Happy Reformation Day! (2023)

October 31 marks the day on which Martin Luther, a monk and scholar, nailed his famous 95-thesis on the church door at Wittenberg, Germany.

But why Oct 31?

As Stephen Nichols explains in an article: “November 1 held a special place in the church calendar as All Saints’ Day. On November 1, 1517, a massive exhibit of newly acquired relics would be on display at Wittenberg, Luther’s home city. Pilgrims would come from all over, genuflect before the relics, and take hundreds, if not thousands, of years off time in purgatory. Luther’s soul grew even more vexed. None of this seemed right.”

Luther’s goal was to spark a debate about such practices that he considered going against the Bible. But things took a proportion he couldn’t see coming, and the world and church would never be the same again after this day.

Martin Luther was not the only one seeing the problems within the church and the necessity of a reformation. The time was ripe for a significant change in the church, and God, in his providence and eternal wisdom, used this moment as a catalyst.

The protestant reformation, different from what many imagine, was not a desire for innovation in the church doctrine. It’s quite the opposite; this movement was a call to remove all the doctrinal “innovations” that were corrupting the Gospel and the sound doctrine taught by our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, Reformation Day is the celebration of the day in which the light of the gospel broke forth out of darkness.

Reformation Day celebrates the joyful beauty of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Post Tenebras Lux!

Nino Marques