Reformation 500
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REFORMATION 500 As we kicked off the year of the Reformation’s 500th anniversary, Living Lutheran began a series in which we highlighted 500 items about the Reformation and its spirit and impact. Over the course of 10 issues, we explored 500 unique aspects of the Reformation, beginning with 50 wide-ranging quotes. These lists were not meant as an all-encompassing compendium of everything essential to the Reformation and its theology, but rather as a glimpse of the variety of ways the movement that Martin Luther sparked in 1517 would influence the history of the world. Contents 50 Reformation quotes 2 50 Reformation sites 7 50 Reformation figures 11 50 Reformation artworks 16 50 Reformation publications 21 50 things you may not know about Luther 26 50 things you may not know about the Reformation 31 50 things Luther taught that you may not know 36 50 Reformation hymns 41 50 ways the Reformation still impacts pastors 46 VOICES OF FAITH • LIVINGLUTHERAN.ORG • 2017 REFORMATION 500 50 Reformation quotes As we kick off the year of the Reformation’s 500th anniversary, Living Lutheran begins a series in which we’ll highlight 500 items about the Reformation and its spirit and impact. Over the course of the next 10 issues, we’ll explore 500 unique aspects of the Reformation, beginning this month with 50 wide-ranging quotes. This list is not meant as an all-encompassing compendium of everything essential to the Reformation and its theology, but rather as a glimpse of the variety of ways the movement that Martin Luther sparked in 1517 would influence the history of the world. 1“In short, I will preach it, 3“[Luther’s] Reformation 5“The Protestant Reformation teach it, write it, but I will neither transformed the had a lot to do with the constrain no one by force, for church, nor was crushed by it. printing press, where Martin faith must come freely without Instead, a de facto partition Luther’s theses were reproduced compulsion. Take myself took shape. One by one, a series about 250,000 times, and so you as an example. I opposed of German and Scandinavian had widespread dissemination of indulgences and all the papists, cities and territories abolished ideas that hadn’t circulated in the but never with force. I simply the Catholic Mass, repudiated mainstream before.” taught, preached and wrote the church’s hierarchy, and — Nate Silver, author and God’s Word; otherwise I did required preachers to proclaim statistician nothing. And while I slept, or Luther’s doctrines. A new form drank Wittenberg beer with my of Christianity was starting to friends Philipp and Amsdorf, come into being. … Like all “The recently published the Word … did everything.” great revolutions, it had created 6Atlas of World Christianity —Martin Luther (1483-1546) a new world.” enumerates about 500,000,000 —Alec Ryrie, author, Protestants adherents to churches and denominations that trace their 2“One man, Martin Luther, descent directly or indirectly took a stand that literally 4“The Reformation is a much from 16th-century Protestant shredded the fabric of Europe. broader event than that beginnings and several hundred It changed theology, it changed singular day. To be sure, the millions more in ‘independent’ politics, it changed society and it Reformation began on that churches with Protestant changed political boundaries. It day. The Reformation, however, origins or strongly Protestant gave us a revolution in education, spanned two centuries and characteristics.” in literacy. There are many, encompassed a cast of characters —Mark Noll, professor many manifestations of the from a variety of nations. Luther Reformation.” may very well be at the center of — Tom Rassieur, curator, the Reformation, but he does not “Martin Luther: Art and the stand alone.” Reformation” — Stephen J. Nichols, author, The Reformation 2 VOICES OF FAITH • LIVINGLUTHERAN.ORG • 2017 “… the Reformation as “I have a hard time picturing “Luther was the man who, 7 such, liberated from its early 11several aspects of the 16guided by experience in the modern political constraints, modern world without Luther.” life of his own soul, again made remains alive — Martin E. Marty, ELCA pastor people understand the original and well in the United States. and professor and true meaning of the gospel Anyone who doubts this need of Christ.” only open the Yellow Pages of a — Herman Bavinck (1854-1921), local phone book from anywhere “The Reformation theologian in the United States and look 12inspired a mood of anti- under ‘Churches.’” authoritarianism, which led —Brad S. Gregory, professor to backlash against the feudal “The mainstream system and, by extension, to the 17Reformation was not democratic movement around concerned with establishing a “The now almost universally the world. In the centuries new Christian tradition, but with 8acknowledged principles following the