Reformation Day
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Reformation Day is a Protestant
According to
The holiday is significant for the
History
In 1516–1517,
On 31 October 1517,
Luther objected to a saying attributed to Johann Tetzel that "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory [also attested as 'into heaven'] springs."[4] He insisted that, since forgiveness was God's alone to grant, those who claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error. Christians, he said, must not slacken in following Christ on account of such false assurances.[citation needed]
According to
The Ninety-five Theses were quickly translated from Latin into German, printed, and widely copied, making the controversy one of the first in history to be aided by the printing press.[8] Within two weeks, copies of the theses had spread throughout Germany; within two months throughout Europe.[citation needed]
Luther's writings circulated widely, reaching France, England, and Italy as early as 1519. Students thronged to Wittenberg to hear Luther speak. He published a short commentary on Galatians and his Work on the Psalms. This early part of Luther's career was one of his most creative and productive.[9] Three of his best-known works were published in 1520: To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, and On the Freedom of a Christian.[citation needed]
The parish order for the New Church in Regensburg states that the Reformation of the city is to be observed the first Sunday after 15 October, every year. This document may be from 1567, however the dating is uncertain.[citation needed] The 1569 church order in Pomerania states that the Reformation was to be observed on St. Martin's Day, which falls on 11 November. The hundredth anniversary of the Reformation, celebrated throughout the Protestant areas of Germany, was observed from 31 October to 1 November 1617, but a standard annual observance began much later, sometime after the two hundredth anniversary commemoration in 1717. The first annual observance was instituted by John George II, Elector of Saxony in his domains in 1667.[citation needed]
Significance
It is celebrated among various Protestants, especially by
In the United States churches often transfer the holiday, so that it falls on the Sunday (called Reformation Sunday) on or before 31 October, with All Saints' Day moved to the Sunday on or after 1 November.[citation needed]
Roman Catholic attitudes
On 31 October 1999, the
In 2013, the Joint International Commission between representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church published a report entitled From Conflict to Communion, anticipating the forthcoming Lutheran-Catholic Common Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017, which noted that "in 2017, Lutheran and Catholic Christians will commemorate together the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation".[13] The "common commemoration" was a year-long remembrance concluded on Reformation Day 2017.[14]
Anniversaries
Ten years after the indulgences have
been destroyed; in memory of this we
both drink and are comforted at this hour.
— Martin Luther to Nikolaus von Amsdorf
on 1 November 1527[15]
In
When the Lutheran areas of West Germany celebrated the Reformation anniversary in 1967, 450 years after the posting of the theses, the event took place during an "ice age" in the relationship between the state and the Church in East Germany. This became clear through the attempt to secularise the Reformation with the concept of the "early bourgeois revolution" and through the pointed marginalisation of events organised by the Church, for example by means of holding celebrations of the October Revolution at exactly the same time. In the Federal Republic of Germany there were only local celebrations, organised by the churches of the respective states. A central church event in Wittenberg on 31 October 1967 was held in order to keep up at least a pretence of an all-German Evangelical Church.[citation needed]
50th anniversary
According to some sources, Reformation Day has been commemorated since 1567. Exact dates for the holiday varied until after the two hundredth celebration in 1717 when 31 October became the official date of celebration in Germany and later expanded internationally.[16]
Centenary
In 1617, the celebration of faith concentrated on Lutheran orthodoxy.
150th anniversary
In 1667, John George II, Elector of Saxony made it an official holiday for the first time in his domains. After celebrations in 1717 and 1817, it became more and more popular across Europe.[19]
200th anniversary
After the Thirty Years' War ended in 1648, it made an impact, with observations in 1717 being largely anti-Catholic.[citation needed]
300th anniversary
The 1817 anniversary was largely nationalist in outlook, being impacted by some of the most important events in human history: the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and political and territorial rearranging of Europe with the Congress of Vienna.[citation needed]
400th anniversary
The 1917 anniversary was held amidst the
499th anniversary
On Reformation Day in 2016,
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Roman Catholic Church joint event will highlight the 50 years of continuous ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans and the joint gifts of this collaboration. The Catholic-Lutheran commemoration of 499 years of the Reformation is structured around the themes of thanksgiving, repentance and commitment to common witness. The aim is to express the gifts of the Reformation and ask forgiveness for division perpetuated by Christians from the two traditions.[22]
An
500th anniversary
Luther set a stone in motion that was
unstoppable and changed the world forever.[26]
— Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
in Wittenberg on 31 October 2017
31 October 2017 was an official holiday in all of Germany.[27] As a legal basis, German states which usually do not celebrate Reformation Day annually passed legislation or made regulations. These states are Baden-Württemberg,[28] Bavaria,[29] Berlin,[30] Bremen,[31] Hamburg,[32] Hesse,[33] Lower Saxony,[34] North Rhine-Westphalia,[35] Rhineland-Palatinate,[36] Saarland,[37] and Schleswig-Holstein.[38]
In the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America hosted an event to commemorate the Reformation in the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, 29 October.[39] The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod had various special Reformation services in their various districts to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.[40][41]
In Germany, representatives from Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Bremen concluded a decision had to be made by state parliaments on whether to make Reformation Day a permanent official holiday in these respective states.[42] Proclamations about this were passed in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, while Lower Saxony and Bremen still await their own votes on the matter.[needs update]
In 2017, the press of the
The anniversary prompted historians to reflect on the memory, meanings and influence of the Reformation over five centuries.[45][46]
Legal status
It is a
Lutheran church
Within the
Reformation Day (Reformationsfest) was celebrated in Leipzig in Johann Sebastian Bach's time with a service, for which he composed church cantatas, including Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild, BWV 79 and Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80.[citation needed]
Reformed church
Although not shaped by Luther's doctrine,
Other Protestant churches
Other Protestant denominations differ in their celebration of this holiday from the Lutheran and Reformed way of honoring the events, to a complete lack of observance.
