Category: Reformation

Happy All Hallows’ Eve

This coming Thursday will be October 31, the day we celebrate Halloween. As I did last year, when I go to dialysis that day, I will wear my Martin Luther costume, giving me a chance to testify to the workers about my faith. (A number of years ago, I had a dental appointment on Halloween, so I donned a set of plastic “vampire teeth” for when I opened my mouth for the dentist . . . but that’s another story . . .)

Surprisingly, my wearing my Martin Luther costume for Halloween is appropriate for more than just a chance to “dress up,” because Martin Luther himself had a significant connection to Halloween. Quite a bit, actually!

Although some people had tried to do so earlier, the Reformation was kicked off in earnest by the actions of one particular monk, Martin Luther, who posted a paper to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Saxony (Germany) on October 31, 1517. On that paper were 95 questions, or theses, asking for debate on questions which affected the Church and its doctrines.  Chief among those questions were ones questioning the practice of selling indulgences for the forgiveness of people’s sins. (Luther wrote, for example: “If the Pope can truly forgive people’s sins, in response to the payment of indulgences, then why doesn’t he just forgive those sins out of Christian love?” The Roman Church’s response to that and subsequent disputes, was to condemn and expel Luther and his followers. Thus, the Protestant Church was born, and continues to this day.

Therefore, this Sunday (today), Protestant churches – particularly Lutheran Churches – will celebrate Reformation Day, the beginning of the movement to restore to the Church the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone.

So, how does this connect to Halloween? Luther chose October 31 to post his theses because the next day, November 1, was All Saints Day, and the church would be full of people commemorating all the saints, believers, known and unknown, who had gone before and were now in heaven. That day was a solemn church festival, and was known as All Hallows Day and Hallowmas. The day before was therefore called All Hallows Eve and Hallows-eve, or Halloween.

These days, our celebration of Halloween has little to do with All Saints or the Reformation. Like Christmas and Easter, what began as religious holidays (holy-days), Halloween has accumulated to itself numerous pagan and secular traditions and symbols. Christmas has added Santa and snowmen, reindeer and yule logs. Easter has bunnies and Peeps, baskets and jelly beans. Halloween has taken on ghosts, goblins, witches, skeletons, and diabetes-inducing levels of candy consumption. Christmas is about the birth of Christ, Easter about his resurrection, and All Saints about our new status by faith in Christ. So why has Halloween become something so different from its original meaning?

The commemoration of All Saint Day began, like the other holidays, in cultures that already had various pagan celebrations. In some cases, the Christian holiday replaced the pagan one, in other cases, aspects of the old festival were incorporated in the new Christian one. In the case of Halloween, there was an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “On the day corresponding to November 1 on contemporary calendars, the new year was believed to begin. That date was considered the beginning of the winter period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. During the Samhain festival the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes, and those who had died during the year were believed to journey to the other world. People set bonfires on hilltops for relighting their hearth fires for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in those ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day.”*

All Saints Day was originally in May, but in the 8th Century, the pope moved it to November 1, in an apparent effort to supplant the pagan holiday.

There are some aspects of today’s celebration of Halloween that I don’t appreciate: the over-sexualized witch costumes, the candy-consumption, and the emphasis on death and demons. But there is a religious aspect to all these things that is worth noting.

In Luther’s magnum opus, A Mighty Fortress, he emphasizes Jesus Christ’s victory over the devil. He says:

“And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us; The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.”

In light of Christ’s victory, we need not tremble at Satan nor his devils nor anything evil. We are the victors; we have the victory in Christ and know that he is our salvation. Therefore, we can make fun of the the goblins, laugh at them, and reduce them to nothing more than kids’ costumes with plastic masks held on by elastic strings.

Afraid of skeletons? Ezekiel 37:4-6 “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.'” At the resurrection, all of our skeletons will be raised with flesh and blood and breath, never to die.

Afraid of the Devil? “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:15). “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19).  “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). And finally, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Romans 16:10).

Afraid of witches? First, Scripture forbids us from having anything to do with them or any spell-caster nor one who claims to speak to the dead (mediums). The one case where king Saul consulted a medium, the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28), Saul received God’s curse and word of judgment. But for Christians, we need not fear a witch’s curse or spell, because Scripture tells us: “Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight” (Proverbs 26:2).

