American History narrates that in 1934, the African-American Baptist minister Rev. Michael King made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and attended an international conference in Germany. His new found knowledge of the Church in Germany so inspired him as to change his name from Michael to Martin Luther. As a Sr., his then 5 yr. old son met the world as Martin Luther King, Jr. How timely in 2025 Black History Month, with it’s “political climate” of chaos, and contradictions, to view the “95 Theses” written by Martin Luther in 1517.
Born November 10, 1483,Eisleben, Germany, he was baptized in the village church the next day and given the name Martin after the saint in whose honor the day had been named. In his own words Martin is a German Peasant Boy. “I am a peasant’s son, my father, grand-father, and ancestors were all peasants.” At the time of his birth, some hoped for a meeting of the bishops, while others hoped that the Emperor of Germany would correct abuses; while some held hoped that—the Pope might stay the corruption in the church.
At 14 his father, sent him to Magdeburg where the “Brethren of the Common Life” had opened a high school. A cathedral city with a bishop in residence, Luther had an up close and very personal view “of earthly splendor, but little of heavenly truth”. He speaks of this holy Christian church, wherein sat no layman whatever, neither king nor prince, but the Pope with his cardinals and bishops and priests and monks… this impression, he said, made him ashamed of being a layman.
By the age of 35 Luther has risen to become President of Wittenberg University where he begins his mission to challenge the abuses and misuses of the Holy Christian Church. “Out of love for the truth and a desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place.” This preface to his Theses —in Movement, gave birth to the ‘Protestant Reformation’.
From my very ‘up close and personal’ knowledge of Pastoral leadership, I am drawn this day, in 2025, to the truth of the following of Luther’s “95 Theses”:
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope’s indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved…
28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope’s pardons are that “inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him…”
37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has a part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew of the exactions of the preachers of pardons, then he would rather that St. Peter’s church should be razed to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
54. The Word of God is injured when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on His Word.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
63. But this treasure is naturally most detestable, for it makes the first to be the last.
86. Again: “Why doesn’t the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?”
92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, “Peace, peace,” and there is no peace!
(Michael) Martin Luther King, Jr. drives his NAME AND INTELLECT into Movement to Reform the systems of men. His ‘sitz im leben’ (situation in life) is an American Nation where men have built a system with HATE LIVING in their hearts; based upon the ‘color of a man’s skin’. This Martin Luther writes his Theses from “The Birmingham Jail”.
FAST FORWARD to 2025, more than 500 years later, amidst a chaos, confusion AND anarchy that can not any longer see —perhaps the greatest provision of this Nation; The Separation of Church and State. I SEE the ‘Neo Protestant Reformation’ BEING, a nailing on the DOOR OF the U.S. Senate AND House of Representatives AND Supreme Court… Luther’s 95 Theses!
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