Happy Reformation Day

Many of us spend Halloween night chasing kids around who are wired up on candy and the thrill of playing dress-up for the night. This is the first year we haven’t participated – my boys decided they were too old to trick-or-treat. We did have a few ding-dong our doorbell and distributed our share of sweet treats for the evening.

Some Christians don’t mind Halloween while others choose not to participate. One thing all of us who call ourselves Protestants should recognize is that not only is it Halloween, but it is also Reformation Day.

It is believed that on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther tacked his infamous 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints Cathedral. These Theses are credited with sparking a reformation of the church resulting in the split between Catholics and Protestants.

This reformation created a theological shift that sprang forth the many denominational variances we see today. Being an Episcopal Presbyterian Methodist myself, I appreciate his standing against some of the church failures of the time (like indulgences) in order to refocus the church on Christ.

So, after the sugar wears off and your little trick-or-treaters are snug in their beds – take a moment to thank Martin Luther. I can’t help but admire a man who goes against the establishment in favor of what he knows is morally right and starts a revolution… well, reformation.