Luther Leads the Reformation
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People of Color Who Inspire: Additional Stories from the Communion of Saints the Center for the Theology of Childhood
People of Color Who Inspire: Additional Stories from the Communion of Saints The Center for the Theology of Childhood Cheryl V. Minor, Director Jerome W. Berryman, Senior Fellow An imaginative method for nurturing the spiritual lives of children Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Extension Lesson ISBN: 978-1-954184-00-8 Introduction People of Color Who Inspire is a collection of stories written to supplement the collection of stories about the saints in The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 7. In the collection of lessons on the saints found in Volume 7, there is a lesson called, “The Child’s Own Saint.” The lesson invites the children and Godly Play mentors in a Godly Play room to add to the lessons on the saints by writing the story of one of their own heroes. This story, and the others in this collection, serves as an example of this—a Christian person who inspires us all to strive for justice and respect the dignity of every human being. These stories are for children, so they try to minimize the distance between the child and the adult we are talking about. Some of the ways this is done is to keep the relationship informal, such as calling the person by their first name and emphasizing things about the person’s childhood. This means that the stories are somewhat open and very personal to engage the child’s intimacy and wonder with these amazing people who inspire. We are intentionally spare with the details of these stories so as not to obscure the core reality. -
HAVE GERMAN WILL TRAVEL Martin Luther
HAVE GERMAN WILL TRAVEL Martin Luther Martin Luther (der 10. November 1483-der 2. Februar 1546) Martin Luther came this way. Yet it is Wittenberg, a feisty university in effect, the metaphorical last straw. Wittenberg, Eisleben is now Lutherstadt town since the days of Frederick the The pulpit formerly stood in the Eislebeo and Mansfeld is Mansfeld Wise, that has never stopped proudly Parish Church of St. Mary where he was Lutherstadt. All are UNESCO World statinrr its claim as "Cradle of the Refor- married and where the four-paneled Heritage Sites today, and Saxony-Anhalt mation.""' Its name is officially Luther- Reformation altar in the Choir Room is has adopted the subtitle "Luther's Coun stadt Wittenberg, and here he received attributed to Lucas Cranach the Elder t1y" for its tourist promotions. his doctor's degree; lived and taught for (1472 to 1553) , onetime mayor of the His commitment meant nearly con nearly forty years. Luther's House town. stant traveling throughout central Ger (Lutherhaus, Collegianstrasse 54), t~e Under the Communists, noxious fac many. It was not an easy life, but he Augustinian Monastery where he resid tories lined the Elbe, and Wittenberg never hesitated to go where he was ed with his family after its religious dis was called "Chemical-town," but, to no needed or to speak the doctrine to his solution, contains Lutherhalle, the one's surprise, the name never caught people. world's largest museum of Reformation on. Even as the Wall was coming down in In the cold winter of 1546, Luther's history. -
Melanchthon Versus Luther: the Contemporary Struggle
CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY Volume 44, Numbers 2-3 --- - - - JULY 1980 Can the Lutheran Confessions Have Any Meaning 450 Years Later?.................... Robert D. Preus 104 Augustana VII and the Eclipse of Ecumenism ....................................... Sieg bert W. Becker 108 Melancht hon versus Luther: The Contemporary Struggle ......................... Bengt Hagglund 123 In-. Response to Bengt Hagglund: The importance of Epistemology for Luther's and Melanchthon's Theology .............. Wilbert H. Rosin 134 Did Luther and Melanchthon Agree on the Real Presence?.. ....................................... David P. Scaer 14 1 Luther and Melanchthon in America ................................................ C. George Fry 148 Luther's Contribution to the Augsburg Confession .............................................. Eugene F. Klug 155 Fanaticism as a Theological Category in the Lutheran Confessions ............................... Paul L. Maier 173 Homiletical Studies 182 Melanchthon versus Luther: the Contemporary Struggle Bengt Hagglund Luther and Melanchthon in Modern Research In many churches in Scandinavia or in Germany one will find two oil paintings of the same size and datingfrom the same time, representing Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon, the two prime reformers of the Church. From the point of view of modern research it may seem strange that Melanchthon is placed on the same level as Luther, side by side with him, equal in importance and equally worth remembering as he. Their common achieve- ment was, above all, the renewal of the preaching of the Gospel, and therefore it is deserving t hat their portraits often are placed in the neighborhood of the pulpit. Such pairs of pictures were typical of the nineteenth-century view of Melanchthon and Luther as harmonious co-workers in the Reformation. These pic- tures were widely displayed not only in the churches, but also in many private homes in areas where the Reformation tradition was strong. -
