A Most Significant Day

October 31 is a significant day. No, I'm not talking about Halloween and trick-or-treats.

On October 31, 1517 a young man who had studied for the priesthood, 31 year old Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis on the door of the Wittenburg Cathedral, thus beginning what is known as the Protestant Reformation. Church doors were the public bulletin boards of the day. Condemning many of the practices of Roman Catholicism such as the sale of indulgences, Luther's main point was that justification is by faith alone, unmediated by "the church." Luther also saw the Bible as the sole authority in the life of the believer. Sola Scriptura! Scripture Alone!

This was a courageous stand for a young man to take. Luther's bold proclamations led to his excommunication from the Roman Church and exile at Wartburg Castle, where he lived incognito for a time, pretending to be a knight known as Junker Jorg.
On trial before the Diet of Worms in 1521, Luther was given the opportunity to recant his writings and the 95 thesis, to which he replied: "Unless I shall be convinced by the testimonies of the Scriptures or by clear reason ... I neither can nor will make any retraction, since it is neither safe nor honourable to act against conscience."

October 31 is Reformation Day, a day on which God began a great work once again among men.