Luther's 95 Theses

Here are my reflections on the 95 Theses, which I recently read for my Reformation and Modern Church History class. Just some thoughts...

Warfield (from class notes): "The strength and purity of the evangelicalism of the Theses is manifested in nothing more decisively than in their clear proclamation of the dependence of the soul for salvation on the mere grace of God alone."

I agree with Warfield. Luther's evangelical leanings seem to show through in theses such as 36, “any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt...” Another move away from traditional Catholicism can be in Luther's treatment of the pope. While he still supports the pope and carefully avoids an outright criticsim against him, Luther's tone seems to gain an edge near the end of the document as he balances the pope's approval of the indulgence racket (thesis 73) with a call to protect “holy love and truth” (thesis 74). He gives voice to “the shrewd questions of the laity” in theses 81-90, and claims that these “very sharp questions” need to be answered reasonably and not merely hushed up.

While there was a long way to go for Luther to actually reject the pope's authority, he showed in the theses that a man's hope is to be placed in the Cross of Christ and his repentance and contrition are sufficient means to be assured of forgiveness. The pope's indulgence could not forgive sin, but only remove penalties which the church had placed on sinners. Also, there is a hint in the many theses which are phrased as questions from the laity that Luther believed the church was accountable to satisfy the faithful by demonstrating with Scripture and clear reasoning its teachings and practices were from God.

Favorite Theses

1. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent,” he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

28. It is certain that when money clinks in the money chest, greed and avarice can be increased; but when the church intercedes, the result is in the hands of God alone.

36. Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters.

43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences.

44. Because love grows by works of love, man therefore becomes better. Man does not, however, become better by means of indulgences but is merely freed from penalties.

45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences but God's wrath.

55. It is certainly the pope's sentiment that if indulgences, which are a very insignificant thing, are celebrated with one bell, one procession, and one ceremony, then the gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.

62. The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.

63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.

90. To repress these very sharp arguments of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies and to make Christians unhappy.

Web List

A few final items to include in the list are web-based audio resources that have been a big part of my thought life recently:

• Francis Schaeffer lectures from Jerram Barrs, these are from Covenant Theological Seminary professor Jerram Barrs, who worked with Schaeffers in Switzerland and later helped start and run the English branch of L'Abri. His stories are littered throughout these 45-60 minute lectures, which range from biographic details of the Schaeffers' lives and how God used them and brought them to start L'Abri, to in-depth discussions of their books and the criticisms which have been laid on Francis' philosophy and theology. Dr. Barrs' insights in the later lectures, dealing with the divide between the "upper and lower stories" in the modern mind and the crossing of the "line of despair" by philosophy, have plain application in discussing current topics in Evangelicalism and Western culture at large.
• 50 Factors Within Nations that Determine Their Wealth or Poverty by Wayne Grudem. I listened to a shorter version of these lectures which I think was available through Gordon-Conwell Seminary's iTunesU page, and found it a very interesting study. Grudem showed how the biblical principles which were part of the worldview in the development of this nation are responsible for its subsequent prosperity.
• Doctrine: What Christian Should Believe by Mark Driscoll. This series of sermons at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA formed the basis for the book discussed above. Pastor Driscoll lays out a great deal of information in each of the 13 hour-long videos, and provides a 15-20 minute summary version of each as well. We have used these summaries for our Bible study on Sunday nights for the past several weeks. Tonight we are watching and discussing "Fall: God Judges", and Amelia wants to play ultimate frisbee afterward.
• White Horse Inn Podcast. This podcast, hosted by Michael Horton, Rod Rosenblatt, Kim Riddlebarger, and Ken Jones, who all teach in seminaries and/or preach in churches in Southern California, is dedicated to helping people know what they believe and why they believe it. The free podcast is supplemented by the (not free) magazine Modern Reformation, which is published six times each year. This year, both the podcast and the magazine are dedicated to issues concerning Scripture, including textual criticism, inerrancy, the formation of the canon, and hermeneutics. If you sign the guest book at their website, they will send you a free copy of the current Modern Reformation and a CD of WHI classic material.

