Reformation Day…

October 31, 2006 | 8:25 AM

Today is Reformation Day, as well as Halloween.  It’s today that the Protestant Churches celebrate the beginning of the Reformation.

On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg’s main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran, Reformed and Anabaptist traditions were born. (Wikipedia)

Today my mind rests on a story from my family’s history.  In the 1800s one of my kinsmen was kicked out of his Baptist church in Missouri for stealing.  You see- he was stealing slaves and setting them free.  This is the same family that would eventually offer land to found Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and produce one of the first pastors of First Baptist Church of Dallas.  (And while I don’t know how the rest of the family turned out, as for my lineage- it would take another hundred plus years to produce me- a Baptist seminary student.)  Ah the joys of genealogy.  Thanks, Dad.

Posted in Christianity, Social Justice