Afraid of ghosts? In the words of the theme song to Ghostbusters, “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!” In the Bible, the word for ghost can mean spirit, wind, and breath. When people talk of ghosts, they usually mean disembodied spirits of those whose bodies died. Scripture forbids us from seeking such spirits. Leviticus 19:13 says, “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” Then, in Isaiah 8:19-20, we are warned, “And when they say to you, ‘Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,’ should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?” Again, in the New Testament, 1 John 4:1 tells us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Like many Christian teachers, I don’t believe ghosts are the spirits of dead people, but evil spirits seeking to distract us from God and leading us to disobey him. Therefore, I look to Christ for his victory and protection from whatever evil comes my way – natural or supernatural. For Christ has dominion over all things, visible and invisible.

In closing, I had what I believe was an encounter with a supernatural evil when I was just 7 or 8 years old. I woke up in the middle of the night. and was aware of a black cloud welling up from my bedroom closet. I was suddenly wide awake, and somehow I knew that the cloud was something evil, coming toward me. Then I said out loud, “Jesus, help me!” and suddenly, the cloud vanished, as if a light switch had been switched on. The room was peaceful again, and I went back to sleep.

As I knew even back then, when faced with any danger or fear, our Savior is Jesus Christ. Let us turn and call to him, because as we celebrate this week, we are saints in Christ who have been redeemed by him. Therefore, let us celebrate our day together!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: 1 Samuel 28.

*“Halloween” article by Encyclopedia Britannica, by the editors and updated by Meg Matthias.

The Debates Go On, Part 3!

The Protestant Reformation was one of the most significant events in both Church and World history. During its early years, many debates arose between the established Roman Catholic Church, and those who tried to correct what they saw as incorrect beliefs and practices in the established Church. At first, the reformers hoped to convince Church leaders, such as the pope, to make improvements, but soon it became apparent that the Church would resist their demands, even to the point of violence and excommunication. Because most political leaders were on the side of the Church, they used force to enforce the Church’s condemnations.

It wasn’t until some princes began to side with the reformers (such as Frederick the Wise in Luther’s state of Saxony), that the protestors were free from persecution and able to continue their reform movement. Eventually, the disagreements turned to full scale war between Protestants and Catholics in what was called the Thirty Years War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648, resulting in the deaths of up to 8 million people. In the end,  a treaty would allow each ruler to determine whether his realm would be Catholic or Protestant.

Pre-Reformation movements. Beginning over two hundred years prior to the Reformation, there were similar attempts to  reform the Church. One was in the 1300’s led by John Wycliffe, called the “Morning Star” of the Reformation, who translated the Bible into English. He said the Scriptures held authority over the Pope and the Church, and that the elements in Holy Communion remained bread and wine.  He was condemned as a heretic, and after he died, his bones were dug up and burned.

A second attempt in the 1400’s was by a Bohemian (Czech) named Jan Hus. Hus agreed with John Wycliffe about the authority of Scripture, argued against the sale of indulgences, the appointment of Church officials based on payment of money (called simony), and the Church’s political ambitions rather than the preaching of the Gospel. He denied that the Pope was head of the Church, claiming that only Christ was the head. He established worship services in Czech instead of Latin. Finally, he was commanded to appear at the Council of Constance (Germany) in 1415 to answer charges of heresy. Though given a safe conduct pass, when he got there he was arrested and burned at the stake. His followers, called Hussites, continued to resist the authorities, until they were defeated by Catholic armies in 1434. But the spirit of Reformation continued.

The Protestant Reformation. October 31, 1517 is the date given as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, as this was the date when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Saxony (Germany). His questions (which he offered up for debate – maybe he read my blogs?) were critiques of the Church’s sale of indulgences. Almost immediately, copies of his theses were printed and distributed across Europe. While a lot could be said about Martin Luther and the other Protestant reformers, we’re only going to look at the issues which came up for debate between the Catholic Church and the reformers, and between the reformers themselves.

