Monday, July 31, 2023

It is the 31st of July, 2023. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

A happy Monday to you- if you are indeed listening to this on a Monday. That’s the magic of podcasts- they are asynchronous- that is, “out of time,” which is also my favorite R.E.M. record.  

Ok- we go to the mailbag today for a big question- one that you might think you know the answer to, but maybe there’s more. It comes from Seth in Long Beach (the home of Snoop Dogg). He asks- what is 1517? Why? What a good question. As you hear me say on this podcast, we are 1517 at 1517.org. We have been called this for a decade- it is a year- and what it represents is central to who we are as an organization and central to why I have the sign-off that I do- that, in Jesus, everything is going to be ok.

Here’s the fancy answer- 1517 is a synecdoche. That is when something- a single thing- is used to a bigger thing. In America, we have 1776. You say that, and you think of the Revolution, Independence, and the birth of America. In England, 1066 refers to the Battle of Hastings, the Norman Invasion, and all that… so- just as those are single years that refer to a bigger event in history- so too is 1517. You may know that it was on October 31st, 1517, that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This marks the beginning of the Reformation.

Now, a few questions. Did Luther actually nail the thesis on the door? Probably- there’s no real reason to doubt it. But it wasn’t some act of defiance. It’s what academics did when they wanted to have a debate. Earlier in the same year, Luther posted 97 theses on the door because he wanted another theological debate. Why have you likely not heard of them? It’s because it was the 95 Theses that questioned the authority of the Papacy. And if you question the man on top, be ready for a fierce backlash. But not only did Luther question the authority of the Pope in the 95 Theses, they were quickly translated into German and printed throughout the empire.

I bet you haven’t read the 95 Theses. No one really does because Luther’s theology develops later- it isn’t until 1521 that he starts working out the radical implications of the Gospel. And it was not until 1530 that the Augsburg Confession- the first confession of the Reformation era is written. So what we mean when we use “1517” is “the Reformation”. It began as questioning authority. Who is in charge? Now, in the Reformation tradition, we say “Sola Scriptura” on “Scripture Alone” is our authority. It doesn’t mean “no authority” (as some radicals took it and still take it today), but rather we look to scripture. But there’s another problem, both then and now. I drive past five churches on my way to church on Sunday, and all claim “scripture alone”. So, when we use 1517 as synecdoche, we also refer to what the theologians call the “material principle”, that is: what’s the central teaching. You could say “scripture alone,” and if you read the scriptures to mean that the main thing God wants us to deal with is end-times theology, or proper politics, or the like, we would politely argue that, no, that is not what we are about at 1517. Our “material principle” is- in technical terms that we are forgiven on account of Christ alone, by grace alone, and by faith alone. Underline “alone.” All Christians believe Jesus saves and grace and faith are involved- but the thrust of the Reformation was the “alone.” It’s not Jesus AND, or Grace AND or faith AND that does the saving. It’s those things ALONE.

It’s important also to say that 1517 is not a church. We are a collection of scholars and teachers, and artists (and some pastors) who create things FOR the church. And it’s going to emphasize the basic teaching of the Reformation- you can have debates in your flesh and blood churches about implications of the Reformation and particulars that churches have to deal with- we are a big tent creating content that reminds you that, well, on account of Christ alone and grace alone and faith alone- everything is going to be ok. Thanks, Seth, for your question, and go Halo’s. 

The last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and James 3:

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 31st of July 2023, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who thought synecdoche was a town in upstate New York, he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who first learned the word Synecdoche from Charlie Kaufmann’s 2008 film ironically called “Synecdoche New York” with Phillip Seymor Hoffman. I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.