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Ottoman Empire at doorstep
5 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY During the 1530s, Martin Luther stepped forth at yet another critical moment in history. The spread of the Ottoman Empire into the Balkans and Hungary brought the…
Read MoreBugenhagen expands reforms north
6 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY “Martin Luther did not reform the church by himself,” notes one source. An obvious example is Philipp Melanchthon, who helped Luther shape his theological ideas…
Read MoreAugsburg Confession presented
7 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY During the late 1520s, Martin Luther worked tirelessly to establish a firm basis for the Reformation. He focused more than ever on preaching and writing.…
Read MorePosting as a church on social media
by Karen Krueger Two concrete areas came up in an exchange about social media policy in congregations recently. Church kids The ELCA discusses children/youth and social media exposure in a…
Read MoreFinancial wisdom for young leaders
by Karen Krueger Guidance for young leaders to “save your bacon and help you be a good steward of your God-given resources” is the point of a list peppered with…
Read MoreConversion and separation for Luther and Judaism
8 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY Luther published an essay stating “That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew” (1523). He reminded his readers that Christianity had its roots in Judaism and…
Read MoreRebel seeks Reformation stabilization
9 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY Upon return to unfolding social and political disorder in Wittenberg during early 1522, Martin Luther the rebel monk now needed to become a force for…
Read MoreNew idea implementation
10 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY In 1516, Andreas Karlstadt anticipated Martin Luther by posting his own theses – 151 of them – for debate, focusing on clerical abuses. Karlstadt had…
Read MoreProtective custody
11 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY Martin Luther began the journey from Worms to Wittenberg on April 26, 1512, – promised safe passage by Emperor Charles V – with a large…
Read MoreRecantation neither right nor safe
12 WEEKS BEFORE REFORMATION SUNDAY Rarely in human history has one individual’s views had such an immediate and far-reaching impact. After the debates between Johann Eck and Martin Luther in…
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