Thursday, December 26, 2024

*** This is a rough transcript of today’s show ***

It is the 26th of December 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

A happy second day of Christmas- Two Turtle Doves and all that- I’ve beat that drum every year, so you’ll have to go into the archives for more on that. However, I will let you know that according to the PNC Twelve Days of Christmas Price Index, we are up 3.6% from last year- the total cost is over 200,000 because of the swans. The Turtle Doves, however, have stayed pat this year at 750.00 for a pair.  

Today, we remember a name central to the Reformation—especially that one in Luther's Saxon lands—that you probably don’t recognize.

It still boggles my mind that we have key, virtually unknown characters because his work was largely influenced by his (what one historian calls) “Middle Management” style—not one for accolades but absolutely necessary. I will tell a story about that in a minute.

Friedrich Myconius was born on this day, the day after the Feast of the Nativity, in 1490. Born in Lichtenfels, he went to school in Annaberg, where, as a young man, he encountered a curious thing. A brother, Tetzel, was selling indulgences—this didn’t sit well with Myconius, who at least thought the poor should get them for free! But he was a faithful son of the church. He entered the Franciscan Order at the age of 20 in 1510 and was ordained in 1516.

Please remember that whether or not the 95 Theses were nailed, tacked, neither etc., the real significance was that they were printed and sent everywhere. And Myconius got a copy. He loved it- the church needed Reform, and Myconius would spend the next 7 years reading and following Luther- but giving up his life’s work- his schooling and livelihood was a bridge too far.

He kept preaching Evangelical doctrine despite being warned not to. By 1524, he had enough. He knew that, with the support of certain Electors, there were regions in Germany where one could openly preach evangelical/reformation doctrines.

He would preach in Zwickau and then was called to help reform Gotha in Saxony. Three things about this character, for most, are long lost to history.

1st—a collection of essays was published on him in 2020. It is in German, as is all his work that is not in Latin. Dear young people, especially budding scholars, we don’t need any more dissertations on Luther or Calvin. There is a treasure trove of early modern material you could be working on.

2nd- I mentioned how significant he was- a kind of Bishop when the church was trying to balance the authority of a bishop and new evangelical doctrine. Eventually, in the Lutheran Church, the “Bishop” would get a facelift to the less nefarious (to some) title of Superintendent. How important was his work to Luther? A famous story is told when he writes to Luther and says he is dying… Luther says he can’t die because his work is too useful… he is indispensable, Luther writes. And Myconius takes heed, dusts himself off, and lives another 6 years.

Lastly, and most fascinating to me, he believed a dream led him to the Reformation. He told the story that when he was a Franciscan, he dreamed of being brought to a stream and wanting to drink. He was told he could not drink from the stream, but he was instead pointed to the source of the stream, Jesus.

One can read into this—he wanted to move from the “downstream” theology of the scholastics and others and go to the source—“ad fontes” (to the sources!) was the cry. So, he would follow Luther and his claim to go “back to the source,” which is the Scriptures, but more specifically, the ever-self-giving Christ.

Tell someone that you came to reformation doctrine or your church by means of a dream (I mean, don’t lie… but you get the idea) and see how it flies.  The early modern period was still enchanted enough that the belief was God spoke primarily for salvation through his word, but natural theology, signs, and dreams were acceptable secondary sources of revelation.

A “middle manager” but crucial in that sometimes overlooked role- and a dreamer… Friedrich Myconius died 6 years after he told Luther he was dying- in 1546, born on this day in 1490, he was 55 years old.

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary- and appropriately on the day we remember some of those unheralded church workers, from Acts 6: 

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. XX 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 26th of December 2024 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who wonders how PNC did the math for the gifts that include people…. He is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man warning you not to sleep on Nicolas of Antioch, an interesting character…. 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.