Reformation! Reformation Day Challenge.
By Warime Guti, 2016.
It was young people!
Martin Luther was 34 yrs old,
Katarina von Bora, 18
Philip Melanchthon, 20
Justus Jonas, 24
and others…
Do you know it was a group of young vibrant people who were the force behind Reformation? And not some old, white-haired Bishops or Church elders, but young people with passion and vision who challenged some of the decisive ideas imposed by the authority of that era.
And then the authority labeled them as betrayers, heretics, misguided etc…but it did not stop them, they had a deep conviction that drove them further.
It is a story of young people challenging the decisive ideas to impose by the elders through the existing system and process of that era.
Among many, here’s four of them, their age in 1517, October 31, and their contribution to the impact of Reformation.
Martin Luther, 34
The force leading the great reformation in the 16th century.
Katarina von Bora, 18
was 26 when she married Luther
As a wife, she defined Protestant family life and setting the tone for clergy marriages, the model for a pastor’s wife.
Melanchthon 20 years old
He was the right-hand man of Luther, the first protestant Systematic theologian, known to be the intellectual behind Lutheranism, he systemizes most ideas of reformation, defended them in public and made them the basis of religious education.
Justus Jonas 24,
the man behind translating most of Luther’s writing and also helping with the Bible translation
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How old are you now?
How do you see yourself as a Reformer of your time and era?
To the younger generation
How passionate are we pursuing our vision for the greater good in our home, families, village, community, Church, country? Are we giving up because we are not given space to speak, the resources and support we need? Do we become rebellious and disconnect ourselves?
To the older generation:
How much are you willing to create space to hear young people, their passion and vision for change… and not seeing them as unrealistic and not traditional
Remember, Luther did not intend division but a change to the Church as a whole. since the elders in authority did not listen to him with the right spirit, instead they were defensive for the wrong reason, protecting their own pride, ego, etc…
Unfortunately, their response not to embrace change for the good of the Gospel but being defensive has caused the division.
What lessons have we, the young and older generation learned, from this story historical event?
We need each other. The young people with the ideas and the energy to move into the future,
the older generation with experience and wisdom to guide the ideas and the energy.
There has to be more collaboration than conflict between generations so we are not divided but united as we move the Gospel from generation to generation.
Share the #Reformation_Inspiration
Compiled by Warime Guti @ 2016