The Cradle of the Reformation Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Dear Travel Writer, Imagine seeing them with your own two eyes, touching them with your own two hands: The great bronze doors of Lutherstadt Wittenberg’s Castle Church, marking the very spot where Martin Luther posted the ninety-five theses that changed the world. Picture exploring the church in which the Great Reformer was baptized or stepping inside the tiny room where Luther translated the New Testament in just 10 weeks. Luckily, these unforgettable experiences don’t have to remain the stuff of dreams! Come and explore LutherCountry, the beautiful region in the heart of Germany that invites you to walk in Luther’s footsteps! Find out more on our website; then come visit! LutherCountry: The Cradle of the Reformation Although Martin Luther lived 500 years ago, his presence is still tangible today. Here in LutherCountry, visitors of all ages get the chance to discover myriad original locations that still boast the Great Reformer’s indelible mark – and all within easy reach of each other. Come discover the places where Luther once lived, taught and, preached! In addition to authentic locations that played a major role in Luther’s life, LutherCountry is also home to hundreds of other cultural and historical treasures, with many famous personalities in art and music having left their mark on the region’s cultural landscape. Great composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Frederic Handel, two of the world’s most famous baroque composers, were both born in LutherCountry. And thanks to the great German painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, we now know what Martin Luther actually looked like. -
In the Footsteps of Martin Luther in Germany: 500 Years of Reformation
Wartburg College Alumni Tour In the Footsteps of Martin Luther in Germany: 500 Years of Reformation June 7-21, 2017 15 Days with optional extension to Bavaria June 21-24 Led by the Rev. Dr. Kit Kleinhans Group Travel Directors Enriching Lives Through Travel Since 1982 DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther Dr. Kit Kleinhans is Day 1, Wed, June 7 Your Journey Begins posted 95 theses against indul- the Mike and Marge Depart US for overnight flight to Berlin. (Meals in- McCoy Family Dis- flight) gences on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany – an tinguished Chair of Day 2, Thur, June 8 Herzlich Willkommen! event ranked as one of the most Lutheran Heritage and Arrive in Berlin and travel to Wittenberg by pri- important events of the millennium! Mission at Wartburg vate motor coach. Check into Colleg Wittenberg, College, where she our home for the next 6 days. After an orientation Celebrate the 500th anniversary of walk through the town, a welcome dinner will has taught since 1993. get us off to an excellent start. Colleg Wittenberg Luther’s bold action by following in Her passion is the (Meals in-flight, D) his footsteps. Visit Eisleben, where history and theology Day 3, Fri, June 9 Wittenberg Luther was born; Wittenberg, where of Lutheranism and its relevance for us City tour through Wittenberg, where Martin Lu- he taught; Worms, where he stood today. Her article “Lutheranism 101,” pub- ther lived and taught for 36 years. Visit the Luther up for beliefs against the leaders of lished in The Lutheran in 2006, remains House - a former monastery – where Luther lived before his marriage and which the Luther family the church and the empire; the Wart- the most frequently requested reprint received as a wedding gift from their prince. -
The Manifesto of the Reformation — Luther Vs. Erasmus on Free Will
203 The Manifesto of the Reformation — Luther vs. Erasmus on Free Will Lee Gatiss The clash between Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus over the issue of free will is ‘one of the most famous exchanges in western intellectual history’. 1 In this article, we will examine the background to the quarrel between these two professors, and two of the central themes of Luther’s response to Erasmus—the clarity of Scripture and the bondage of the will. In doing so it is critical to be aware that studying these things ‘operates as a kind of litmus test for what one is going to become theologically’. 2 Ignoring the contemporary relevance and implications of these crucially important topics will not be possible; whether thinking about our approach to the modern reformation of the church, our evangelism, pastoral care, or interpretation of the Bible there is so much of value and vital importance that it would be a travesty to discuss them without at least a nod in the direction of the twenty-first century church. From Luther’s perspective, as Gerhard Forde rightly says, this was not just one more theological debate but ‘a desperate call to get the gospel preached’. 3 This is a fundamentally significant dispute historically since it involved key players in the two major movements of the sixteenth century: Erasmus the great renaissance humanist and Luther the Reformation Hercules. 4 The debate between these two titans reveals not only the reasons behind ‘humanism’s programmatic repudiation of the Reformation’ 5 but also a clear view of the heartbeat of the Reformation itself since, as B. -
