This year marks the 500th anniversary of the start of Luther’s public protest against the Roman-Catholic Church on 31st October 1517; traditionally this is seen as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
We’re encouraged to ‘commemorate’ and not ‘celebrate’, because we don’t want to sound too triumphant vis-à-vis our Catholic brothers and sisters. (Even though in my language my Catholic colleagues seem to all be using vieren, ‘celebrate’)
Does the Reformation movement of 5 centuries ago still have any relevance today?
These are my own impressions and ideas about the possible relevance of Luther’s and Lutheran theology, the Reformation in general, for modern-day people and society. (apart from how not to behave towards and speak about Jews, Turks and witches) Plenty more could probably be said, but this is a start.
So let’s start with the so-called sola’s: sola Scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus and soli Deo gloria. These sayings are what define the Reformation, no doubt about that. But what could they bring to the discussion today?
‘Scripture alone’: not an easy one, even if many atheists will accept the Bible as an important literary work part of a shared world heritage (just not more important than for instance Shakespeare or Agatha Christie or foundational writings of other religions and philosophies).
It was meant to refute any claims by the then Church about mostly rights and privileges of mostly the clergy of the higher echelons of the hierarchy. It was meant so that people, without the intermediary of a priest, would read God’s words to and for them. Of course interpretations vary, and people soon became their own pope. But what can we learn from this?
1/ Biblical criticism is vital for good scholarship and sound theology; therefore it potentially sets an example for all types of scholarship and research. Don’t just take someone’s word for it, check it yourself, check the documents, the websites, the newspaper articles, the reports on tv (ad fontes, ‘to the sources’). A great call against fake news if ever there was one!
2/ Literacy is vital; even today countries with a large percentage or a majority of Protestants tend to be more literate than other countries. These countries also tend to be among the most advanced socially and among the most affluent.
‘Faith alone’: even harder, because it’s quasi impossible to explain faith to someone who doesn’t believe. However, the original Greek pistis actually means something closer to ‘trust’ rather than ‘faith’. So, do we trust others? Do we trust the system? Or is the world just a dog-eat-dog place, full of cut throat ambition?
It also means that it’s ok to have principles and stick to them (as long as everything stays legal), and it also means that it’s ok to have doubts and to waver from time to time.
‘Grace alone’: do we show kindness, forgiveness, compassion to others around us? To the world around us? To our ecology, or economy, in situations of conflict and war, in our education, in our relationships..? There are so many places and instances when we can be gracious and charitable; will we do it? It also can teach us something about our relationship to ourselves; do we allow ourselves to be forgiven? ‘Grace alone’ is about second chances, and while those aren’t easy to give nor often receive, it remains an important principle in order to be able to move forward, to grow as a person (of faith).
‘Christ alone’: many atheists will agree that Jesus of Nazareth was a historical figure, that He did indeed exist and died (a gruesome death), and that His teachings are worth considering. For many Jesus was a revolutionary, the first socialist/communist, a traditional yet creative rabbi, an important person in a shared world history, etc… (just not the Son of God). But what can His person mean to us today?
1/ Incarnation: in the Christian understanding God was born as a human being. This should assure us of the importance of matter (not materialism!) and how there’s no separation between spirit and body, the earthly and the heavenly (even if the Church got this terribly wrong over the centuries and in some areas still does; but that separation crept in from Greek philosophy not Jewish teachings). It assures us that the here and now matter. Mind, body, spirit form one whole, and all three are worth looking after, all three are worthy of healing when something is amiss.
2/ Christ is fully God and fully man (in mainstream Christianity at least): if God was born a human being it tells us something about the worth people have. This worth is universal and equal on all levels; there should be no distinctions nor discrimination. People are worth saving, helping, educating, feeding, housing, be listened to and not be taken for granted, not exploited, not abused…
Luther’s Small Catechism (1529) starts with the Ten Commandments. The First Commandment is basically about according God His rightful place as God. It also means that people have a rightful place as people, it means that it’s right and wonderful to be human, and all humans deserve their own rightful place in the grander scheme of things.
