Martin Luther 			February 18
and other Reformers of the Church
Martin Luther was at the centre of the tumultuous changes that shook the church in Europe in the sixteenth century and led eventually to the emergence of the broad stream of Protestantism. He was born at Eisleben in Germany in 1483. He studied law at Leipzig, but in 1505 joined the Augustinian Hermits in Erfurt, following a vow made during a terrifying thunderstorm. He was ordained in 1507. His order sent him to Wittenberg to teach Scripture and moral theology. In the wake of the Renaissance, the Scriptures were being studied anew.
During all this period, Luther had been searching for assurance of forgiveness of sin. The medieval age lived very much under a sense of divine judgement. While God’s mercy was not in doubt, that mercy could be assured only after due correction. The church’s system of sacraments and penances were important components in that assurance.
The church was deeply enmeshed in the political life of Europe. Ecclesiastical positions and the sacraments of the church became entangled with political and financial considerations. Indulgences were also part of that. Indulgences were the remission by the church’s authority of part of the temporal penalties expected to follow sins that had been forgiven. The whole system was wide open to abuse. Many wanted reform, but the structures of the church proved resistant to change. Luther was then teaching about Paul’s letter to the Romans. Reflection on Romans 1:17, “the just shall live by faith”, finally brought him peace when all external disciplines had failed. When therefore in 1517 a monk came to Wittenberg selling indulgences to raise money for the building of St Peter’s in Rome, Luther initiated a debate by putting up on the church door ninety-five propositions for discussion.
Debate there certainly was, and Luther, defending his propositions, hoped for support from the authorities of the church. When that was not forthcoming, Luther rested his case on Scripture. The church formally excommunicated him in 1520. Luther became the spokesperson and catalyst for many who sought reform in the church. The fact that Prince Frederick of Saxony protected Luther gave the reform movement a foothold, and many city-states and other groups pushed ahead with reforms in public worship, preaching and church structures. Luther advised on this and also devoted some of his energies to translating the Bible into German to make it more widely available.
Other reformers, notably Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), Martin Bucer (1491-1551), Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560), John Calvin (1509-1564), and Theodore Beza (1519-1605), took up the cause in the cities of Europe. Martin Luther continued to contribute to the debate, but he was no longer the real leader. So broad had the reform movement become, that agreement was no longer possible between all the various positions adopted by the leaders, though some significant common statements were issued. Martin Luther died in 1546.
For Liturgical Use
Martin Luther was born in 1483 and became an Augustinian Hermit. His personal discovery that salvation rests solely on the grace of God led him to oppose the church’s medieval system that gave the church significant control over the assurance of salvation. He sought a debate by posting his ninety-five theses on the church door in Wittenberg in 1517. He rested his case on the authority of Scripture alone. Luther’s work let loose a wide-ranging movement of reform in the church, that was carried on by others in many cities in Europe. Luther died in 1546.
Sentence
Be to me a rock of refuge, O Lord, a fortress where I may find safety, for you are my rock and my stronghold.		Psalm 71:3
Collects
Almighty God,
you called Martin Luther and others to reform your church
and to teach that we should trust in you alone;
give us boldness to proclaim the faith in our day,
and keep your church true to you at all times;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

God our righteousness,
may we share Martin’s rediscovery
that every single one of us
must come to your forgiveness
and receive the faith which you alone can give.
Psalms	46	48
Readings
Isaiah 12		God is my salvation
Galatians 2:15-21		Faith in Christ
Luke 6:43-49		Bear good fruit
Post Communion Sentence
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand.	Romans 5:1,2