Revolution, Rebellion, or Reformation ~ Reformation Day

Greetings Dear Reader,

Five hundred years ago (31 October 1517) on All Hallows Eve, Martin Luther is reported to have nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany.   This act started the Reformation that changed much of Europe.   If one has not read them they are provided here without commentary. 

His desire was to begin a conversation.  His wish was to challenge the thinking on indulgences and earning the favor of God.  He understood that “the just shall live by faith.”  The Church was demanding increasingly extreme political and religious conformity to its will in order for one to earn salvation or favor with God.  If this sounds like current rhetoric from certain views one may be on to my point ahead of me whittling it.

Marin Luther was an educator who understood that reason and discourse could change things.  This was his intent.  What resulted was not what he wished.  The world did gain a better understanding of the Gospel.  The door was opened to common folk being able to comprehend that faith alone was required of them for access to the Father.  It was his appeal to the common man that garnered him success. 

We have forgotten how to reform.  Instead we rebel and revolt.  We put our desire for change ahead of the good of others and often do it in the name of doing good.  We demand instead of discourse.  We shout down and degrade the opposition instead of engaging in respectful exchange.  We fail to love our enemies in this.

I will honor this day by giving great thought to the ways in which I have benefitted from the Reformation.  It is my faith that has its roots in this act so very far away so very long ago.  I must always seek to refine the reformation of my faith so that it is perfected in truth and love.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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