This Day in History: Reformation Day

It was on this day 483 years ago, 31 October 1517 CE, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg Castle Church. Aside from inception of man, the life of Jesus, Moses, and Mohammad, this is the most potent event in human history. This is the day that modern Christianity was born.

As a brief history, Martin Luther was an obscure Roman Catholic monk. A German by birth, he had dedicated his life in service to the Church and Christ. The pope was selling 'indulgences' in an effort to raise money for the building and renovation St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. These 'indulgences' were supposed relics and treasures of the Church that could be bought for the forgiveness of the sins of living and dead family members. Luther was appalled by this practice--viewing it as an embezzlement of the poor--and as he studied the Bible, he found justification for his criticisms. These criticisms were laid out in his Theses:

"The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last."

Very few people would have heard the rantings of this little German preacher had it not been for a recent invention. The Guttenberg printing press had been developed a few decades earlier and it created the first mass-media. Within two months of his protest, Luther's Theses had been spread throughout the Catholic world. The monk was called to Rome and tried for heresy as his followers began to infiltrate the clergy.


Protestant clergymen were excommunicated, persecuted, and martyred as cities, states, and nations began to distance themselves from the Pope in Rome. Scientists and intellectuals were encouraged to question the "facts" that the Church had taught about the natural world. Theologians were encouraged to return to original biblical texts. Preachers were liberated to teach their sermons in the language that their parishioners could understand.


Most immediately, the Protestant Reformation led to the Enlightenment, the popularization of systematic theology, and two centuries of religious wars. By extension, nearly every world event in the past 483 years have been influenced by a protesting German monk. So this Halloween also remember that it's Reformation Day also.