After the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Apostles carried the gospel to all nations. The Book of Acts extensively narrates how the apostles preached Christ to all nations. During the time of Jesus, the Roman empire ruled Judea, the governor of Judea was called Pontius Pilate (scripture). Paul found himself in Rome where he stay and preached until his death.
FROM PAUL TO EMPEROR CONSTINTINE
The gospel spread after the death of Paul, however, there were several persecution of Christians during those era. later through a relation, became a Christian himself and condemned the persecution of Christians. His name was Emperor Constantine (AD 312). from then, paganism and other religious bodies were suppressed and Christianity legalized. A denomination was established and called roman Catholic (Universal) Church headed by a Pope. nations under to rulership of the Roman Emperor had Roman Catholic Churches. One of the nations that was under the rulership of the Roman Emperor was Saxony (Present day Germany).
In saxony was a young monk whose quest to understand the Teaching and Practices of the Roman catholic Church sparked what is widely known as the Protestant Reformation. His name was Martin Luther. According to History, Christianity of that time had a bit of tradition, humanism and some pagan practices.
DR. MARTIN LUTHER
(Founder of the Lutheran Church, Theologian, Professor, Pastor, and Church Reformer)
Martin Luther was born to Hans and Luther on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben Saxony (present day Germany). Hans Luther decided that he would do whatever was necessary to see that Martin could become a lawyer. Hans saw to it that Martin started school in Mansfeld. In 1501 he enrolled in the University of Erfurt where he studied the basic course for a Master of Arts. In 1505, it seemed that Han’s Luther’s plans were about to finally be realized. His son was on the verge of becoming a lawyer. Han’s Luther’s plans were interrupted by a thunderstorm and vow.
In July of 1505, Martin was caught in a horrific thunderstorm. Afraid that he was going to die, he screamed out a vow, “Save me, St. Anna, and I shall become a monk.” On July 17th Luther entered the Augustinian Monastery at Erfurt. The decision to enter the monastery was a difficult one. Martin knew that he would greatly disappoint his parents (which he did), but he also knew that one must keep a promise made to God. Beyond that, however, he also had strong internal reasons to join the monastery. Luther was haunted by the uncertainty of his salvation. A monastery was the perfect place to find assurance. Finally, his mentor told him to focus on Christ and him alone in his quest for assurance.
In 1510, Luther traveled as part of delegation from his monastery to Rome (he was not very impressed with what he saw.) In 1511, he transferred from the monastery in Erfurt to one in Wittenberg where, after receiving his doctor of theology degree, he became a professor of biblical theology at the newly founded University of Wittenberg.
In 1513, he began his first lectures on the Psalms. In these lectures, Luther’s critique of the theological world around him begins to take shape. Later, in lectures on Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (in 1515/16) this critique becomes more noticeable. It was during these lectures that Luther finally found the assurance that had evaded him for years. The discovery that changed Luther’s life ultimately changed the course of church history and the history of Europe. In Romans, Paul writes of the “righteousness of God.” Luther had always understood that term to mean that God was a righteous judge that demanded human righteousness. Now, Luther understood righteousness as a gift of God’s grace. He had discovered (or recovered) the doctrine of justification by grace alone. This discovery set him afire.
In 1517, he posted a sheet of theses for discussion on the University’s chapel door. These Ninety-Five Theses set out a devastating critique of the church’s sale of indulgences and explained the fundamentals of justification by grace alone. Luther also sent a copy of the theses to Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz calling on him to end the sale of indulgences. Albrecht was not amused. In Rome, cardinals saw Luther’s theses as an attack on papal authority.
After the Heidelberg meeting in October 1518, Luther was told to recant his positions by the Papal Legate, Thomas Cardinal Cajetan. Luther stated that he could not recant unless his mistakes were pointed out to him by appeals to “scripture and right reason” . He said, “unless I am convinced by the testimony of the scripture or by clear reason… I am bound to the Scriptures I have quoted and my conviction is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither sae nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me. Amen”. ope Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther from the Catholic Church marking a significant break with the Catholic Church. With the help of his fried, Luther hid in the town of Eisenach for the next year, where he began work on one of his major life projects, the translation of the New Testament into German. Translation of the Bible (1522): Luther translated the New Testament into German, making scripture available to the masses. Augsburg Confession (1530): Luther helped draft this document outlining Protestant beliefs.
