May 24, 2017
Devotions: Personalities of the Reformation: Jan Laski

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Reformation ideas spread all across Europe, including the country of Poland. Reform ideas first came to Poland in the fifteenth century through Bohemian followers of John Hus (see May 2 devotion). Then, after the Lutheran reformation began in the sixteenth century, exiles from European countries took refuge in Poland and made converts. Lutheranism itself never became popular, however. Calvinism appealed more to the Polish nobles and commoners because it was more democratic in form. Several nobles and even King Sigismund II favored Calvinism – and one of those noblemen was Jan Laski. He traveled to France to further his education and soon cam under the influence of Zwingli, and with Desiderius Erasmus. He would spend a year with Erasmus and would cross roads with many of the Protestant reformers. Laski’s family would not support his “reformation” leanings and called him home. He would become an archdeacon. He would see up close the abuses of the Catholic church and would soon declare for the Reformation. This meant he had to flee from Poland and he would wander across Europe. He was invited to direct the church of Friesland, a northwest province of the Netherlands. He would use the methods and teachings of Calvin and made many reformations to the church there. He would collaborate with Cranmer, even have an influence on the Book of Common Prayer. When he finally returned to Poland, he brought Calvinistic reforms and translated the Bible into his native tongue.

Many in Poland would turn from the Catholic church, and some of the Catholic church buildings would be put to use by the Protestants. Laski would die on January 28, 1560. By the time of his death, Protestantism had a foothold on the people, but the protestants were divided between Lutherans, Unitarians, Hussites, Anabaptists, and Calvinists. The Roman Church remained the single largest Christian bloc and Roman clergy retained special rights in teaching religious doctrines. In the seventeenth century, religious toleration virtually ceased when the Roman Church reasserted its supremacy. (adapted from Poland Didn’t Listen Long to John Laski, by Dan Graves, MSL from the christianity.com website)

Desiderius Erasmus: he was a classical scholar and wrote in a pure Latin style. He was a humanist and has been called “the crowning glory of the Christian humanists” He would prepare Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament. He wrote On Free Will and many other influential works. Erasmus was critical of the Catholic Church abuses and would call for reform, but he would keep his distance from Luther and Melanchthon and, unlike Luther, would recognize the authority of the pope. He maintained a deep respect for traditional faith, piety, and grace, rejecting Luther’s emphasis on faith alone. Erasmus remained a member of the Roman Catholic Church all his life, remaining committed to reforming the Church and its clerics’ abuses from within. (supported by information from Wikipedia)

The Catholic church did its best to fight Protestantism at every turn – from the “contract” that was put out on Martin Luther causing him to hide out in the castle church in Wartburg, to the Counter-Reformation itself. Many, many people would die in the movement we call Protestantism. We have a lot of people to thank for the opportunity to worship as Lutherans, and Presbyterians, and Methodists, just to name a few. And many who fought the fight, did not win their individual battle, but eventually would win the war for faith.

Pastor Dave

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May 23, 2017
Devotions: Personalities of the Reformation: Patrick Hamilton

Patrick Hamilton is remembered as the first martyr of the Reformation in Scotland. He was born in 1504 – his family was rich, and was related to the king. He attended university in Paris at the age of fourteen. While attending university, he was introduced to writings of Martin Luther – and his revolutionary teaching which would become Justification by Grace through Faith – and to the ideas of Luther, like everyone should be able to read the bible in their own language. Upon finishing his studies in France, he returned to Scotland and became a professor at the University of St. Andrews. Although Luther’s writings were banned in many parts of Europe, there were copies being circulated along with Tynsdale’s 1526 translation of the bible from Greek into English. Hamilton was converted by the writings of Luther – which was not so convenient since the center of Roman Catholicism in Scotland was at St. Andrews. Having attracted the attention of the local Archbishop, Hamilton fled to Germany in 1527.

In Germany, Hamilton wrote a book called “Patrick’s Places”. The point of the book was the teaching of Luther, that a person is saved by faith in Christ, not by good works. Although he had fled Scotland, just ahead of trouble, he determined to return to his country to spread his understanding of the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Upon his return, Patrick was able to convert members of his family to the reformation teachings. He was able to preach at the University of St. Andrews for a month until he was summoned for a trial before the Archbishop. He refused to recant his beliefs, and as such was sentenced to be burned at the stake as a heretic. His death was a turning point of a different kind – the fire kept going out and it took six hours for him to die. As such, more people were determined to learn of his reformation teaching and preaching – so his death was not a deterrent, but a call seeing the teaching of G-d in a new way. (adapted from reformationhistory.org website article, Patrick Hamilton)

Hamilton – burned at the stake. Huss – burned at the stake. Wycliffe – his remains were dug up 43 years after his death and burned. Savonarola – burned at the stake. Today we witness Christians being beheaded by ISIS and cringe at the sheer brutality. Christians were burning people at the stake just 500 years before our recent religious persecutions. Christians are the most persecuted religion around the world today. What have we learned in 500 years of religious arguments and fighting? What have we learned about religion since Christ was crucified on a cross? The thought of answering that question should take your breath away – and then force you to find an answer.

Pastor Dave

Please bring in diapers and paper towels to donate to Trinity’s Table.