October 31, 2017 is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.

On that day in 1517 Martin Luther posted 95 Theses which he proposed to discuss with his fellow academics at the University of Wittenberg where he was a professor. He attached them to the church door which was the town bulletin board. It's the place where people came to hear about the happenings of the day. The 95 Theses concerned what Luther understood to be the chief errors of the church as it was configured in his time.

The 95 Theses were published in Latin, the language of the church and university. But they were of such burning interest that in very short order they were translated into German. They quickly captured the imagination of the German people, and the Reformation was born.

For many people the Reformation is of social interest only. That's not wrong, because it marked the end of the 1,000 year medieval period, and the beginning of the modern age. But for Lutherans it meant liberation from a church gone awry. A church that had turned eternal matters into the perfect business. It freed the conscience from dead works, and restored the joy of salvation to God's people in Christ.

But the cost was immense. More than 100 years of arduous labor, persecution, war, blood, sweat and tears was the price for the privilege of confessing the pure gospel of Christ as we know it today. But alas something has changed.

Anyone who is over 60 years old remembers the robust Lutheran Church of their youth, when every Reformation Day thousands of Lutherans would gather at Cleveland Public Auditorium for a joint commemoration. Within a three mile radius of the old Christ Lutheran Church there were seven other vigorous parishes: St. Luke, St. Matthew, Immanuel, Trinity, Redeemer, Unity and St. Mark.

But that was then, and this is now. Denominational knowledge and love is diluted so that it is hardly recognizable, and all but a few Lutheran churches are struggling.

There is a lot of 500th Anniversary activity going on within the Ohio District. But from what I've seen it's more sizzle than steak. One such event held this past summer was called "Lutherans Over the Edge," where people could make a donation in order to rappel from a downtown hotel.

There is a joint worship service planned for Greater Cleveland area on Sunday, November 19, 2017 to be held Downtown at the Cleveland Public Auditorium but the "details" are still "forthcoming." It bespeaks a lack of energy. I will probably attend, but these days one has to constantly be on theological guard when participating in such Services. I will pass on more information as it becomes available.

Yet for the sharp down turn in the Lutheran faith that I've seen in my life time I am not complaining. Quite the contrary I am grateful to God for Christ Lutheran Church, and for what I call the New Reformation which has been taking place in America for the last 30 years.

The New Reformation has the historic and classical Lutheran faith in its sights as it was practiced by Luther, Philip Melanchthon and the other Reformation Fathers. It restores weekly Eucharist, the liturgy of the ages, Lutheran hymnody, and takes seriously the chief doctrines of the Christian religion. It is marked by reverence and ceremonious (v. bare Puritan) worship that engages the mind, heart and emotions. That raises people's vision above the ordinary, to say nothing of the base things of life. There is nothing healthier for body, mind, soul or spirit than to heartily practice such religion. It blesses us now, and promises a bright and eternal future of gladness, and there's nothing better than that. 

Also be certain that we will be remembering and celebrating the Anniversary with much pomp and circumstance at Christ Lutheran Church on Sunday October 29th at the 10:30 AM Divine Service with joyful liturgy, the traditional hymns of the Reformation, and the baptism of Logan William Ray Leeson. Attached is a picture of Logan in the lap of his dad, Jon, during a catechism class that he and his wife, Brittany, are attending; in which they are learning the historic Lutheran faith into which they will soon be confirmed. Viva la Reforme!