1. The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
Martin Luther John Calvin Ulrich Zwingli
The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
Session 2: Preaching the Reformation
Herr Reverend Professor Doctor Dean Edward Roslof
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church
Washington, DC

2. Recap: European Christianity on the Brink
Christianity in Western Europe at the beginning of the 16th century was faith practiced by the living on behalf of the dead.

3. Recap: European Christianity on the Brink
Christians were responsible for their dead kin:
Faith part of social scorekeeping. Dead still your kin. You needed to care for them or they would haunt you
Common dead (not Saints) waited for the Last Judgment. Mortal remains in communal graves, souls purged in Purgatory for unforgiven sins.
Christians expected to help deceased kin. Bought masses and indulgences to take time off their sentences in Purgatory.

5. Catholic Christianity in 1500 AD

7. Turning Points in Luther’s Life
Thunderstorm (1505)
2. Journey to Rome (1511)

8. Turning Points in Luther’s Life
Sent to Wittenberg (1511)
95 Theses (1517)

9. Indulgences: Key Points
Sacrament of Penance
Contrition
Confession
Satisfaction
Absolution
Treasure of Merit
Papal Indulgence

10. A clip from “Luther” (2003) Cast: Girolamo Aleander
Cardinal Thomas Cajetan
Pope Leo X
(aka, Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici)
John Tetzel
Hanna
Martin Luther
Albert Archbishop of Mainz

11. Reformation’s Five Solae
Sola fide
Sola gratia
Sola scriptura
Solo Christo
Soli Deo gloria

12. Reformation’s Five Solae
Sola fide (by faith alone)
Sola gratia (by grace alone)
Sola scriptura (by Scripture alone)
Solo Christo (through Christ alone)
Soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone)

13. Luther’s sola fide and sola gratia: Influence of Augustine of Hippo
Augustine’s theology
Original Sin (Luther accepted)
Two Cities (Luther modified)

14. Luther’s sola scriptura The influence of the Renaissance
Ad fontes (to the sources)

15. Watch “Crash Course World History: The Renaissance” https://www

16. Luther’s Evangelical Christianity: Simple, Personal
Sola fide
Catholics: both faith and good deeds needed for salvation.
Luther on reading Romans 1:17 (“The righteous shall live by faith.”): “I felt as if I had been born again and had entered Paradise through wide-open gates.”
Sola Scriptura
Catholics: God reveals will to humans through Bible, councils, papal pronouncements.
Luther: only the Bible is divinely inspired.
Priesthood of all believers
Catholics: priests have special spiritual powers from Apostles, in sacraments
Luther: all Christians have direct access to God through prayer. “Priests” are men called to care for spiritual needs of parishioners full time
Papal usurpation.
Catholics: Pope is Vicar of Christ on earth.
Luther: Popes had illegally seized position as head of Christianity. They were not even good priests. They were the Antichrist.
5. Sacraments
Catholics: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, marriage, ordination, penance, unction
Luther: Eucharist and baptism

17. Next Week: Responses to Preaching the Reformation
Radical
Catholic