Ask Martin Luther
Join Us In A Dialog With Martin Luther
Lutheran churches can trace their roots directly to the Protestant Reformation that took place in Europe in the 16th century. Martin Luther, a German monk, recognized differences between the Bible and church practices of the day. His writings, lectures and sermons inspired others to protest church practices and call for reform.
By the late 1500s the Reformation had spread throughout Europe. Followers of Martin Luther’s teachings were labeled “Lutherans” by their enemies and adopted the name themselves. Lutheran beliefs became widespread, especially in Germany and the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland), later spreading throughout the world as early explorers took their faith with them on their voyages. Lutheranism came to the Americas that way; some of the earliest settlers in the Americas were Scandinavians, Dutch and German Lutherans. The first permanent colony of them was in the West Indies, and by the 1620s there were settlements of Lutherans along the Hudson River in what are now the states of New York and New Jersey.
It is our goal for this web venue to allow you to ask questions about what Martin Luther stood for and believed and possibly how those views might translate into today. If you have questions about his views on topics of the world or theology we will research the question and respond with appropriate answers.
Your questions can be addressed to the ‘Ask Martin’ team in two ways. You may write your question and give it to a pastor, or you may e-mail your question using the link below. We will acknowledge your question and respond directly, and through this site, as quickly as possible.
Unless specifically requested, all questions and their answers will be published on this site. If you prefer your name not be included in the posting please let us know.
God’s greatest blessings on you!
The ‘Ask Martin’ Team
Previous ‘Ask Martin’ Questions (and the response) Include:
Q: Is it OK for me to take communion when I visit other churches?
A: It is fair to say that in my time the idea of communing at non-Lutheran churches would raise serious concerns, to say the least. However, in the nearly 500 years since the start of the reformation new insights have arisen that should allow you to feel comfortable in coming to the table in many additional churches.
As a baptized or confirmed member of an LCMC church you may certainly feel comfortable in sharing in communion at any other LCMC church. It remains appropriate in all cases however, even in an LCMC context, to examine yourself prior to partaking. As mentioned previously, opportunities for corporate and individual confession and absolution, including the use of the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness, are especially appropriate. Helpful forms of personal preparation may include self-examination, prayer, fasting, meditation, and reconciliation with others through the exchange of peace.
Because of the universal nature of the Church, the LCMC position is that LCMC Lutherans may participate in the eucharistic services of other Christian churches.
If you are considering communion at non-LCMC Lutheran churches mutual membership in the Lutheran World Federation should allow your participation. Having said that, some Lutheran denominations and congregations feel strongly that only members of the denomination or congregation should partake during their services. This is often referred to as “closed communion.”
But it is fair to say that other Christian, but non-Lutheran churches, may also have their own interpretations on the meaning of communion and the appropriateness of your participation.
When visiting other churches Lutherans should respect the practices of the host congregation. A conscientious decision whether or not to commune in another church is informed by the Lutheran understanding of the Gospel preached and the sacraments administered as Christ’s gift.
For this reason, it would be strongly recommended that you enquire of the local pastor regarding your participation.
Your Brother in Christ,
Martin Luther
Q: What should I tell folks who visit church with me about whether they should take communion?
A: At the table of our Lord Jesus Christ, God nourishes faith, forgives sin, and calls us to be witnesses to the Gospel.
Admission to the Sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized. In this regard Christian baptism is an expected pre-condition. But God’s grace is always present. When an unbaptized person comes to the table seeking Christ’s presence and is inadvertently communed, neither that person nor the ministers of Communion need be ashamed. Rather, Christ’s gift of love and mercy to all is praised. That person is invited to learn the faith of the Church, be baptized, and thereafter faithfully receive Holy Communion.
In addition to baptism, preparation is also an expected aspect. Preparation takes two forms. First, the person should seek out instruction that emphasizes the sacrament as a gift, given to the faithful by and for participation in the community. Such faith is not simply knowledge or intellectual understanding but trust in God’s promises given in the Lord’s Supper (“for you” and “for the forgiveness of sin”) for the support of the baptized. Second, people should examine themselves at the time of partaking. Opportunities for corporate and individual confession and absolution, including the use of the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness, are especially appropriate. Helpful forms of personal preparation may include self-examination, prayer, fasting, meditation, and reconciliation with others through the exchange of peace.
But let me speak more directly to your present LCMC context. Believing in the real presence of Christ, the LCMC practices what is referred to as “eucharistic hospitality.” All baptized persons are welcomed to Communion when they are visiting in the congregations of the LCMC. This is usually referred to as “open communion.”
Historically, when it came to communion we early reformers had to agree to disagree. In 1529 I traveled to Marburg, Germany to meet with representatives from the Swiss reformation movement. My meeting with Ulrich Zwingli, the leader of the fledgling reformation in Zurich, allowed us to reach agreement on almost all theological issues. The only major exception was in the area of communion.
While Lutherans affirmed the real presence of God ‘In, With, and Under’ the earthly elements of communion, other reformed churches saw communion as more a symbolic presence, not a literal (albeit mysterious) presence. This distinction continues even into your modern day.
Your Brother in Christ,
Martin Luther
Q: When were you born and what was your childhood like?
Greetings,
I was born to Hans and Margarethe Luther (Ziegler) on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben in the Holy Roman Empire – in what is now eastern Germany. I was baptized the next morning on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours. My family moved to Mansfeld in 1484, where my father operated copper mines. He was determined to see me, as the eldest son, become a lawyer. He sent me to schools in Mansfeld and in 1497, Magdeburg, where I attended a school operated by a lay group called the Brethren of the Common Life. In 1498, I attended school in Eisenach.
At the age of seventeen in 1501 I entered the University of Erfurt. I received my Bachelor’s degree after just one year in 1502. Three years later, in 1505, I received a Master’s degree. In compliance with my father’s wishes, I enrolled in the law school of that university.
The course of my life changed during a thunderstorm in the summer of 1505. A lightning bolt struck near me as I was returning to school. Terrified, I cried out, “Help! Saint Anna, I will become a monk!” I soon left law school, sold my books, and entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt on July 17, 1505. My father was not pleased with this decision.
Your Brother in Christ
Martin
Q: What are Indulgences and what part did they play in the Reformation?
My Friend,
In regards to my falling out with the Roman Catholic church in 1517, a reasonable definition of Indulgence would be: “a pardon or release from the expectation of punishment in purgatory, after the sinner has been granted absolution.”
As part of a fund-raising campaign commissioned by the Archbishop of Mainz and Pope Leo X to finance the renovation of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Johann Tetzel, a Dominican priest and papal commissioner for indulgences, began selling indulgences in the German territories.
On October 31, 1517, I wrote a letter to Albert, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg, protesting the sale of indulgences in his territories and inviting him to a discussion of the matter. I enclosed 95 Theses (or discussion points) covering indulgences and numerous other topics, and posted a copy on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
In my letter and in the posted theses I objected to a saying attributed to Johann Tetzel: “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs”; and insisted that since pardons were God’s alone to grant, those who claimed indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error. Christians, I emphasized, must not slacken in following Christ on account of such false assurances.
While indulgences were one of the concerns expressed in the 95 Theses, many other concerns were also raised.
Several other theologians during this time were becoming disenchanted with the Roman Catholic Church, but the posting of the 95 Theses is recognized as the central element of what today is seen as the Protestant Reformation, especially as it originated in Germany.
Your Brother in Christ
Martin Luther