Reformation Themes: The Bible Alone and Faith Alone – from Paul Barnett

Posted on December 14, 2016 
Filed under History, Theology

Bishop Paul BarnettBishop Paul Barnett has written two encouraging reflections on key Reformation themes. Read them at the links below.

Reformation Theme: The Bible Alone.

“2017 will be the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation. On 31st October 1517 an unknown monk in a small town nailed 95 debating points to a church door.  It was a common academic practice to invite debate but these ‘theses’ went viral and Martin Luther became famous overnight. …”

Reformation Theme: Faith Alone.

“The young Martin Luder – that was the family name – had been a law student in the major university town, Erfurt. Against his father’s will he became an Augustinian monk.

But he was a poor tortured soul who felt himself under the wrath of God. He engaged in punishing fasts and endless confessionals. As a mendicant monk he begged his way 1000 miles from Erfurt to Rome as a pilgrimage.

But he was clever. The order appointed him Professor of Bible at the new university in the little, ‘nowhere place’, Wittenberg. In preparing his lectures on Romans and the Psalms he made a great discovery. …”