Luther on Education 2017
LUTHER ON EDUCATION 2017 Schooling for Life MARTIN LUTHER EDUCATOR Rarely has the picture of Martin Luther in his dual role as educator at home and at school, as parent and professor, been treated extensively in English.1 Yet home and academic robe were daily fare for most of his life. From October 22, 1512, when the Wittenberg faculty formally received the twenty-eight year old monk as Lecturer on the Bible, through his marriage to Catherine von Bora in June, 1525, at age forty-two, until his death twenty-one years later, Luther's daily routine normally shuttled between duties at home and at school. If we want to know the man as he is, we have knocked at the right door. Those who expect to come away from the visit with a notebook full of abstract parental and educational principles will be sadly disappointed. We would be unfaithful to the Great Reformer's own mode and manner, were we to regale you with high-sounding theories of education abstracted and distilled from Luther's experience at home and in the classroom. To get to know Luther's views on education, we must become acquainted with him personally, as a father and as a teacher. Our approach, therefore, will happily be descriptive rather than prescriptive; hopefully, it will be edifying as well as instructive. In its own way it is strange that the English-speaking world has not readily acknowledged Luther's place in the history of education. Columbia University, a leading teacher-training institution in our land, inscribed in stone a list of modern educators on one of its buildings. -
Philip Melanchthon: Justification As the Renewal of the Intellect and the Will
CHAPTER THREE PHILIP MELANCHTHON: JUSTIFICATION AS THE RENEWAL OF THE INTELLECT AND THE WILL Melanchthon has had the dubious honor of being the lupus fabulae of the history of Lutheranism. The reason for this hostility must be understood in context of controversies which followed Luther’s death and resulted in party-forming. The followers of Luther were split into a number of rival parties, two of which the most prominent were the Philippists, who were supporters of Melanchthon’s theology and style, and the Gnesiolutherans, who tried to identify themselves as the genuine followers of Luther.1 Melanchthon tried to formulate Lutheran theology in such a way as to maintain a connection with Calvinist theologians. During Luther’s lifetime, he had already sought an alliance with the Roman Catholic Church. Melanchthon’s ecumenical interests became apparent in Regens- burg (1541) and in the Leipzig interim (1548). The formulations of the interim in particular was interpreted as a deviation from Luther’s teachings. These accusations came from Joachim Mörlin, among others, whose comment embodies the ambivalent status of Melanchthon. He is our Preceptor, and Preceptor he shall be called. But when he speaks about the Lord’s Supper, free will, justifi cation of man, or actions concerning interims, then you, Philip, shall be praised by the devil, but me nevermore.2 Melanchthon’s notion of justifi cation evolved over the years so that the role of renewal in justifi cation varied. His greatest difference from Luther was his way of depicting renewal as the causal renewal of the 1 A third minor party was the Swabachian group, who were followers of Johannes Brenz. -
Discover Luthercountry
Discover LutherCountry Tour 1 – 3 days/2 overnights Munich Airport (MUC) and Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcome direct flights from countries around the world. Travelling by car is a convenient way to get around in LutherCountry. A well-developed infrastructure ensures a safe and quick arrival at your desired destination. Tour 1 starts in Eisenach, which is located only 120 miles of Frankfurt Airport. Day 1 Eisenach and Wartburg Castle Highlights in Eisenach include the Luther House, where Luther lived while studying at the local Latin school and the Bach House dedicated to composer Johann Sebastian Bach, a passionate Lutheran. High on a hill close to Eisenach, the imposing Wartburg Castle is arguably the best preserved in central Europe, and the only one in Germany to have UNESCO World Heritage Site status. With its courtyard and steep walls, it is as impressive now as it was when Luther arrived. Visitors can step into the very room where he lived and wrote. Overnight in Eisenach (Eisenach - Erfurt: 40 miles) Day 2 Erfurt Nicknamed the Rome of the North for its array of some 30 spires and steeples, Erfurt is one of Germany's most beautiful cities and Luther's spiritual home. Here Luther studied, became a monk and lived in the Augustinian monastery. In the old heart of the city, the Merchants' Bridge (the Krämerbrücke) is still lined with houses and shops. Lutherstadt Eisleben Luther was born here in 1483. He returned many times throughout his live and, in a poetic close to the circle of life, died here in 1546. The town claims to have introduced the world's first 'heritage tourism': Martin Luther's Birth House ('Geburtshaus'). -
