The Search for TRUTH - Reformation Remembered

In our world we often the term “truth” bantered about. It is even debated as to what “truth” can actually mean, and whether there is absolute truth or if it is perhaps a “relative” term. Some say that there is a reality of TRUTH that is “out there” that stands independent of human thought or reason, it simply “is”. And others would say “truth” is determined by individuals and what they experience on their own. Whether you believe there is absolute truth or if you believe it is relative, it is hard to discount the events of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and the impact that it has had on the history of human civilization. For in this event the future of the quest for TRUTH in both camps was shaped forever.

The search for Truth guided the reformer Martin Luther as he came to believe that the Catholic Church had strayed from the Truth that he believed was contained in Holy Scripture. The church was integral to the everyday life of the vast majority of people at this time in history. There was not a need to determine whether truth was absolute or relative, the church determined truth for everyone. Martin Luther challenged this idea, and believed truth was found in scripture alone. And because of this belief, he was placed at odds with what the church was doing and teaching. Luther believed scripture taught that a person could only be saved by the grace of God, and not by his own works in any way. This is known as the gospel, or good news: you are not required to do good works in order to earn God’s favor. This was not the teaching of the church at the time: a person had to earn favor with God and ultimately be rewarded with forgiveness and salvation. And because of this split, one could argue that this opened the door to relativism and post-modern thinking even over 400 years ago. Martin Luther’s challenge of the dominant message of the church created an atmosphere of questioning authority and beliefs that you could say continues today.

The Reformation of the 1500’s led to a split within the Christian world that continues today. But the Reformation has also had an impact on the way all people view the world itself. It is hard to deny the impact on our world and culture that Martin Luther and his ideas have brought.