And that's most of it. 

Reading List

So, on we go. I only had 7 in the previous post, not 8. Oh well.

1.  Introducing Covenant Theology
2. Advent of Evangelicalism
3. A History of the American People
4. Kinda Christianity
5. Just Do Something
6. Monstrous Regiment
7. Galahad at Blandings
8. Basics of Biblical Greek, by Bill Mounce. I am basically just listing this because I have technically gone through the first 4 lessons, so I'm technically in the middle of it. Realistically, though, I need to get on this piece if I'm going to be ready for school in January. There it is though.
9. Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2004. Why the 2004 edition? Because that was the one that was available on Paperback Swap the day I checked. Rick Steves has to be around our home because he reminds us of how lovely it would be to be able to go see Europe in its glory someday. I'm very glad that Amelia and I are agreed on this point.
10. Rick Steves' Ireland Guidebook 2006. Amelia got this guidebook when she went to Ireland in 2006, and likes to reminisce about the sights. I glanced through most of what is written here, and I agree with her that Ireland would be a wonderful place to be most of the time. If only they were clamoring for forklift drivers...
11. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. This is the historical novel on which the movie Gettysburg is based. It shows the events immediately before and throughout the battle from the points of view of the soldiers and commanders involved. The primary protagonists are Generals Longstreet and Lee of the Army of Northern Virginia, and General Buford and Colonel Chamberlain (of Little Round Top fame) of the Army of the Potomac. Shaara spends a good deal of time detailing how he thinks Lee came to decide to fight at Gettysburg, and seems to play up Longstreet's understanding of the situation until he becomes something of a prophet. I read this a long time ago, but I misplaced it after a couple of days of rereading it and it just turned up again.
12. The Good War by Studs Terkel. Brotha Steve Koch (my brother-in-law) placed this book in my hands while I was in California and gave it high praise. I don't think I ever got started reading it out there, but I have recently got a copy and am setting out upon it. The generation of men and women who fought and worked and won World War Two are given the microphone in this book, and so far I've enjoyed reading the many different perspectives from which they came to their posts in the Pacific Islands, on the European mainland, or in the States.
13. Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers. I got about halfway through this book after reading the first several of Sayers' Lord Peter books, and I got muddled up and have yet to return. However, it'll get done eventually. Lord Peter is an ever-amusing fellow, and Amelia insists that I get to know him.
14. Baptism: Three Views edited by David Wright. The "three views" mentioned in the title are: 1) Credobaptism, presented by Bruce Ware, 2) Paedobaptism, presented by Sinclair Ferguson, and 3) Dual-Practice Baptism, presented by Anthony Lane. In the end, Ferguson won the argument, in my view, but I am still not a paedobaptist. Although Ferguson's defense was winsome and I thought Ware's points were somewhat weak, I still did not see enough  in the paedobaptist view to change my doctrine. Thus, Harriet remains unsprinkled. I will keep trying to figure out whether that is the biblical practice, however, as this book has made me think quite a bit.
15. The New Testament: Its Background, Growth, and Content by Bruce Metzger. Dr. Metzger's study of the New Testament has helped me to understand the means by which critical scholars seek to understand the writing of the New Testament autographs, particularly in the Gospels. I am constantly challenged as I read this to try and think through just what inerrancy and inspiration mean, and to determine how the Gospels ought to be harmonized.
16. Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. This book has been helpful in refreshing my mind with the constant reminder of what our faith is all about. Driscoll and Breshears give several interesting bits of information, drawn from recent archaeological and biblical studies, which help set this theology apart from the older systematic theology we used in Bible school. Their emphasis is on teaching, if not "Mere" Christianity, at least a fairly firm orthodoxy which can be agreed upon by all Evangelicals. Their Christological focus and conviction shine throughout, and their topics are ordered along the lines of progressive revelation, from God in eternity, to Creation, the Fall, the Incarnation, the Cross, the Resurrection, the establishment of the Church, and finally ending in the coming Kingdom. All told there are 13 chapters in this study, and it fills about 450 pages.

So much for books.