In 2016, Anglicans from the Diocese of Chile of the Anglican Church of South America participated in the March for Jesus on Reformation Day as a celebration of their Protestant heritage.[53] Many Anglican/Episcopal churches hold Reformation Day services in observance of the holiday.[54]
Our roots are deep in the Anglican tradition: Both John and Charles Wesley were priests in the Church of England. There are a number of reasons we should observe the day. The themes of the Reformation remain the great themes and principles of our own faith today. The great schism that occurred in the church remains with us. Our fractured denominations have entered into dialogue and cooperative activities that have brought us closer together. Today we may observe Reformation Day with a sense of moving toward unity and community. It is an opportunity to repent of the sins and excesses of the past and to celebrate our common faith, even if we still cannot celebrate a common ritual and sacrament. Reformation today can represent healing of old wounds as, together, we all work to build and strengthen Christ's church and love one another as Christ has loved us.[55]
Alongside Reformation Day, many Protestant Churches observe All Hallows' Eve on 31 October, the vigil of All Saints' Day.
See also
- Buß- und Bettag, a unique Protestant holiday observed in Saxony and, to some degree, also in Bavaria
References
- ^ "Johann Tetzel," Encyclopædia Britannica, 2007: "Tetzel's experiences as a preacher of indulgences, especially between 1503 and 1510, led to his appointment as general commissioner by Albrecht, archbishop of Mainz, who, deeply in debt to pay for a large accumulation of benefices, had to contribute a considerable sum toward the rebuilding of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Albrecht obtained permission from Pope Leo X to conduct the sale of a special plenary indulgence (i.e., remission of the temporal punishment of sin), half of the proceeds of which Albrecht was to claim to pay the fees of his benefices. In effect, Tetzel became a salesman whose product was to cause a scandal in Germany that evolved into the greatest crisis (the Reformation) in the history of the Western church."
- ^ Ramani, Madhvi (24 October 2017). "How Martin Luther's ideas lasted 500 years". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ a b Hillerbrand, Hans J. "Martin Luther: Indulgences and salvation," Encyclopædia Britannica, 2007.
- ^ Bainton, Roland. Here I Stand: a Life of Martin Luther. New York: Penguin, 1995, 60; Brecht, Martin. Martin Luther. tr. James L. Schaaf, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–1993, 1:182; Kittelson, James. Luther The Reformer. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Publishing House, 1986), 104.
- ^ Brecht, 1:200–201.
- ISBN 978-0-09-180001-7, 96.
- ^ Junghans, Helmer. "Luther's Wittenberg," in McKim, Donald K. (editor) The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003, p. 26.
- ^ Brecht, Martin. Martin Luther. tr. James L. Schaaf, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–1993, 1:204–205.
- ^ Spitz, Lewis W. The Renaissance and Reformation Movements, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1987, p. 338.
- ^ Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification". Vatican.va. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ LaBarr, Joan G. (20 July 2006). "World Methodists approve further ecumenical dialogue". United Methodist Church. Archived from the original on 21 July 2006.
- ^ Wooden, Cindy (24 July 2006). "Methodists adopt Catholic-Lutheran declaration on justification". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 25 July 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ^ From Conflict to Communion: Lutheran-Catholic Common Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017, accessed 31 October 2017
- ^ Joint Statement by the Lutheran World Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on the conclusion of the year of the common commemoration of the Reformation, 31 October 2017, 31 October 2017, accessed 2 November 2017
- ISBN 978-1-5326-1656-3.
