The Reformation After Almost 500 Years
From the Late Medieval Age to the 21st Century Postmodern World
On October 31, 1517, exactly 492 years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the main door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Little did he know that such a simple gesture to call the attention of his colleagues in the University of Wittenberg for academic discussions on the issues of the indulgences would signal the end of the Medieval Age and prepare the road for the inauguration of the modern world.
It was as if the sound created by the nailing of Luther's theses echoed like a thunder all throughout the rest of Medieval Christendom. Perhaps, no other single event in history would rival the many favors it brought to humankind except the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, when the hammer in the Roman soldiers' hands hit the nails that went through the hands and feet of the incarnate Son of God, the sound of which echoed in all eternity and brought salvation to many.
Luther, of course, had just then joined the company of those who were impatient with the corruption of the Church of Medieval Christendom. He was definitely not the first to attempt to call the attention of the Church towards reformation. However, the accomplishments of the publication and the subsequent distribution of his 95 theses far exceeded all previous efforts combined together so that it brought such a massive impact on Medieval Christendom, out of which came what is being commemorated today as the Protestant Reformation.
But a question arises here: After almost 500 years, how is the Protestant Reformation doing, now that it has reached the so-called postmodern world of the 21st century?
From the Late Medieval Age to the 21st Century Postmodern World
Protestantism - the third major branch of the Christian religion that came out of the Reformation of the 16th century - has been able to emerged victoriously through the many challenges that questioned its integrity and threatened its own rights to continue to take its course in history since the late Medieval Age.
The Counter-Reformation spearheaded by the Council of Trent failed to neutralize it. It survived the ashes of a series of religious wars that aimed to stop its progress in the European continent. It was able to manage the Arminian controversy that questioned the magisterial reformers' theological persuasions. It endured the challenge posed by the Enlightenment, in spite of the fact that it gave birth to Protestant liberalism that openly questioned the reality of the supernatural in favor of a naturalistic, secular worldview.
Despite all these challenges, the Protestant faith continued to flourish in the context of an age that for the most part has been largely sympathetic to secularism. In fact, Protestantism expanded all the more through the First and Second Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th centuries, the rise of missionary movements in the centuries that followed, and the birth of various evangelical denominations and para-church organizations that remained faithful to the basic tenets of the Reformation.
While it has taken many shapes and forms through the passing of time, Protestantism appears to have maintained its role as a major player in history even in the so-called postmodern world of the 21st century. In the words of church historian Justo Gonzalez, the Protestant Reformation has "shaped the lives of men and nations ... redirected economic, political, and social pathways ... created inroads where there were none, and washed over those who defiantly tried to stop it. Its waves continue to surge today."
References:
- Gonzalez, Justo. The Story of Christianity Volume 2. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1985.
- Noll, Mark. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. GrandRapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2000.
- Schaff, Phillip. History of the Christian Church Volume VII. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995.
Augsburger Konfession 1531 Titel
|
What do you think about this article?
Latest Articles