  1.  Justification: by faith or works or papal decree? The Catholic Church taught that when God gave grace to people, it enabled them to do good works which in turn saved them. The Pope also claimed the power to forgive sins here and in the hereafter, thus allowing people to go to heaven. As holder of the keys to the kingdom, the Pope claimed authority over forgiveness and condemnation. Against this doctrine, the reformers claimed that we are justified by God’s grace through faith alone. The Lutheran confessions call this “the chief article of the Church,” and they appeal to Paul’s words in Romans 3:28 – “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law,” and Romans 1:17 – “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.””
  2.  Baptism. The meaning and practice of Baptism was hotly debated. Both Catholics and Lutherans agreed that baptism was a sacrament, by which God bestowed saving grace on his people. But to the Catholics, baptism only forgave a person’s original sin (what they were born with); subsequent sins required communion or a priest’s absolution for their forgiveness. On the other hand, Lutherans said all of a person’s sins were  forgiven in baptism. Contrary to both of these were the other Protestants (called Reformed) who denied the sacraments and just said baptism was just an “ordinance,” done to show one’s faith by obedience to Christ’s command. Many of the Reformed churches refused to baptize infants, calling their practices “believers’ baptisms”, even re-baptizing their members who had been baptized as children. During the Reformation, such churches were called “anabaptists,” where the prefix “ana” meant “again.” These distinctions continue to this day.
  3. Holy Communion.   This period saw major debates over the meaning and practice of the Lord’s Supper. To the Catholic Church, during Communion, the priest would call down Christ into the elements and sacrifice him all over again. Only the priest drank the wine to prevent the lay from spilling Christ’s blood (although the first time Luther served communion as a priest, he shook so hard he spilled the wine himself!). They also taught transubstantiation, the turning of the bread and wine into flesh and blood. They also “reserved” the leftover elements as the transformed body of Christ. The Lutherans rejected the re-sacrifice of Christ, distributed both elements to everyone, and though treating the unused bread and wine with respect, denied that Christ was in them apart from when they were given out in Communion. Lutherans and other Protestants also rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation; Lutherans teaching that we receive the true body and blood supernaturally “in, with, and under” the bread and wine, while Reformed saying it is just symbolic, an ordinance and not a means of grace.
  4. Other Sacraments. How many sacraments (means of grace) are there? The Catholic Church claims there are 7: baptism, communion, confirmation, absolution, marriage, ordination, and last rites. Lutherans and some protestants say there are only two: baptism and communion. Other protestants call those two sacraments, ordinances, that is done by obedience to Christ but not conferring any grace.
  5. Purgatory. The Catholic Church taught the existence of Purgatory, a place after death between heaven and hell, where a person would pay the consequences of their sins by having them burned out of them (purged) so they could then go to heaven. Only the pope could shorten a person’s time of “purging.” This unbiblical doctrine was rejected by all the protestant reformers, since Christ declared on the cross that his work was “finished.”
  6. Indulgences. A real argument was whether the Pope could forgive sins (and let people who died out of purgatory) in return for a person’s payment of money or doing some worthy work. This was a great fundraiser for the Church, which at the times was building St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican and funding a war against the Turks in eastern Europe. Protestants rejected such a practice.
  7. Authority. The question was, who had the final authority for Christians: the Bible, the Pope, or Church Councils (controlled by the pope). The Catholic Church said that the Pope stood in the place of Christ, and could decree what was true based on “oral traditions” passed down from Christ but not written in the Scriptures. Luther and the other reformers claimed that only the Scriptures had that authority (Sola Scriptura).
  8. Celibacy of Priests. The Catholic Church demanded that priests could not marry, in that they were “married” to the Church (the Bride of Christ). Luther disagreed and married a former nun to prove his point.
  9. Ordination of Clergy. According to the Catholic, Anglican, and Episcopal churches today, communion cannot be real unless a duly ordained priest “confects” the mass by his words calling down Christ into the elements.  (The magicians’ phrase, “hocus pocus” is a corruption of the priest’s words when he blesses the communion bread: “Hoc est corpus meaum.” Say it aloud!) These churches believed in Apostolic Succession, the idea that only men who were ordained in an unbroken line from Peter to the popes to bishops, could be priests. The reformers said that the local congregations had the power to ordain, based on the “succession” of the apostles’ teachings (the Bible).
  10. Election. No time to go into it here, but the major protestant churches divided over the question of God’s election of who will be saved. On one side were the Calvinists, who held to double predestination (that Jesus died only for the Elect, whom God chose to be saved, while God also predetermined that everyone else will be damned); and the Arminians, who taught that Jesus died for everyone’s sins, so all people could be saved through faith. (1 John 2:2 – “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.“).  Lutherans believe a middle position, saying that man cannot save himself, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel. Luther put it this way in the Small Catechism: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel.”

