On Wednesday Night, October 18^th, we will begin our celebration of the 500^th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Back in the early 16^th century, a certain Catholic monk, priest, and professor after studying the New Testament became convinced that the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church had strayed a long way from the Christianity of the Early Church. He wanted to call the church to revival and reform. He wrote a document called the “95 Theses” and nailed it to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31^st, 1517.

Instead of the debate and scholarly discussion that this professor was preparing for, his “95 Theses” caused a split or schism within the Catholic church between those who remained faithful to the Catholic Church in Rome and those who sought a Christian faith that was more like the faith of the early church recorded in the New Testament in the Acts of the Apostles. This so called “Protestant” Reformation was the beginning of several Christian denominations such as: Lutherans, Reformed, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Pentecostals, Baptists, and many others.

As we prepare for this study, can you name (without looking it up) this Catholic monk, priest, and professor who started the Reformation?

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