Reformation, the renewal and correction of an of religious freedom, liberty movements like women’s existing tradition. On the basis of conscience, the rule of law, suffrage and the abolition of of their assertion that Christian separation of powers and slavery traced their roots back to theology was ultimately constitutionally limited republics Reformation-era principles.” grounded in Scripture, were unthinkable before the —Reference.com reformers such as Luther and Reformation.” Calvin argued for the need — The Reformation Society, to return to Scripture as the Cape Town, South Africa “The Reformation was primary and critical source of 13fundamentally a struggle Christian theology.” for the backing of secular — Robert Kennerson, author, “The Protestant Reformation governments. Without their “The theological agenda of 9was one of the most far- support, no religious dissidents the Reformation” reaching events of the last could last for long. With it, the millennium. It ended the old church was at their mercy.” millennium-old hegemony of —Alec Ryrie, author, Protestants “Prior to the Reformation, the Catholic Church in Western 18worship was largely done Europe and altered political and for the people. The music was economic fortunes wherever it “Luther used humor to performed by professional reached.” 14express his theological musicians and sung in an — Sascha O. Becker, Steven Pfaff ideas in all sorts of ways. Perhaps unfamiliar language (Latin). The and Jared Rubin, professors it’s because he struggled Reformation gave worship back with melancholy as well as to the people. … Worship once profoundest opposition to again became participatory.” “It is impossible to his passionately held ideas; — Kenny Lamm, Renewing 10understand modern history his humor served as a life raft Worship NC apart from the Reformation. keeping his spirits and Spirit We cannot understand the buoyed.” history of Europe, England or — Jane Voigts, pastor, comedian, “All that matters is that America without studying the writer 19God’s Word be given Reformation. For example, in free course to encourage and America there would never have enliven hearts so that they do been Pilgrim Fathers if there “The true treasure of the not become burdened.” had not first been a Protestant 15church is the most holy —Martin Luther Reformation.” gospel of the glory and grace — Jack Arnold, church history of God.” professor, IIIM Magazine —Martin Luther, thesis 62 3 VOICES OF FAITH • LIVINGLUTHERAN.ORG • 2017 “Luther knew what it felt “[Christ] is everywhere, “With no ‘spiritual 20like for the law to convict 23but he does not wish 27license’ to teach and him, accuse him, leave him with that you grope for him preach and write in public, with nowhere to rest. And if you want everywhere. Grope rather no recognized official role to do to know what really sparked the where the Word is, and there so, the most important stimulus Protestant Reformation it is the you will lay hold of him in the for Protestant women to write fact that feeling this way, Luther right way.” theologically came from their … believed that God’s grace is —Martin Luther understanding of the Word and a gift, [and] no longer accepted external reasons: a necessity to what the church had for so long defend others, to intervene on taught: that we are really saved “Perhaps Luther’s greatest behalf of others, to show care for by the works of the law. The 24achievement was the ‘theirs’ as well as others, to teach medieval church had pawned off German Bible. No other work those they cared about, and to law as gospel, and Luther dared has had as strong an impact speak the word of truth when it to know the difference, and then on a nation’s development and was needed, and to respond to he became a preacher of grace, heritage as has this Book.” the call of the gospel as they and that changed everything.” — Henry Zecher in saw it.” — Nadia Bolz-Weber, pastor, Christianity Today — Kirsi Stjerna, ELCA pastor House for All Sinners and and professor Saints, Denver “The Bible ceased to be a 25foreign book in a foreign “Because churches “For the reality of grace tongue, and became naturalized, 28today—both Protestant 21is not severable form that and hence far more clear and and Catholic, as well as Jewish, web and bundle of life out of dear to the common people. Muslim and other religions—are which the human emerges Hereafter the Reformation still wrestling with the balance and is defined, with in which depended no longer on the between men’s and women’s the negatives of need and works of the Reformers, but spiritual equality and social anguish and death, as well as the on the book of God, which difference, [Luther’s] words, affirmative vitalities of beauty everybody could read for himself like those of other authoritative and joy burst forth, to which as his daily guide in spiritual religious writers, are not simply the Incarnation of grace came, life.