Today is the commemoration of Martin Luther, Doctor and Reformer, who died on February 18, 1546.
You don’t have to be a Lutheran to appreciate Luther. In addition to his theological impact (reforming the church in ways even today’s Catholics are acknowledging was needed; translating the Bible and making it central; recovering the Gospel of Christ and making that central) and his cultural impact (education for the masses; rehabilitating the family; the rise of the middle class; vocation), Luther surely had the most, well, personality than any other theologian I can think of. He was Rabelaisian, humorous, tender-hearted yet plagued with a horrible temper, a lover of life’s pleasures though prone to titanic depressions, relentlessly honest with himself, desperately holding on to Christ, the Cross, the Word. If you read virtually any of his theological tracts, you will find yourself marveling, laughing, moved to tears, stunned by the insight.
So, in light of our earlier discussion of holidays, what would be some good ways of celebrating Martin Luther Day?
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