“This is the golden age of theology. It cannot rise higher; because we have come so far as to sit in judgment on all doctors of the church, and test them by the judgment of the apostles and prophets.” In these words from his Table Talk, Luther indicates that the Reformation was also the reformation of […]
When one surveys the history of the Christian church he must recognize the significance for the church of its literature. Some works stand out among others as having been of great influence. One recalls, for example. the Confession or On the City of God by St. Augustine, the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, the Summa […]
Splashed diagonally across the corner of the front cover of the December 8, 1961, issue of Time Magazine directly over the portrait of World Council Architect Visser ’T Hooft, were the words, “The Second Reformation.” This caption describing the Third Assembly of the World Council at New Delhi, India, came from a statement made there […]
Those of us who trace our spiritual ancestry to the 16th century Protestant Reformation are fond of saying that the questions then at issue are of lasting relevance. For that reason self-conscious Protestants never weary of celebrating this great event in the month of October each year, and a magazine such as this one cannot help […]
Johannes Gutenberg was a German inventor, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe with the invention of the movable-type printing press. His greatest accomplishment was the first print run of the Bible in Latin, the language of the church. It took three years to print two hundred copies, a miraculously speedy achievement in a […]
Sons and Daughters of the Reformation: It was exactly 437 years ago that a young man stood near a church with a hammer in one hand, a parchment in the other, and it nail in his pocket. If we are to sense something of the vast significance of Martin Luther’s act we must look at more than […]
Dr. Godfrey concluded his first article by describing Luther’s theology as a “personal theology.” Luther began as a monk, a devotee of the church; he became a student of Scripture and subsequently became strongly convicted of the truth of salvation was to be found only by grace through faith. LUTHER’S WRITINGS Now that experience led Luther into a public path […]
Around October 31, Martin Luther is remembered far and wide in the United States among evangelical protestants as a hero of the faith. We look back at Luther as a pioneer, as a profound theologian, as a heroic reformer. Some of us gather in Reformation Day services on October 31st to remember the great beginning […]
In the last issue Dr. Godfrey discussed Martin Luther’s writings about right doctrine and law and gospel. He concludes the series by reviewing Luther’s writings on faith, and on the law as a spiritual guide. LUTHER’S WRITINGS (continued) On faith Now as a corollary to this distinction between law and gospel, Luther discussed faith. Faith […]
In the early 1520’s Elector Fredrick the Wise commissioned Martin Luther to prepare a homily for each Sunday throughout the year. In one of his homilies for the Christmas season, Luther suggested a somewhat peculiar interpretation of Luke 2:16: “And they found both Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger.” Luther held […]