Dear Cornerstone Family,
Frustrated with the false teaching and corruption in the church of his day, an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther took matters into his own hands when he nailed the now famous 95 Theses (or grievances) to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. In God’s good providence, that simple action sparked one of the greatest gospel renewal and church reform movements the world has ever seen.
Fascinatingly, it all began on Halloween. Wait, what? Yes, you read that right. The launch of what would come to be known as the Protestant Reformation began on October 31, 1517, the one night a year where ghosts and goblins rule the streets. Believe it or not, Luther’s decision to nail the theses on that particular day was no coincidence.
Halloween is short for All Hallows’ Eve. The word “hallow” means to honor something or someone as “holy.” You know this because you say it every week in worship when we pray the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). Historically speaking, All Hallows’ Eve was the name given to the night before the Christian feast of All Saints’ Day—the annual remembrance of those who have died in Christ and gone before us into heaven—celebrated on November 1st.
It’s been suggested that Martin Luther chose to nail his 95 Theses on the night before All Saints’ Day because he was calling the Roman Catholic Church to return to “the faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Luther believed that the only way forward for the church in the 16th century was to return to the foundations of the apostles and prophets and the faithful Christian witness of previous generations.
For almost fifteen hundred years, it’s been the practice of the historic Christian church to pause during this season and remember with thanksgiving those who have died in Christ, passing down the legacy of truth and faith to the next generation. As a way of honoring the Lord’s work through the lives of the faithful men and women who have gone before us to glory, we will take time on Reformation and All Saints’ Sunday (November 1st) to name, remember, and give thanks for “the great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) upon whose shoulders we stand in faith.
Between now and November 1st, take a moment or two and call to mind anyone in glory who made a spiritual impact in your life. Let the memory of their life and ministry fill your mind and heart with gratefulness. Then, pause in prayer and thank God for them, anticipating the day when you’ll be reunited with them in glory before the face of Jesus. As the old hymn writer put it, “...what a day of rejoicing that will be!” I can hardly wait.
Your servant,