We need to stop here. As you can see, many of these debates that began during the Reformation continue until today. In addition, there are a number of new debates that have arisen in the “modern Church.” We will look at those new debates in the final blog of this series: “The Debates Go On: The Final Chapter!”

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Ephesians1:11-14; Ephesians 2:1-11; 1 John 2:1-2.

The Reforming River

Following the recent torrential rains that hit Northern California, I was amazed to see the news videos of what had once been dry creek beds, now turned into raging torrents that even threatened nearby homes. The dangers of those flooding waters were sufficient to warrant the cancellation of a major Ironman competition, in which contestants would have had to swim in the flooding river waters.

Seeing those images of local flooding reminded me of Karen and my visits to Niagara Falls – but not so much the falls themselves, as impressive as they were. What really blew me away was the Niagara River above the falls. Having canoed some minor rapids in my day, I could only stare open-mouthed at the power of that river, rushing and sweeping everything in its path toward the inevitable plunge that lay ahead. Anything caught in that current would be impossibly trapped and carried to its doom; the water was too strong to swim or sail against. In the middle of the river was a stark reminder of that river’s power and danger: the rusted hulk of a barge caught on some large boulders. The barge had broken loose from its upriver moorings, and been swept by the river toward the falls. On board was a crew member who had been sleeping, but awoke to sudden terror. Only his quick action of scuttling the barge – sinking it on purpose – caused it to hang up on the boulders and allow him to be rescued.

These thoughts came to mind as I pondered the arrival of yet another Reformation Day. October 31 is the 504th anniversary of the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, commonly recognized as the start of the Protestant Reformation.  Luther questioned many of the Church’s teachings and practices, especially regarding the sale of indulgences. His study of the Scriptures led him to proclaim the true Gospel of salvation by faith alone apart from works, based on Romans 3:28 and Ephesians 2:8-10. As Luther said, “Good works do not make a man good, but a good man does good works.”* The Church needed reforming from its emphasis on papal authority, works righteousness, and false doctrines such as a belief in Purgatory. What is known as the chief article of faith is simply this:

“This article concerning justification by faith … is the chief article in the entire Christian doctrine, without which no poor conscience can have any firm consolation, or can truly know the riches of the grace of Christ.”**

But why would thoughts of flood waters and the Reformation go together. and why would events of over 500 years ago bear any relevance today, except in the legacy of the name Luther in so many churches?

There are actually several important connections between the two, and definite relevance for our present times.

The Church today is caught up in the flood waters of social change.

  • The Church today is caught up in the flood waters of social change. The term, “current events” is appropriate for both flood waters and culture. No longer is the Church – representing biblical truth and morality – the arbiter of cultural values. No longer does the nation define its character or values in terms of Christianity; rather, it ignores, ridicules, or outright reviles Christ and his teachings. Christians find themselves carried along in the currents of social change, unable to swim against the tide. At the most, they can find an occasional pool, backwater, or eddy*** in which to briefly rest and catch their breath. Churches are forced to follow government rules regarding their non-profit status, facility design, occupancy and even in-person worship, thanks to Covid restrictions. Churches that uphold biblical teachings face attacks by social and national media. Seminaries turn out “woke” pastors who lead their flocks into what they call the social gospel, championing left-wing causes over biblical commandments and the true Gospel. The same applies to individual Christians as well: the younger ones are caught up in demands of confusing and hostile school environments, workplace discrimination and intolerance,  and the breakdown of social structures. And as for older people (so I hear), they feel bypassed by radical social changes that render their values and existence irrelevant. And all are treated as political pawns or data-points or potential customers, rather than as people created in God’s image and of great value to the Creator.

Everyone is just being carried along by the floodwaters of a society that espouses good-sounding platitudes, yet hates the very faith that created those desirable outcomes of love, forgiveness, and compassionate caring for our neighbors.

The Church in America has in many ways lost its way.

  •   Unfortunately, the Church in America has in many ways lost its way, either carried along and conforming to the cultural current, or spun off into some irrelevant backwater to watch the world go by. Neither will save the Church’s witness today, nor is either the true biblical response to society.
    1. Many of the larger churches and prominent preachers espouse a health and wealth gospel, citing the lack of either as a sign of little faith (or too small of a donation to their coffers). If you’re sick or poor, it’s your fault!
    2. Some churches emphasize the public manifestation of dramatic behavior as evidence of the Holy Spirit. They question the salvation of those who don’t speak in tongues, shake, or fall dead-like to the floor. They teach how to create such “gifts” in you, though Scripture says the Holy Spirit gives gifts as he chooses, to whom he chooses (1 Corinthians 12:11). Their witness is of behaviors which exist in other religions, too, such as in Islam and Hinduism.
    3. Many congregations look for political answers to our problems, rooting for one candidate or party, rather than to God who lifts up and brings down all authority (Romans 13:1 – “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”). They ignore the First Commandment, which says we are to have only one God – and to look to him to provide all our needs.
    4. Other congregations soften their message to be palatable to non-believers, removing the words “sin” and “hell” from their vocabulary. They smile and call on people to accept each other regardless of blatant sinful behavior. The greatest sin to them is offending or judging anyone.
    5. Unfortunately, there are supposedly Christian churches that openly combine Christian symbols with anti-Christian and pagan practices. A few have even put Korans in their pews.
    6. The Christian Church is supposed to be one “holy catholic and apostolic church,” yet the American church is fragmented into hundreds of denominations (40 Lutheran ones alone). Many hold such different views that having one common voice in society is impossible. Q: What do Christians believe on any given topic? A: Depends on whom you ask.

The American Church is in serious trouble. When not losing members it is still losing influence and impact on the society and culture around us. We have become either dropouts, watching from the shore, or else co-conspirators, swimming in the water with everyone else in a headlong rush toward the falls. So what are we to do? It’s time for another Reformation. It’s time to do what Luther did 500 years ago, and call the Church back to what it is supposed to be and to do.

It’s time for another Reformation.

  1. The Church never was, nor should it be, just a reflection of society’s accepted values. Scripture warns the Church not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by renewal though Christ (Romans 12:2). If there is no difference between the Church and society, then the Church has nothing to tell the world. The Church needs to return to the authority of God’s Word (Sola Scriptura) rather than Twitter, Facebook****, celebrity pastors, or executive orders.
  2. The Church’s message must be about Jesus Christ (Solus Christus) and not about self-improvement, finding success, prosperity, popularity, or finding your “best life now.” The Church can remove other barriers that keep people from Christ, but must confront them with who he is and what he has done. To proclaim Christ and make disciples in why the Church exists.
  3. The Church is not a political organization, but politics has intruded where it does not belong, and has corrupted matters of life, death, and morality which are matters addressed by Scripture. Abortion of the unborn and euthanasia of the disabled and the elderly are Christian issues and always have been. God’s command to honor our parents was first given to adults who were raised in a culture that put old people out to die, and the early church rescued infants that the Romans had tossed out on the city dump. Just as most of today’s social services were begun by Christians who cared for people in need, so we cannot keep quiet, but instead be involved.

The good news is that this new Reformation is not just up to us and our power. For there is another River that flows from God to give us life and strength. Psalm 46:4 says, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” And John 7:38 proclaims the words of our Lord: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” That river of living water is the Holy Spirit, true God who works his will in the world through us and for us. It is he who has called us to faith, and he who will accomplish God’s purposes. So let us be fervent in our prayers for a new Reformation of Christ’s Church and for our nation,   knowing that ultimately, we will gather at “the great river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Psalm 46; 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12.

  1. *The Freedom of a Christian, Martin Luther, 1520.
  2. **The Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration. III, 6.
  3. ***One of my favorite canoeing terms!
  4. ****Now called “Meta”.