October 31 was Reformation Day. On that day in 1517 Martin Luther may or may not have nailed his 95 Theses on indulgences to the door of the Wittenberg church. He certainly did send them to the Archbishop of Mainz, thus initiating a movement that became the Protestant Reformation. When I was a schoolboy, I Read more
As Zhou Enlai supposedly said about the French Revolution, we can’t assess the legacy of the Reformation because it is too soon to tell. In fact, it is still going on. The biggest religious stories of our times—the stories of retreat and resurgence—are both outworkings of the Reformation. Retreat The industrialised, liberal West is living Read more
This is the time of year my Lutheran friends share photos of Reformation choirs and Martin Luther-themed socks on social media. Yet, to my Roman Catholic friends, the Reformation isn’t something to celebrate. In their eyes, our admiration for Martin Luther is as misguided as holding a big party in honour of one’s divorce. They Read more
The World Communion of Reformed churches (WCR) representing about 80 million Christians signed a “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” with Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist leaders last week in Wittenberg, Germany. It was in Wittenberg in 1517 that Martin Luther unveiled the 95 Theses that launched the Reformation. Centuries of dispute followed about whether Read more
Hundreds packed Wellington’s Sacred Heart Cathedral on Sunday to witness what could be described as a second Reformation. The crowd was witnessing New Zealand’s formal commitment to healing the divisions of the Reformation: the 500 year-long separation of Lutherans and Catholics. The atmosphere was joyful, positive and affirming as Lutheran Bishop Mark Whitfield and Cardinal Read more
The Pope’s personal preacher has praised the “theological and spiritual enrichment” of the Reformation. Fr Raniero Cantalamessa also told an Anglican synod in London that what is needed in relations between churches is a “qualitative leap forward”. Fr Cantalamessa, who has been Preacher to the Papal Household since 1980, was preaching at a service at Read more
A sung Latin High Mass with a pre-Reformation flavour will be celebrated in England on the same day the remains of King Richard III are interred. The Requiem Mass in the traditional form will be at St Catherine’s Church in Leyland, Lancashire, on March 26, the day when King Richard’s remains will be re-interred at Read more
A plastic figurine of Martin Luther has sold tens of thousands of copies within days of being put on the market. Playmobil’s Luther toy sold out, with 34,000 copies being snapped up in 72 hours. Most were sold in Germany, and 5 per cent went to international buyers. The German toymaker released the “little Luther” Read more
A letter from Catherine of Aragon asking a pope to block King Henry VIII’s attempts to annul their marriage is to be auctioned in Paris. The letter is part of about 1500 documents written by women throughout history which are going under the auctioneer’s hammer next week. Catherine’s letter is addressed to Cardinal Francisco de Read more
The British Government has announced that two Catholic colleges are to be given full university status, making them Britain’s first Catholic universities since the Reformation. Leeds Trinity University College and Newman University College each started as teacher training colleges in the 1960s. Their new status will prove valuable as each institution looks to develop international Read more