The following is an excerpt from Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today by Dr. Steven D. Brooks.
Although not officially part of the Christian year calendar, the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century left an indelible mark on Christianity. Fueled by a desire to address corruption and abuses within the Roman Catholic church at the time, visionary leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin spearheaded a transformative movement that led to the emergence of Protestant denominations we know today.
The Reformers were driven by a profound conviction that the church had strayed from the essential, original teachings of Christianity, particularly concerning salvation—how people can find forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection and obtain eternal life with God. The Reformation sought to realign Christianity with the original message of Jesus and the early church.
Reformation Sunday is observed on October 31 or the last Sunday of October. The legendary account reports that on October 31, 1517, the priest Martin Luther boldly affixed his protest notice, the Ninety-five Theses, to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Some believe Luther’s Theses were sent to his Archbishop rather than being a defiant protest, as they primarily aimed to address certain issues within the church that had obscured the gospel message. Regardless, Luther hoped his Theses would initiate acknowledgment and discussion, leading to the church’s renewal and bringing the truth about God’s forgiveness to people’s lives—a hope that has inspired worship renewal for over five centuries.
©2024 Steven D. Brooks, Wipf and Stock Publishers
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If you would like to read more about Reformation Sunday and the Christian year, and it’s spiritual impact upon the lives of worshipers, you can find more in Seasons of Worship: A Spiritual Calendar for the Church Today.