Reformation again Deeper understandings
Forward march into the whole world
Editor’s note: In October, theologian Kirsi Stjerna reflected on the signifi- cance of the Reformation in light of the approaching 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s launch at Wittenberg, Germany. She focused on some of the “mothers of the Reformation” and how women’s leadership in church and society has been bolstered by Ref- ormation impulses. This month’s piece looks through additional lenses, not- ing the growing global reach of a theo- logical movement within the whole ecumenical (catholic) church. —Michael Cooper-White, series editor and president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.).
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flurry of publications and pub- lic events are building up to an important commemoration in
2017—the 500th anniversary of what is regarded as the birth of the Refor- mation in and through the actions, writings, work and challenges of Martin Luther. It’s easy to imagine that Luther would be amazed at not only the 500-year existence of some- thing called “Lutheranism,” but also the geographical expanse of the theo- logical landscape he inspired. “Refo500,” as it is being called,
shouldn’t be seen as an exercise in nostalgia, but rather as an oppor- tunity to reinvigorate and enrich the church. Much has happened in
the last half of the millennium, not least the fact that the Reformation spawned movements, theological and geographical, that spanned the globe and carried the message of the cross and healing, of reconciliation and always being made new, of grace and thankfulness, of the dynamic witness of the Bible and grateful wor- ship, to communities and places all over the inhabited world. Even as we look back with grati-
tude and give thanks for all of this, we look forward with hope to what is yet to be. We also recognize that the vision of ongoing reformation needs to be enlarged as it continues to impact people and places in many and often unexpected ways. A personal note: Both of us have
strong links and ties to India, experi- encing the richness of interreligious realities and the fact of the huge vari- ety and range of denominations that mark the small minority of Chris- tians (around 2.5 percent) there. This has impacted our teaching, writing and research in a variety of ways.
Sebastian reflects As a native of India, I’m conscious that as an ordained minister of the Church of South India, I embody in my religious being aspects of the worldwide range of ecumenical impulses that the modern Protestant missionary movement unleashed, including the Anglican, Presbyte- rian, Congregational, Methodist,
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www.thelutheran.org
We have not forgotten our roots, but neither have we become ‘root bound.’
and Lutheran traditions. I’ve been enriched by all that the ELCA has to offer and all that I have received, including its mission stance outlined in “Global Mission in the 21st Cen- tury.” It points to “accompaniment” as a model for mission and notes: “Walking together in God’s mission implies mutuality and interdepen- dence. We journey together side by side, with neither companion ahead or behind, above or below, the other.” This bold stance recognizes that
sometimes those who choose to walk beside us are different from those we would choose to accompany. Such unexpected companions (think of the two surprised by their compan- ion on the road to Emmaus) remind us we are all interconnected in God’s beloved global community. One sign that the ongoing Refor-
mation continues to impact churches and societies in different parts of the world was a recent international conference that I, along with two colleagues from the Lutheran Theo- logical Seminary at Philadelphia, attended in August at United Theo- logical College in Bangalore, India. The theme was “Revisiting Reforma- tion: Explorations on Religion-State Relations Then and Now.” Scholars from several countries and a variety of denominational backgrounds, including Orthodox, Roman Cath- olic and Pentecostal traditions, participated. Papers were presented on a variety
of issues and themes ranging from Katharina von Bora’s role in inspir- ing the first Indian female mission- ary, to an examination of Luther’s and Mahatma Gandhi’s views on religion,
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