Reformation Notes

Reformation Day, the 31st of October, is almost upon us again! Some people maybe think that Reformation Day is a poor attempt to replace Halloween, but it actually has a very long history. In fact, it was first celebrated over 450 years ago.

Reformation Day commemorates Martin Luther nailing the Ninety Five Theses on the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg. It’s a somewhat arbitrary date, because there is a lot of debate about the origins of the Reformation, and it’s much more complex than the first nail that Luther pounded onto the door.

Reformation Day really recognizes a widespread revival, and a return to the truths of God’s Word. It was a messy business, with many true believers, many jumping in for political reasons, many controversies. But there is little doubt that God’s Spirit was doing an amazing work as so many returned to the Bible as their sole authority.

Here are a few resources you might be interested in as we think back on this important time in Church history. Reformation and revival are always needed, as we so easily drift from God’s great revelation.

If you want to go in-depth on Luther, you’ll want to read HERE I STAND: A Life of Martin Luther.

For a lighter introduction, there’s a quality documentary on Luther that’s available free only for a few days – Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer.

There’s a podcast that we’ve been really enjoying – it will be going for a while, and you only have a little to catch up on (make sure you listen to the old episodes from the start). It’s called Luther: In Real Time. You can subscribe here, and here’s the trailer:

For another interesting note about the complexities of Luther and his times, this short video is worth a watch. Fritz Erbe: The Reformation Figure You’ve Never Heard Of: