Dear Friends,
On October 31, while most Americans celebrate Halloween, a few of us who are church nerds will be observing quietly the 499th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, for it was on the eve of All Saints Day in 1517, that a German monk and scholar named Martin Luther, published a list of 95 theological propositions about the theology and conduct of the Roman Catholic Church that he wanted to debate publicly. He tacked the list of propositions to the door of his church in Wittenberg, Germany, and he sent copies to colleagues in universities around Europe, which sounds great, except Luther’s list of propositions contained all sorts of heresies which were punishable by death.
But Luther had the good fortune of living in a place where the local prince was tired of having his country’s affairs controlled by the Pope. He welcomed Luther’s dissent, protected the dissenter, and the reformation was born.
Fifteen years later, a young French scholar named John Calvin fell under the influence of Luther’s writings and used them as a springboard to develop his own approach to Protestant theology, and for that reason Presbyterians, who are spiritual heirs of Calvin’s legacy share also in the legacy of Luther.
As we pause here at the end of October to remember Luther and the reformation his protests set into motion, it’s worth asking what reformations we may yet see in the Christian Church. Will we see a global Christian movement to embrace all human expressions of sexuality and gender identity? Will significant portions the world’s Christian population unite around taking action to care for the earth, or end human trafficking, or fight extremism, or right the balance of economic inequality? Will large sectors of the Christian community see our faith as one way to know God that is not better or worse than other spiritual paths? Many Christians already have embraced such ideas, but will they become widely popular? Will there be another reformation? And if so, will we have to protest like Luther to make something happen?
Over the years, many Presbyterians have embraced the idea that our church should be “reformed and always reforming.” I suppose evolution in the Church is more or less inevitable, and I suspect the congregation of Montclair Presbyterian Church will be among those exploring new possibilities for the expression and practice of the Christian faith. It’s going to be an interesting journey into the future, one I’m happy and honored to share with you.
Peace,
Ben