THE REFORMATION: 499 years and counting By Timothy J. Wengert
In 2017, Lutherans, other
Protestants and even Roman Catholics will mark the 500th anniversary of the German Reformation, when Martin Luther, a relatively unknown theology professor in Wittenberg, penned 95 short statements, or theses, on the practice of indulgence sales for debate at his university. On Oct. 31, 1517, Luther sent
a copy of the theses to Albrecht, the archbishop of Mainz. Ten years later, on Nov. 1, 1527, he remembered the day for “the trampling under foot of indulgences” and promised an old friend that he would toast its memory. People are still remembering 499 years later. The 95 Theses made two
main points. First, they argued from history that the pope, like other pastors, only had authority over ecclesiastical penalties imposed upon flagrant sinners but no authority to reduce God’s punishment or chastisement for sin. Most of the ensuing debate focused on this. Second, they harshly criticized
preachers of indulgences for misleading people into thinking they could ever purchase their way around God’s discipline and penalties for sin by buying the church’s indulgence. This second point directs us to the heart of the Christian message for all people. When gathering on “Reformation Sunday,” we best remember this second point and shape our preaching, teaching and worship accordingly. Three theses summarize this.
Thesis 1: “Our Lord and
Master Jesus Christ, in saying ‘Do penance …’ (Matthew 4:17) wanted the entire life of the faithful to be one of penitence.” In the standard Latin Bible of
Luther’s day, Matthew 4:17 was sometimes taken as a command to go to the “Sacrament of Penance.” In 1516, however, the first Greek New Testament appeared in print, and Luther learned that the Greek word translated into Latin as “penance” meant “change one’s mind.” Thus, Luther argued that Jesus’ words extended far beyond private confession to a priest, and he insisted that there was no “before and after” in the Christian life. This thought not only ran
against the teaching of Luther’s day, but it also challenges Christian practice today, when many people think they once were sinners but now are at least on the way to becoming saints. Luther’s first thesis proclaimed
that when we stand before God, we are always and only sinners in need of God’s amazing grace. Moreover, when we hear the unconditional promise “You are forgiven,” that word justifies us in God’s sight, clothing us with Christ’s righteousness. Thus, as Luther often repeated, we are at the same time righteous and sinner (simul iustus et peccator) and must daily return to God’s baptismal promises to us.
Martin Luther’s Disputatio pro declaratione virtutis indulgentiarum of 1517, commonly known as the 95 Theses.
28 OCTOBER 2016
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