Reformation Sunday

Definition and Meaning

Reformation Sunday is a Sunday commemorating the sixteenth-century Reformation; it is also called Reformation Memorial Sunday. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther published the Ninety-five Theses, a document criticizing the sale of indulgences (certificates purporting to remit the punishment due for sin). Taking this event as their point of reference, many Protestant churches observe the day on the Sunday nearest October 31, usually the last Sunday of October. October 31 itself is called Reformation Day. On this Sunday the church looks back on the origins of Protestantism and reflects on its present state.

Biblical and Historical Background

Luther recalled that his insight came through Romans 1:17, "The just shall live by faith" (quoting Habakkuk 2:4). This is the understanding of justification according to which a person is accounted righteous not by works but by faith. This idea was later formulated in the Five Solas, summarized in such phrases as "Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone."

The story that Luther nailed the theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg is widely known. Whether he actually posted them, however, is disputed among scholars. It is established that on the same day he sent the theses to the Archbishop of Mainz.

Relations with the Roman Catholic Church, the opposing party in the Reformation, have also changed. In 1999 the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. In 2016 Pope Francis took part in a joint service commemorating the Reformation in Lund, Sweden.

Observance in Korean Churches

Many denominations mark the last Sunday of October as Reformation Sunday in their denominational church calendar or pastoral planning calendar. Sermons on this day often address the principles of Reformation faith and the renewal of the church. Many churches sing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," a hymn written by Luther. Seminaries and ecumenical organizations hold commemorative lectures and academic events. In 2017, the 500th anniversary year, denominations and ecumenical organizations held large-scale commemorations. At the same time, there were calls for the Korean church to reflect on its preoccupation with numerical growth and on its secularization.

Emphases differ by denomination.

• Lutheran: The Lutheran Church in Korea regards this day as the starting point of its own tradition and observes it as an important commemoration.
• Presbyterian: Presbyterian churches generally regard themselves as heirs of the Reformation. Alongside Luther, they often emphasize the Reformed tradition that descends through John Calvin.
• Methodist: In 1738 John Wesley experienced conversion at a meeting while listening to a reading of Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. Methodist churches sometimes point to this event as a link with Luther.
• Anglican: The Anglican Church of Korea has its origins in the English Reformation. Because it also emphasizes continuity with the tradition of the universal church, the manner and significance of its observance of this Sunday may differ from those of other denominations.
• Baptist: Baptist churches share the faith of the Reformation. They also point to connections with "Radical Reformation" movements, such as the Anabaptists, who rejected infant baptism.