heard of Calvin and Knox, but Farel was already in Geneva reforming when Calvin landed there. Farel drafted him and invited him to join the Reformation. Beza was there after Calvin and wrote a biography of Calvin.
As Protestants we celebrate Reformation Day on the last Sunday in October, because October 31, 1517, was the day that Luther’s 95 Theses were published. All Hallows’ Eve (Hallowe’en) was the day before All Saints’ Day, when a grand parade of relics would take place and when indulgences would be sold to raise funds for the building of St. Peter’s in Rome. Tradition says that Luther took.a hammer and a nail and posted a copy of his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
Calvin was French but fled to the safe haven of Geneva once he espoused Protestantism. Ulrich Zwingli, who was Swiss, lost his life fighting against the Catholics. He was a contemporary of Luther and the two of them debated about the meaning of the Lord’s Supper.
There are many others who became critical of the Roman church at a moment in history when it seems to have gotten off track. We need to remember that church history did not begin with Martin Luther; the whole history of the church from the time of Christ until now is our history. Protestants and Catholics lost their lives in this struggle. Many works of art were destroyed by the most zealous Protestants.
Luther reminded us that we are saved by grace through faith. He reminded us that the Word of God is our authority not the Tradition of the Church or the Pope. Luther gave us congregational singing and worship in a language we can understand. Calvin, too, emphasized the saving grace of God and the desire God has to take us as we are and use us in the world. Calvin wanted us to see that the whole Bible, including the Hebrew Bible, has something to teach us. And if anyone thinks that religion and politics are to be separate, just learn a little bit about John Knox. For Knox, the gospel and the law call us into the world, including the political world.
On Sunday we will meet two Reformers you have probably never met before—or heard of!
0 Comments