Today we remember Martin Luther, a German theologian whose writings inspired the Protestant Reformation: https://t.co/MoJYJpq4xW
— Church of England (@c_of_e) October 31, 2015
Happy Reformation Day to All Blog Readers
Posted in * Christian Life / Church Life, Church History
Always reminds me of what a fellow seminarian said at his master’s defense when asked “What was the best thing to come out of the Reformation?”
A pause and then, “The Council of Trent”
I regret to say I’ve never attended a parish of TEC where Reformation Sunday was ever observed, apart from a place where “A Mighty Fortress” was sung this one time only. OTOH, I’ve heard plenty of disdain dumped on The Reformer by Anglo-Catholic priests who clearly knew little or nothing about what Luther actually wrote. Glad to see this notice from the CofE.
Incidentally: #1 reminds me of a story about a very curmudgeonly bishop who examined ordinands with a trick question meant to trip them up. He asked, “Who in your opinion is the most important person of the Holy Trinity?” If the student said “Christ,” then the bishop answered indignantly, “What! You don’t think the Holy Spirit is important …?” And so on. Whichever divine person they named, there were two other and better answers.
One day, the bishop was up to his tricks and asked a wan, other-worldly, biretta-bound youngster his old chestnut, “Who in your opinion is the most important person of the Holy Trinity?” “Why, I wonder you of all people should ask, Bishop … Surely it’s the Virgin Mary, Our Lady!”
Good points above.
Luther, as with all the reformers, was primarily concerned to bring the Church back to its apostolic roots. Often today, we protestants can forget that very positive emphasis and focus on what the reformers were against, but there should be more attention to what they were for.