The Protestant church likes to have a day they can nail down to celebrate the Reformation. (pun intended, as if you had to ask) Today is that day commemorating Professor Martin Luther posting an invitation to debate some theological points on a public bulletin board.
But I keep reminding myself, and others, that the Protestant Reformation was a very complex movement and while our celebration today of a public challenge that was a very major event in the Reformation and the life of Martin Luther, it is one event among many remarkable ones. Over at Reformation21 Carl Trueman has an interesting piece where he makes the case that maybe a better event to mark was the actual realization of a public academic debate on some of Martin Luther’s theses that occurred on April 26, 1518. And Luther’s were not the first steps in the Reformation but the likes of Jan Hus and John Wycliffe preceded Luther by over a century.
Another part of the complex history are the individuals that surrounded Luther and critical roles they played. We are commonly aware of fellow academics and reformers like Philipp Melancthon, but today I want to lift up two others without whom, I would argue, Luther would not have been as successful as he was.
Frederick III
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Frederick III, Elector of Saxony
Frederick the Wise (1463-1525) I think it could be argued that without the help of Frederick, Martin Luther’s cause would have been lost, and maybe his life as well. Frederick was Luther’s protector in the early years of the German Reformation. His first move was to make sure that Luther got a hearing at home and he arranged to have Luther tried at the Diet of Worms rather than being extradited to Rome. The second move was his having Luther kidnapped and put into protective custody in the Wartburg Castle after he was condemned by the Diet. Frederick had little personal contact with Luther, and it is not clear from my reading how sympathetic Frederick was to Luther’s theological perspective (I have seen arguments both ways), but he had a concern for his subjects and used his diplomatic savvy to take care of Luther as one of his own. It is widely recognized that Frederick was a fair and just ruler who avoided conflict, hence the the title “the Wise.” |
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Johann von Staupitz
Vicar general of the German Congregation of Augustinians (ca. 1460 – 1524) Where Frederick was Luther’s political protector, von Staupitz was Luther’s theological and ecclesiastical enabler. Again, Luther probably could not have done what he did without the actions taken by von Staupitz. Interestingly these also came in two different steps, but this time several years apart. The first was his pastoral care and spiritual direction of Luther as a young monk under his care. One time Luther spent six hours in confession to von Staupitz. Counseling Luther in his spiritual desperation, it was von Staupitz that pointed him to the means of grace and the saving blood of Christ. Beyond that, von Staupitz encouraged Luther to pursue an academic career, and we all know where that led. The second action, taken several years later after the theological dispute arose, was von Staupitz releasing Luther from the Augustinian order. This was one of the “it seemed like a good idea at the time” moves whose immediate consequence was a win-win. Luther got more ecclesiastical independence and the good name of the order was no longer tied to a potential heretic. Long term however, the “powers that be” would have preferred to have had control over Luther and von Staupitz did come under suspicion and accusation for aiding Luther. |
Johann von Staupitz
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Ignatius Loyola
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An Interesting Conjunction
One more interesting point to emphasize the complexity of the Reformation… Based upon the historical timelines, it appears that the great reformer John Calvin overlapped with the great Counter-Reformer Ignatius of Loyola, at the Collège de Montaigu of the University of Paris. This happened in 1528 as Ignatius was arriving and Calvin was about to depart. There is no evidence that they met, or knew each other there, but it is interesting how the same school would produce two great minds on opposite sides of the Reformation. |
John Calvin
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So, a happy Reformation Day to you, if you are so inclined. But in a larger sense take a moment to marvel at the sovereignty of God and how he uses many people with many different skills and talents, and for that matter different perspectives, to work out his purposes. Soli Deo gloria – To God Alone Be The Glory!
I also believe Luther’s cause was helped by the printing press Because of that, it seems things became out of his control. His reformation seems far less intentional than that of Calvin.
You are absolutely right from what I know. Moveable-type printing was introduced to Europe after Hus and Wycliffe but before Luther and Calvin. So while Luther was interested in an academic disputation hoping to reform Rome, having his words widely distributed and easily available through printing overturned the country.
In this post I was focusing on people that aided Luther, not the technology. (Maybe I’ll do that one next year for Reformation Day.) But it is very interesting when you look at the life of Johannes Gutenberg where you see parallels to the reformers, although 50 years earlier. He studied at Erfurt like Luther, he lived and worked in Strasbourg ahead of Bucer. I have no idea if I’m just trying to find parallels or if these are really important, but it is curious.
Again, thanks for the comment and the important observation.