October 31 will mark the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther hanging the 95 Theses on the doors of the church in Wittenberg to contest the sale of indulgences.

 #21 Thus those indulgence preachers are in error who say that a man is absolved from every penalty and saved by papal indulgences.

and

#37 Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.

The 95 Theses are considered the spark that ignited the Protestant Reformation. Of course the fire of reformation burned on the early work of Wycliffe, Hus, and others. What made Luther different from the reformers that preceded him? According to Roger Olson (link), “Hus was burned at the stake, largely ending his ministry and movement, and Luther was not.

According to Challies definition, I would not be considered Reformed, as he links the term strongly with the theological points captured in TULIP (link). However, I consider myself so in the sense that I identify with the needed break from the errors of the Roman Catholic Church.

[The Protestant Reformation was a] biblical response to the excesses and perversions of the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformers, having returned to Scripture, attempted to carefully and faithfully rebuild the church upon the teachings of the New Testament.

Here are some posts written over the last few years on the Reformation.

• I am Thesis Man (Reform a Song)
  • celebrating Luther and the 95 Thesis with lyrics that can be sung to Iron Man by Black Sabbath
• Twas the Dawn of Reformation
  • a look at the Reformation, written in the style of Twas the Night Before Christmas
• Insane Guilt
  • Luther’s struggle with guilt and a just and angry God, showing how important it is to wrestle with Scripture so we know the true God
• Clear and Present Danger
  • Luther defends salvation by faith alone, examining active and passive righteousness
• Christian Liberty
  • Luther looks at the relationship between faith and works
• Three Walls
  • Luther’s argument that all Christians have the liberty to interpret the Scriptures not just the Councils or Pope
• Wednesday with Wesley: On the Reformation
  • John Wesley’s view of the Reformation as it relates to indulgences and purgatory
• Wesley challenges Reformers on Reprobation
  • John Wesley challenges the Reformers on Election and Reprobation
• Faith to Faith
  • a look at how to translate Romans 1:17
• 5 Interesting Facts about the Letter from James
  • including Luther’s view that the book was an “epistle of straw”