This week, many in America will go door-to-door in costumes seeking treats to fill their bag. Protestants, however, will remember one of the most significant days in their history. It is Reformation Day.
On October 31, 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five thesis to the castle church door in Wittenberg. His thesis provoked a debate that would eventually be called the Protestant Reformation. The debate itself involved his opposition to the Roman Catholic’s selling of indulgences, the primacy of Scripture over tradition, the means by which we are counted righteous, and more.
The sound of the hammer hitting the nail was like a trumpet blast throughout the world. Reformers like John Calvin, John Knox, and others arose to help the church find its way back to God’s Word as the only authority for faith and life. It sparked missions, hymns, and preaching that still resounds today.