Lesson 28 - Luther’S Later Life & Theology - from Wartburg to His Death
Church History Lesson 28 - Luther’s Later Life & Theology - From Wartburg to His Death 1. Introduction - Earliest Years of the Reformation 1.1. As we saw last time, humanists such as Erasmus had prepared the way for the Reformation. The recovery of Greek and Hebrew, and a desire to return to the original sources, along with the obvious need for reformation in the church, opened the door for great changes to come. 1.2. Luther was the one who was used by God to spark the Reformation. His personal struggles, experiences, and study of the Scripture opened his eyes to the Gospel over several years. This culminated in the nailing of the 95 theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg. 1.3. Although Luther had not intended to do anything other than debate abuses of indulgences and other practices of he church, a firestorm was ignited. As events continued, Luther came to see even more clearly the problems with the practices and beliefs of the church. He came to see that many of these - penance, a false sacramentalism, a wrong view of grace, the priesthood, the papacy, the cult of relics and saints, tradition as equal or more authoritative than Scripture, indulgences, etc. - actually obscured or outright denied the Gospel and the sufficiency of Christ. 1.4. This ended at the Council of Worms where Luther was declared a heretic. This meant that no one was to harbor him or give him aid. However, Frederick had foreseen this and surreptitiously set up to have Luther kidnapped in the woods on the return to Wittenberg. -
Erasmus and Luther on Free Will and Salvation
Luther and Erasmus: Free Will and Salvation Translated by E. Gordon Rupp In 1524 and 1525, seven years after Martin Luther began the Reformation, Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466–1536) and Luther held a “debate” in print entitled On Free Will and Salvation. Erasmus initiated this exchange in the form of an open letter in early 1524, and Luther replied in 1525. Erasmus, despite his own criticisms of the excesses and corruption of many Roman Catholic clergymen, felt that the Church was absolutely necessary. Humanity required guidance to avoid sin, Erasmus reasoned, and the best guidance was the accumulated wisdom of the ages, as embodied in the teachings of the Church. For Erasmus, any reform of the Church had to begin by examining its role in shaping individual morality. He felt this depended on the individual Christian’s acceptance of free will (the notion that humans are free to choose their actions without divine coercion or predestination). In On the Freedom of the Will, Erasmus argues that the Bible can be obscure, ambiguous, and seemingly contradictory on the question of free will, but that on the whole the Bible and Church tradition favor free will. Luther, conversely, felt that the nature of each individual was largely predetermined in the mind and plan of God, and that the Church was only a teacher or guide, not a true molder of man’s nature. In his response of 1525, The Bondage of the Will, Luther does more than argue for predestination. He also strongly asserts the clarity and sufficiency of the Bible (without commentary or church doctrine) on this issue and on all other essential points of faith. -
The Ninety-Five Theses by Martin Luther October 31, 1517, Wittenberg, Germany the Ninety-Five Theses 4
The Ninety-five Theses by Martin Luther October 31, 1517, Wittenberg, Germany The Ninety-Five Theses 4. The penalty of sin remains as long as the hatred of self, that is, true inner repentance, until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences 5. The pope neither desires nor is able to remit any penalties except those imposed by his Posted: October 31, 1517 own authority or that of the canons. The Eve of All Saints Day 6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by Castle Church declaring and showing that it has been Wittenberg, Germany remitted by God; or, to be sure, by remitting guilt in cases reserved to his judgment. If his For oral debate on November 1, 1517 right to grant remission in these cases were disregarded, the guilt would certainly remain Out of love and zeal for truth and the desire to unforgiven. bring it to light, the following theses will be publicly discussed at Wittenberg under the 7. God remits guilt to no one unless at the same chairmanship of the reverend father, Martin time he humbles him in all things and makes Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology and him submissive to his vicar, the priest. regularly appointed Lecturer on these subjects at that place. He requests that those who cannot be 8. The penitential canons are imposed only on present to debate orally with us will do so by the living, and, according to the canons letter. themselves, nothing should be imposed on the dying.