- ^ Cichanowicz, Lily (26 October 2016). "A Brief History Of Germany's Reformation Day". theculturetrip.com. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "'We drink in remembrance of this' – Reformation anniversaries over the course of the centuries". Luther2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Perspectives 2017: Writings on the Reformation" (PDF). Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland.
- ^ "Stichwort: Reformationstag". www.luther2017.de. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ MacKinnon, Angus (25 January 2016). "500 years after reformation, Pope knocks on Lutherans' door". Yahoo News. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
Pope Francis will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by attending an ecumenical service in Sweden as a guest of the Lutheran Church, the Vatican said Monday. In a highly symbolic act of reconciliation that would even recently have been unthinkable for a Catholic pontiff, Francis will visit the Swedish city of Lund on 31 October for a commemoration jointly organised by his own inter-faith agency and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Preparations to commemorate 500 years since the Reformation". Holy See Press Office. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ "Pope Francis to travel to Sweden for joint Reformation commemoration". Vatican Radio. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ Agnew, Paddy (25 January 2016). "Pope to attend ceremony marking 500 years since Reformation". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ Anderson, Christina (31 October 2016). "Pope Francis, in Sweden, Urges Catholic-Lutheran Reconciliation". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ "Luther hat die Welt für immer verändert". www.ekd.de. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Reformationstag – 2017 einmalig bundesweiter Feiertag?". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). 29 October 2013.
- ^ Gesetz über die Sonntage und Feiertage (Feiertagsgesetz – FTG) ArbZ 1.3.1
- ^ Gesetz zur Änderung des Feiertagsgesetzes vom 12. April 2016 (GVBl. S. 50)
- ^ Abgeordnetenhaus Berlin, Plenarprotokoll, 25. Juni 2015
- ^ Gesetz zur Änderung des Gesetzes über die Sonn- und Feiertage, Drucksache des Landtags vom 7. Mai 2013 [1]
- ^ Fünfte Verordnung zum Feiertagsgesetz (Verordnung über den Reformationstag 2017) vom 30. April 2013 [2]
- ^ Verordnung zur Bestimmung des Reformationstages 2017 zum gesetzlichen Feiertag vom 16. Oktober 2013 [3]
- ^ "VORIS NFeiertagsG – Landesnorm Niedersachsen – Gesamtausgabe – Niedersächsisches Gesetz über die Feiertage (NFeiertagsG) in der Fassung vom 7. März 1995 - gültig ab: 01.01.1995". www.voris.niedersachsen.de. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ Gesetz über die Bestimmung des 31. Oktober 2017 als 500. Jahrestag der Reformation zum Feiertag in Nordrhein-Westfalen vom 25. Juni 2015 (GV. NRW. S. 496)
- ^ Rheinland-Pfalz, Staatskanzlei. "Zusätzlicher Feiertag 2017". www.rlp.de. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ Verordnung zur Erklärung des 500. Reformationsjubiläums am 31. Oktober 2017 zum Feiertag vom 18. Juni 2014, Amtsbl. S. 283, [4] Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Landesverordnung über den Reformationstag 2017 vom 24. November 2014 [5]
- ^ "Lutheran Reformation 500 Service". Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Reformation 500". Cross of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ "REFORMATION 500". WELS Northern Wisconsin District. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ "Reformationstag: Norddeutschland soll neuen Feiertag bekommen". Der Spiegel. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via Spiegel Online.
- ^ "Vatican releases postage stamps on Reformation, St. Francis of Sales". Vatican News. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ Crux Staff (26 November 2017). "Vatican issues stamp featuring Martin Luther for Reformation anniversary". Crux. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-19-875419-0.
- ISBN 978-0-429-05484-6.
- ^ "Look who's celebrating Reformation Day today". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Reformation Day in Chile". Episcopal Café. 1 December 2010. Archived from the original on 1 December 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "El día de las iglesias evangélicas".
- ^ ""An Eternal Gospel to Proclaim" (Revelation 14:6-7)". St. Matthew Lutheran Church. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ Hartung, Bruce (14 October 2014). "Reformation Day • Revelation 14:6–7 • October 26, 2014". Concordia Theology. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Year A Time after Pentecost 22-23" (PDF). Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Drake, Gavin (18 October 2016). "Chilean Anglicans to March for Jesus on Reformation Day". Anglican Communion News Service. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ Jansma, Henry (25 September 2017). "Reformation Day Service – 6:00PM". All Souls Anglican Church. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
All Souls Anglican adjourns its normal 4:00 pm on October 29th to join our fellow reformed churches at 6:00 pm to remember God's gracious providence displayed during the Protestant Reformation of the 15th and 16th Centuries at the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
- ^ a b McIntyre, Dean. "Reformation Day: What, Why, and Resources for Worship". Discipleship Ministries. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
External links
- Martin Luther – 95 Theses – 500th anniversary Official Site