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Reforming spirit worth honouring

October 31, 2017 will mark the 500 th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

October 31, 2017 will mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Is this something to celebrate? Or is this an occasion for confession and renewed efforts for greater unity because it was the beginning of what splintered the Christian tradition resulting in conflicts and suffering between Christians, and between Christians and other traditions? I think the answer is, “yes.”

The Lutheran World Federation, representing some 70 million Lutheran Christians around the world, has identified the next two years leading up to the anniversary as “an occasion for the joyful celebration of the power of the Lutheran witness to the gospel and at the same time a space for the self-critical acknowledgment of failures in faithfulness and of the continuing pain of division among Christians.” This sounds like, yes, to me.

The theme of the commemoration is “Liberated by God’s grace,” reaffirming the Lutheran understanding of justification – that the relationship between God and humanity is solely God’s doing through Jesus and by no merit or good works on our part, freeing us to serve our neighbour, this world and all creation in love, not self-justification and fear. Recalling that the central criticism of the church of that time for Luther and other reformers was selling forgiveness and salvation and it’s corrupting of the gospel and the church, there are three sub themes of the commemoration.  Salvation—not for sale: salvation understood as freedom, wholeness, restoration, in this life and in a life to come, is God’s free gift. It is never the property of any human group or endeavor to be sold or withheld for any reason. Human beings—not for sale: every individual is a unique person created in God’s own image and must be fully respected in her/his dignity and integrity, and justice and equity must be sought for all humanity. Creation—not for sale: the earth is God’s good creation, not to be exploited or dominated nor can its resources be concentrated as commodities owned by a few. Human beings are co-inhabitants and stewards and must live by practises sustainable for the earth.

Liberated by God’s grace; salvation – not for sale; human beings – not for sale; creation – not for sale; these are reformation themes right for our time. 

So, yes, I think it is worth celebrating the reformation, or maybe commemoration is a better word.  Commemorate the personal, religious, political and social upheaval that changed Christianity in all its expressions. And commemorate that the same reforming spirit seeking the truth of God’s speaking anew to humanity in every time for the good of the world will continue to challenge and reform us in our time.

And, yes, this commemoration needs to be a time of confession, of forgiveness and seeking new ways of being the church of Christ together, because the divisions between us continue to diminish the presence of God in Christ Jesus to and for the world, and the witness and work of the whole church for the good of the world.

I know this “yes” can only be fulfilled together with my Roman Catholic sisters and brothers and from across the Christian tradition and with people of other traditions and no religion as well.  And I hope and pray that together we will give our energy and effort to just this kind of commemoration and reformation for the next two years and beyond.

Rev. Lyle McKenzieRev. Lyle McKenzie is pastor of Lutheran Church of the Cross of Victoria and part-time chaplain in Multifaith Services at the University of Victoria.

You can read more articles from our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, HERE

*This article was published in the print edition of the Times Colonist on Saturday, November 29 2014