Some Thoughts on Martin Luther, Christianity, and Spirituality

I recently watched the movie Luther. It is of course about Martin Luther and the Reformation of the 16th century which began out of protest to the heresy of the Catholic church's use of "indulgences." "Roman Catholic theology stated that faith alone, whether fiduciary or dogmatic, cannot justify man; and that only such faith as is active in charity and good works (fides caritate formata) can justify man. These good works could be obtained by donating money to the church." Luther's contention against "indulgences" led him to write "the 95 Theses" which in turn began the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a defining moment of The Church.

What a reminder that many, throughout the centuries, have suffered, sometimes to the point of death, for the preservation and proclamation of the gospel. This is still happening around the world today. For example I have friends who journey to China once a year to smuggle bibles into the country. The Church there is confined to meet in secret, usually in homes. In some countries, either political ideologies (such as communism) or religious theocracies (Islam) prevent the freedom to worship openly as one chooses. Here in America pluralism affords us the freedom to worship freely and openly, a freedom we often take for granted.

While we do not have "indulgences" as in the 16th century, our own postmodern ethos vexes the church with new challenges. Take for example, how many churches today, in an effort to reach "seekers" watered down the message of the gospel by giving into methods of modernity. Often times method overshadows the message. Pushing the antithesis between Christianity and the alternative is critical for the Church in a time when "being spiritual" is cool; never mind the "sacred/secular"split. The Church also needs to be more than just "people of faith"! "Faith" seems to be such a buzz word these days. "Faith" in what? Christianity mustn't be obscure. It must stand apart from the hodgepodge of "spirituality" so popular in todays culture. The fluff of "faith" (in the Christian world) can especially be seen in recent books.

To be sure, take note of such cultural phenomena's in books like "The Purpose Driven Life", "Your Best Life Now", or "The Shack." The spreading of the Gospel may be the intention of these books, although orthodoxy could be called into question with two of the books mentioned. But what have they done to set Christianity apart from "spirituality"? How do they provide epistemic warrant against Oprah Winfrey? What sets Family Christian Stores apart from my local metaphysical book store in respect to some of the books they sell? Do we, like Martin Luther, long for the purity and the simplicity of the gospel to be preached? Unadulterated and untarnished?

Just as Luther stood up for the gospel in his day so too, we must also stand up for the gospel. We must unabashedly deliver it in our churches, convey it in our apologetic discussions (found in the presuppositional method), choose books that help us love it, and most of all "we must get into the Word of God and get the Word of God into us so that when a counterfeit looms on the horizon we will know it instantly."

In the 16th Century Truth mattered to Luther. In the 21st Century Truth should matter to us. We should be ready to defend it and present as set apart in an culture of "spirituality." We must push the antithesis.