Today, October 31, is a very important day. Yes it is Halloween, but that's not why today is considered important. Today, 499 years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church. This was the start of the Reformation.
We don't usually think of today as being anything other than the day we pass out candy and dress up in scary costumes. What's ironic is that the events of October 31, 1517 led to an atmosphere and a culture where we CAN dress up and be silly. Luther standing up against corruption and proclaiming that it is our faith in Jesus Christ that leads to salvation led to people everywhere reading the Bible for themselves.
I didn't post the usual historical blog on Friday because I knew Reformation Day was just around the corner. Halloween is a fun holiday, but I think it is sad that it has overshadowed one of the most significant events in the history of Christianity and the world. Whether you agree with Luther or not, the very fact that we live in a society where we CAN disagree with no fear of punishment is a direct result of Luther's actions on October 31, 1517.
We don't usually think of today as being anything other than the day we pass out candy and dress up in scary costumes. What's ironic is that the events of October 31, 1517 led to an atmosphere and a culture where we CAN dress up and be silly. Luther standing up against corruption and proclaiming that it is our faith in Jesus Christ that leads to salvation led to people everywhere reading the Bible for themselves.
I didn't post the usual historical blog on Friday because I knew Reformation Day was just around the corner. Halloween is a fun holiday, but I think it is sad that it has overshadowed one of the most significant events in the history of Christianity and the world. Whether you agree with Luther or not, the very fact that we live in a society where we CAN disagree with no fear of punishment is a direct result of Luther's actions on October 31, 1517.
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