Image by pvproductions on Magnific
By Judith Niewiadomski
For the first time in history, a Roman Catholic Pope has voted in an American election. Pope Leo is an American citizen by birth, Pope by election by the most elite of Catholic clergy from all over the world, the College of Cardinals. He did not give up his citizenship when chosen as Pope even though he will likely spend the rest of his life living in the Vatican. But while his opinions may influence Roman Catholic doctrine and practice, the Pope has no authority to interfere in American government, though he is free to exercise his rights as an American citizen. The Protestant Reformation is one of the reasons why a particular denomination cannot control our government.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther (for whom Martin Luther King was named) nailed 95 theses (Statements for discussion and study) on the door of the Church in Wittenberg, Germany, beginning the Protestant Reformation: “Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Luther, a professor of moral theology, (i.e religious ethics, social teaching) challenged Roman Catholic church doctrines and practices that were not grounded in Biblical principle or worse, in conflict with scripture, such as the selling of indulgences and Papal supreme authority.“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (believing).” (Romans 1:17) From this clear verse and 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” the Reformation taught that Scripture alone was the standard for faith and practice, not tradition, which derives from men.
Now people are free to own Bibles of their own and read them in their own language. Prior to that the Roman Catholic church had the only Bible in communities—chain to the altar. Pople could not see and read and study and understand the Word of God for themselves, contrary to 2Timothy 2:15 : “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” God endowed individuals with the responsibility and inherent right to study His Word. Those who do come to know Him personally as their heavenly Father. As any skill or subject, the more study and practice one puts in, the better he understands it and can perform it. Noone can give what he does not have. Mere spectators cannot teach someone else how to live abundantly, nor to do the works of Jesus Christ and greater works. God has no hands but the hands of believers. Those who know His Word take the place of Jesus Christ, all over the world simultaneously, where he could only be in one place at one time. .
By breaking the political power of the Roman Catholic church, which had the power to remove rulers in Catholic countries, and enabling people to read the Bible in their own language, the Reformation brought millions of people a true and empowering understanding of the Word of God and His son, Jesus Christ, freeing them from the bondage of traditions of men. Freeing them from unbiblical religious and social traditions which often incorporated paganism to gain members. Today, some churches encourage actions that God’s Word clearly says are wrong. Like Jesus Christ’s telling the relgious leaders of his time that they were “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, ” (Mark 7:13a), their traditions obscured and minimized the understanding of the Word of God. Diminished understanding limits the power of God in their lives. GOD has standards but He has no limits. “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke1:37) Another rendering of this verse is: “No word of GOD is void of power.”
For centuries, the Bible had been translated only into Latin, which only higher clergy, nobility, and a few educated people could read. Some local what clergy could not read at all, making them and their communities entirely dependent on what someone else told them. By translating the Bible into the vernacular, the Reformation enabled people to read scripture for themselves. The desire to read the Word of God for themselves created a massive desire for literacy. At the time of the American Revolution, Americans had the highest literacy rate in the world, particularly in the New England colonies, and virtually every home had a Bible. By putting the Word of God in its rightful place as the standard for faith and practice, the Reformation empowered ordinary men and women with the truth.
The Protestant ethic was the foundation of American government. Scriptural standards that influenced our Constitution include the concepts of covenant, reflected in the Mayflower Compact, state constitutions and the swearing of an oath on the Bible to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution” the standard of government. Other Biblical concepts incorporated into American government include the rule of law as supreme standard for all, separation of powers, rules of evidence, and a defendant’s right to have witnesses on his behalf. The work most cited as influencing America’s Founders is the book of Deuteronomy, part of the Mosaic law (Torah) given to the children of Israel as a guidelines for the nation they would build. After Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and the giving of holy spirit on Pentecost, believers today are under a new administration with direct access to GOD and simpler lifestyle requirements. Just as believers are no longer bound to a physical temple or an appointed high priest but were empowered to do the works of God’s son, American government is decentralized and the people are sovereign. Just as both Jew and Gentile can become a new man and united in the body of Christ, people of different ethnicities can become Americans based on commitment to certain principles regardless of their background.
All of our Founders spoke of the importance of Biblical knowlege and morality (not denominational tradition) as essential for a free republic. Men and women who abide by the doctrine, reproof and correction of scripture rather than ethic social, or religious traditions can be self-governing. “The Bible contains the most profound philosophy, the most perfect morality, and the most refined policy that ever was conceived upon earth.” While man has always been flawed, God’s Word is always perfect. Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Luke 1:17 “No word of God is void of power.” What believers should do changes. Some things are no longer required of believers. The one simple rule for Adam, changed when he broke it. Different guidelines began with Abraham and Moses before the giving of the law, each time growing more complicated to show that fallen man could not justify himself by works. Now even the law itself has been surpassed and replaced because it was perfectly fulfilled by Jesus Christ. These life style guidelines, referred to by the Greek word oikonomia, means the administration of a household. We could think of them as God’s developmental administrations prepared for believers who would live in different places, cultures and times. Hence, not all parts of the scripture are for our practice today, but all of them are still for our learning.
The Reformation contributed to democratic principles in American government by strengthening individual rights and responsibility. Once one’s spiritual rights and responsibility are understood and strengthened, he has a foundation to make informed consent and govern himself. When Plymouth and Massachusetts bay colonies were settled, usually the first thing built was a church, which would also be used for self-governing town meetings.
The book of Acts shows Paul ultimately becoming the leader of the early Christian church and the decentralizing of churches which met in homes. Seven church epistles are the core of the New Testament, but notably not one was initially addressed to the church at Jerusalem, though the Epistle to the Hebrews focuses on issues/concepts specifically familiar to Christian believers with an Hebrew background, detailing why Jesus Christ is the Messiah they were waiting for and the fulfillment of that hope.
The core principle of the Epistle of Romans is that because Jesus Christ fulfilled the law, believers no longer need to do so, being justified by faith not by works—because he had already done them.. On Pentecost the gift of holy spirit brought in a new administration where believers of Jewish and Gentile backgrounds were no longer separate but united in the body of Christ and enabled to live by the higher, empowered standard, and do the works that he did and greater works. Galatians 3:24-26 corroborates: “ Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Individual freedom and responsibility and precedes political freedom.
Tradition has given us, “give me a treat or I will do something nasty (trick) to you, ” demanding to be given something with giving of oneself. Reformation freed us to “labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28b) Make use of the freedom many others labored for and were often persecuted and killed for, study the Word of God so you can do the works of Jesus Christ and greater works. Want to change your community to a more abundant and peaceful life? That is the way.
For Further Reading:
Women of the Reformation – Angie Vonderhaar, TheWay Magazine, September/October 2025
Judith Niewiadomski, Yonkers