Why do Protestants celebrate Reformation Day?

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I love Reformation Day. In my Lutheran church, most people wear red to church that day and for our sending hymn at the end, we always sings Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”:

A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious.
He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On Earth he has no equal.

No strength of ours can match his might.
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be.
The Lord of Hosts is He.
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God’s only son, adored,
He holds the field victorious.

Though hordes of devils fill the land,
All threatening to devour us,
We tremble not! Unmoved, we stand;
They cannot overpower us.
Let this world’s tyrants rage;
In battle we’ll engage!
His might is doomed to fail,
God’s judgment must prevail-
One little word subdues him.

God’s Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes who fear it,
For God himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day;
The Kingdom’s ours forever.

Then after the church service, we all sit down for beer and brats with sauerkraut.
 
Last year my sister went to a Protestant church since a friend of hers was celebrating her 100th birthday and she was having a party at church afterward. My sister said she had to sit through the sermon bashing the Catholic church and how horrible it was before the reformation.

She said our Catholic church doesn’t do that so why do they do it. She was very uncomfortable sitting through that but she did it for her friend.

I told her it was too bad she didn’t have some literature on the Catholic church to hand out afterward. LOL

I wonder how many Protestant churches bash the Catholic church on reformation Sunday?
 
oneofmany said:
Last year my sister went to a Protestant church since a friend of hers was celebrating her 100th birthday and she was having a party at church afterward. My sister said she had to sit through the sermon bashing the Catholic church and how horrible it was before the reformation.

She said our Catholic church doesn’t do that so why do they do it. She was very uncomfortable sitting through that but she did it for her friend.

I told her it was too bad she didn’t have some literature on the Catholic church to hand out afterward. LOL

I wonder how many Protestant churches bash the Catholic church on reformation Sunday?
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Most don’t
 
oneofmany said:
Last year my sister went to a Protestant church since a friend of hers was celebrating her 100th birthday and she was having a party at church afterward. My sister said she had to sit through the sermon bashing the Catholic church and how horrible it was before the reformation.

**She said our Catholic church doesn’t do that so why do they do it. ** She was very uncomfortable sitting through that but she did it for her friend.

I told her it was too bad she didn’t have some literature on the Catholic church to hand out afterward. LOL

I wonder how many Protestant churches bash the Catholic church on reformation Sunday?
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I have never heard bashing of the Catholic Church in a Lutheran worship. A discussion of differences as part of the homily, yes. Bashing? No.

The bolded is significant. Catholics can say that doctrine hasn’t changed, but I think many will agree that the** presentation** of doctrine, and what was taught in the era leading up to the Reformation was, in many ways, different than what a modern Catholic experiences today.
I think its incumbent upon non-Catholic pastors to recognize that if their presentation is about the modern-day Catholic Church.

Jon
 
JustaServant said:
What I saw Jon were sermons on historical events the congregations simply could not relate to at their present time, let alone make it applicable. Armchair theologians can debate those issues forever on CAF, but to the average congregation they simply have little interest.
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I couldn’t argue with this, by and large. Non-Lutheran protestants probably have little knowledge or interest in Martin Luther, aide from the 95 Theses thing.
The average Christian in the pew is unaffected by the historic disputes of that time. They are raised in and remain in a particular church, or one similar to it.

Jon
 
rcwitness said:
Ok… if you are referring to abuses in the Catholic Church, I agree. If you are talking about officially Teaching (Magisterially) opposition to Christ, then we disagree.

Abuse happens, we are not immune to it. The fullness of the faith is found in the Church, we are provided it.

Suffer with Christ against all unrighteousness, and uphold what He Confirms through the Church.
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rcwitness said:
Ok… if you are referring to abuses in the Catholic Church, I agree. If you are talking about officially Teaching (Magisterially) opposition to Christ, then we disagree.

Abuse happens, we are not immune to it. The fullness of the faith is found in the Church, we are provided it.

Suffer with Christ against all unrighteousness, and uphold what He Confirms through the Church.
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I agree, thank you. And I pray for the unity of all Christians.
 
The Baptist churches I attended, from independent to American, did not even consider themselves Protestant. Although there were exceptions, like Reformed Baptists.
My point, like Jon’s, is that the average pew warmer simply has no interest. And you really can’t blame them. They want to hear a spiritual message that gets them through another week, not hear about things they can do nothing about.
 
7_Sorrows said:
Luther didn’t found the Anglican church. King Henry VIII wasn’t a fan of Luther.
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I am quite aware of that, thank you. It is still appropriate to wish our Lutheran friends - and other Reformed friends also - a Happy Reformation Day.
 
JustaServant said:
The Baptist churches I attended, from independent to American, did not even consider themselves Protestant. Although there were exceptions, like Reformed Baptists.
My point, like Jon’s, is that the average pew warmer simply has no interest. And you really can’t blame them. They want to hear a spiritual message that gets them through another week, not hear about things they can do nothing about.
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why do Baptists not see themselves as Protestant?
 
Try not viewing it from your own corner. You won’t see too well. The reformation was a liberation that effected us all in positive ways. Without it we would not have had the Puritans with their love of independence and we would not now have the freest nation on earth today.
And i don’t think it was a coincidence that the man who did the most to gain civil liberties for African Americans was named MARTIN LUTHER King jr.
 
eazyduzit said:
Without it we would not have had the Puritans with their love of independence and we would not now have the freest nation on earth today.
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The Puritans??? Seriously?
I think the people they burned as ‘witches’ would argue about that ‘love of independence’.
:cool:
 
ComplineSanFran said:
And Happy All Saints Day to you. Here is my favorite Anglican hymn (composed by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams). It is absolutely one of the best hymns to belt out.

youtube.com/watch?v=VHVv79W_EpA

Do play it and sing along.
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One of the most moving hymns in all Christendom. On All Saints Day I feel not only a link to my fellow Christians here in the Church Militant, but also the link of the Communion of Saints, unbroken, unbreakable by mere mortal death.
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
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The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
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But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
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From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
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The distant triumph song. Alleluia!

Jon
 
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