Throughout 1519, Luther continued to lecture and write in Wittenberg. In June and July of that year, he participated in another debate on Indulgences and the papacy in Leipzig. Finally, in 1520, the pope had had enough. On June 15th the pope issued a bull (decree) threatening Luther with excommunication. Luther received the bull on October 10th. He publicly burned it on December 10th. In January 1521, the pope excommunicated Luther. In March, he was summonsed by Emperor Charles V to Worms to defend himself. During the Diet of Worms, Luther refused to recant his position. Whether he actually said, “Here I stand, I can do no other” . What is known is that he did refuse to recant and on May 8th was placed under Imperial Ban.
This placed Luther and his duke in a difficult position. Luther was now a condemned and wanted man. Luther hid out at the Wartburg Castle until May of 1522 when he returned to Wittenberg. He continued teaching. In 1524, Luther left the monastery. In 1525, he married Katharina von Bora.
From 1533 to his death in 1546 he served as the Dean of the theology faculty at Wittenberg. He died in Eisleben on 18 February 1546.
What is Reformation?
The Reformation was a religious and intellectual movement that aimed to reform the Catholic Church, leading to the establishment of Protestant movements in the 16th-century. It emphasized individual faith, scripture, and the priesthood of all believers. (Protestants emphasizes justification of sinners by grace through faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice.) Luther’s critique of Catholic Church practices, particularly indulgences, sparked the Reformation. On October 31, 1517, he posted his famous “95 Theses” on the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church, challenging the sale of indulgences and others.
Causes of the reformation:
Corruption within the Catholic Church (e.g., indulgences, simony)
Theological disputes (e.g., salvation, sacraments, idolism)
Rise of humanism and individualism
Luther’s Reformation Principles (What Makes It Different)
Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)
Sola Fide (Faith alone)
Sola Gratia (Grace alone)
Solus Christus (Christ alone)
Priesthood of all believers
LUTHERAN CHURCH: It is very important to note that, Luther was not a Lutheran when he stated to reformation and had no desire to start a new denomination. His desire was to reform the only Church he knew. And in order to accomplish this, he wanted to get rid of the act of selling Indulgences, Traditions and other Practices he pointed out. Luther and his followers were referred to as LUTHER-ANS. Martin Luther opposed the name but to no avail. After his death, his good friend and follower, Melancthon succeeded him. Several years later, Lutheran begun to grow with branches such as LCMS
TO LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD (LCMS): The roots of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod trace back to 1847, when Saxon and other German immigrants established a new church body in America, seeking the freedom to practice and follow confessional Lutheranism. Initial members, which included 12 pastors representing 14 congregations from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, New York and Ohio, signed the church body’s constitution on April 26, 1847, at First Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago, Ill. Originally named The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States, the name was shortened to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 1947 on the occasion of our 100th anniversary. Over the years, hundreds of books chronicling the Synod’s rich history have been written. One of the most comprehensive is Zion on the Mississippi. read more
TO EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF GHANA (ELCG)
Overview: The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) is a Protestant Christian denomination that adheres to the Lutheran tradition. The church is committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nurturing believers in faith and discipleship, and serving the community with compassion and love.
Theology: The ELCG is rooted in the Holy Scriptures and guided by the Lutheran Confessions, which include the Augsburg Confession, the Small Catechism, and the Large Catechism. The church affirms the authority and inspiration of the Bible, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Worship: The ELCG’s worship style is liturgical and sacramental, with an emphasis on the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments. Services typically include hymns, prayers, Scripture readings, sermons, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Structure: The ELCG is a synodical church, with a national bishop and a governing council. The church is divided into several synods, each with its own bishop and leadership structure. The church also has a number of departments and ministries, including education, evangelism, and social services.