October is the Month of Reformation

     October is the month we take the opportunity to reflect on our church history and heritage.  Churches like ours are committed to learning the Bible as best we can!  We accomplish this by: consulting the original languages, understanding the context and genre of specific texts, uncovering the differences among the Old and New Covenants, considering the history of theological and creedal debates, aiming to remain consistent with the doctrines of  "the catholic Church," and listening in concert with the Holy Spirit.
     One church body that depends upon consulting "additional" sources for their rule of faith is the Roman Catholic church.   The opinions of popes, councils, church fathers, elevated "saints," with ancient (and not so ancient) traditions, prominently informs the convictions of Rome. When the source of Scripture and the source of "developing tradition" clashes -- the question is asked: Which source has the supreme authority?  This tangle of conflict requires that Rome employ new measures for interpretation and additional layers for governing Roman dogma.
     Martin Luther is famously known for identifying the "inconsistencies" promulgated by the Roman church.  Even as a trained and commissioned seminary professor for the Roman church, Luther became convinced that the discrepancies in Roman doctrine, worship, ecclesiology, and her overall conformity with the moral law of God was blatantly contradictory to Scripture. He demanded a day in court to debate his reasoning in the hopes of reforming the church -- moving her to greater conformity to God's word.
     Luther's "95 Theses," posted to the castle church door at Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517, created a firestorm against what could best be described as "The Deep State" of the Roman Catholic church -- it challenged way too many practices and people well established by the papal hierarchy.     By God's grace, Luther's commitment to "Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)" as the guiding light for the faith and practice in the church, is still our core motivation today.  May we always 'reform and constantly reform in light of God's word!'