Happy Reformation Day!

Today, I proposed to our church secretary that we should make the sign outside our church read "October 31: Reformation Day." I went out for lunch and when I came back it read exactly that. It was good to see it. Calling on people to re-think what this day (Oct. 31) is all about. Concerned Christians have come to our secretary and asked if it is a reference to Halloween and thought we should take it down. They also wondered if it is offensive.

Of course 9 out of 10 people have no idea that this is Reformation Day, or even what Reformation Day commemorates. And I have realized that most Christians sadly don't know either.

Wikipedia: Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated on October 31 in remembrance of the Reformation, particularly by Lutheran and some Reformed church communities. It is a civic holiday in Slovenia (since the Reformation contributed to its cultural development profoundly.

On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Also, the theses were written in Latin, the language of the church, and not in the vernacular. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran and Protestant tradition was born.

Within the Lutheran church, Reformation Day is considered a minor festival, and is officially referred to as The Festival of the Reformation. Until the 20th Century, most Lutheran churches celebrated Reformation Day on October 31st, regardless of which day of the week it occurred. Today, most Lutheran churches transfer the festival, so that it falls on the Sunday (called Reformation Sunday) on or before October 31st.

Luther's hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is our God" is traditionally sung on this day. It is also traditional in some Lutheran schools for schoolchildren to hold Reformation Day plays or pageants that re-enact scenes from the life of Martin Luther.

We love to boast the protestant gospel: Faith Alone, Scripture Alone - but we don't even know who helped us get there. If we did know, we wouldn't have so many Christians wondering: "What is Reformation Day?" It is the day that commemorates the work of Calvin and Luther (and others)... while specificaly focusing in on Martin Luther

Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk, theologian, and church reformer. He is also considered to be the founder of Protestantism. In the 16th century Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by emphasizing the Bible as the sole source of religious authority and all baptized Christians as a general priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was attainable only by faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith unmediated by the church. These ideas helped to inspire the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.

It is interesting that Baptist Christians don't know about this. Are we that poor at explaining church history? The fact that the sign has created controversy is great! It might get people talking - maybe even re-thinking what this day - now dedicated to pagan religion - should really be about: Jesus and his challenge of religious elitism and empire.