Commemoration of Martin Luther
Heather Yerion-Keck
I have read the history of Martin Luther’s rise of a rebel and reformer of the Catholic faith. As a historian it is easy for me to see a lot of the pieces moving in the background that made this play out the way it did. There were just as many political forces at play in making the story of Martin Luther successful. He wanted to abolish the practice of selling indulgences among other things, but the Princes of Germany eventually saw this as their opportunity to seize back power and control from Rome of their own lands and money.
After the Diet of Worms in 1521, Martin Luther was given two choices to either renounce his belief or reaffirm them. In the most gracious and civilized tone he apologized for the harsh tone used but he most assuredly stood by what he wrote. This decision led to his kidnapping under the cover of night and housing at Wartburg castle for about a year.
Now, I have read this story several time in the course of seminary but one in not able to truly grasp what his really meant until you have climbed the walk up to Warburg Castle on a cold windy day in January. I could picture arriving sometime later at the drawbridge at this castle and being told that “for my own safety I need to stay inside” Martin Luther has always struck me as a headstrong and determined individual and having said that it seems that trying to keep him inside the castle walls must have been difficult.
During this time Martin undertook the task of translating the Bible in German. This was a first. Usually, bibles were not available in the local vernacular and scripture was only available to the people via the priests.
This change of season meant that the Word of God was freely available for people to hear and discuss. They could know that they were saved by God’s gift of grace not by any works they do. Their faith was enough for God.