3/ The absolute importance and necessity of religious literacy: religious illiteracy is one of the greatest heresies of our time. People just don’t seem to know where language, art, sayings and even public holidays come from. When did Christmas become Santa’s birthday?! Religious literacy is also the greatest ally against religious fundamentalism and extremism (not to mention the resulting terrorism). I’m absolutely convinced that the average Christianist would not be so totally convinced of their own right and their own interpretation if they had at least some inkling of Church history and Biblical research! The fact that many atheists know more about the historical Jesus and the times He lived in than many Christians should be a red flag!
‘to God alone the glory’: what matters to us? What is the most important thing in our lives? Or do we waste our time and energy and often money on ‘false gods’ and ‘idols’ like greed, envy, avarice and the like? Will we allow ourselves to have principles that contribute to society and aim towards the greater good? Or will we only worship ourselves, our own ambitions and goals, regardless of anyone or anything? Soli Deo gloria can act as a warning to get our priorities straight!
Lutheran theology states that the Church stands or falls with ‘justification by grace, through faith, because of Christ alone’. Simply put, you can’t earn/merit your salvation/forgiveness/redemption.
If we put this in a wider context, we could say that it’s a call to abandon the typical human attitude of quid pro quo, ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’. Could we imagine a world where gifts and giving are free –even though most people feel embarrassed by this- where one favour doesn’t necessarily deserve another, where ‘paying it forward’ is no longer necessary, where corruption and bribes no longer ruin politics, businesses and even the Church?! Are we willing to give? Are we willing to receive?
Then there’s that other great Reformation slogan: ecclesia reformata semper reformanda, ‘the reformed/reforming church most always reform’. It basically means that we can’t take things for granted, we have to re-evaluate and adjust and redirect if necessary. We can’t become lazy nor complacent, we, our neighbours, our world deserve better, deserve constant attention and care, and change if need be. We can’t afford to be arrogant and think there’s no room for improvement.
And talking about improvement, there’s the need to focus on the here and now, not just the hereafter. This is where we might learn something from Luther’s focus on theologia crucis v theologia gloriae, ‘theology of the cross v theology of glory’.
Theology of the cross, places the cross central stage. Suffering is part of the path to redemption, suffering is part of life, suffering isn’t something we must avoid or ignore. It allows for pain to exist, to be lived through. It also means that we don’t need to skip a beat, skip a step. We are allowed to concentrate on the here and now, our lives are important in every aspect. ‘Things will get better’ cannot become an excuse not to act, it cannot become a commonplace we use to placate people in pain and sorrow, just to make ourselves feel better, more ‘Christian’ or just more at ease in an uncomfortable situation. People are allowed here to be uncomfortable beings.
Speaking of people, Lutheran theology considers people, human beings to be simul iustus et peccator, ‘simultaneously saint and sinner’, each a 100%, like Christ is equally God and equally man.
It’s a great equalising thought, because all people are the same in this. It is frank and realistic because all people make mistakes (sin in the Christian understanding). It also means that all people have potential and there’s hope for everyone. All of us are capable of unspeakable things, all of us are capable of great love and compassion and wonderful actions. This also means that everyone deserves a chance, a go. Everyone has worth and a place in the great scheme of things.
This optimism combined with the free justification given, leads –in the Lutheran understanding- to the action needed for the neighbour, Creation and ourselves.
“A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one.” Luther wrote (On Christian Freedom, 1520). In other words, we’re set free, redeemed/justified in order to serve, to give (back). It’s a direct call to direct action; complacency is not an option. Faith saves, and from this flow good works, works for the common good, individual and corporate. We’re all involved, we’re all responsible (priesthood of all believers/baptised). There’s no bailing, no bowing out and retreating into ourselves. There’s no room for not caring; faith needs to show her good fruits.
There are other things we can find for instance in the Lutheran Confessions.
Perhaps one more example: article 16 of the Augsburg Confession (1530), which was meant as a condemnation against the Anabaptists who refused participation in civil society and civil offices.
It means that as Christians we cannot retreat from the world, we’re also citizens with rights and duties. We cannot put ourselves up against the world and others, we’re all part of the scheme (Creation). Again this is a call against fundamentalism and exclusivity, against sectarianism.
So these are a few of my personal thoughts about how Luther’s and Lutheran/Reformation theology could possibly contribute to our modern-day world, could possibly still be relevant.