'Reformation' Tagged Posts
Do Protestants believe in the treasury of merit?
The Roman Catholic Church teaches a concept called the “treasury of merit.” The treasury of merit, in simplest of terms, is a heavenly bank account of good works that have been accumulated over time by Christ, martyrs, and saints when their good works have gone above and beyond what their good works required (i.e., supererogation). In theory, if a “good work” represents walking an old lady across the street, and if I walk five old ladies across the street, the…
Churches are Re-Opening…What Church Should I Join?
One thing the coronavirus pandemic has taught us is the importance of the local church. While you can “live stream” almost any church in the nation from the comfort of your living room, this is no substitute for being a member of a specific local church. Choosing a local church is an important decision. Thankfully, you are not the first person in history to have to make the decision. Throughout history, Christians have faced the decision of what church to…
The Reformation of Marriage
In the grand scheme of things, we view the institution of marriage as a normal part of society. But this wasn’t always the case – especially if you were a monk. The fact is that in the sixteenth century, if you were a religious worker (e.g., pastor, monk, nun), you didn’t marry. Given that marriage was not proper for religious workers, when Martin Luther (a monk) married Katharina von Bora (a nun), he was ferociously ridiculed. In fact, Luther’s opponents…
A Diet of Worms
On October 31, 2017 we celebrated the 500-year anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing his 95 Theses to the Castle church door. If October 31 marks the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, another famous date made it official. That date was April 18, 1521 at the Diet of Worms. The Diet (=assembly or gathering) was called by Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire to convene in the German city of Worms (pronounced “Vorms”). The reason this Diet was called…
Sausage Anyone?
Last year, as I was eating king cake with my colleagues on Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday), we discussed how Catholics relinquish meat during the Lenten season. Our newest colleague was asked: “Are you Catholic?” “I used to be,” he said, “but I loved meat too much!” Chuckles filled the lunch room. As light-hearted as his comment was, the Reformed Reformation (not the Lutheran Reformation), of which Grace Community Bible Church can generally trace its roots, started by…
Why the Five Solas of the Reformation Still Matter
Today we celebrate Reformation Day. This year marks the 500th anniversary. One reason we celebrate the Reformation is because the Reformation heralded “five solas:” sola scriptura (Scripture alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola fide (faith alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone). These Latin words sound cool, but why are they so important? Essentially, we celebrate the five solas of the Reformation because each sola sums up one of the main doctrines involved in the…