Why the reformation still matters

The Protestant Reformation, formally launched in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, was not the beginning of something new—it was a return to something ancient. The Reformers were not innovators; they were faithful stewards of the historic, apostolic Christian faith, seeking to recover the purity of the gospel and the authority of Scripture that had been obscured by centuries of human tradition. From the very beginning, the church has faced the same temptation, to replace God’s Word with man’s word. It began in Eden, with the question: “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) And it continues in every generation. The Reformation was a providential move of God to call His people back to the truth—to the Scriptures, to the gospel of grace, and to Christ alone as the head of His Church. It was a reformation of doctrine, worship, and life, rooted not in rebellion, but in renewal—anchored in the teachings of Scripture and consistent with the faith of the early church. The depth and lasting impact of the Reformation can be seen in its most influential voices. John Calvin, whose Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536) quoted the early church fathers over 500 times, exemplified the Reformers’ commitment to faithfully recovering apostolic truth—not inventing new teachings. Following Calvin, the Puritans carried this torch forward, seeking to apply the lordship of Christ to every sphere of life—church, family, work, and society—under the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit, all to fulfill Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–20). We continue to carry this Reformation torch forward today.