A Return to Grace: Luther’s Life and Legacy

In 2017, we commemorate the 500th anniversary of a pivotal moment in Western history: the emergence of an idea that still influences every American’s life today. Back in 1517, a select few held power, controlled thought, and the general populace lived in despair. On October 31 of that year, Martin Luther, a destitute monk, ignited a revolution that would transform everything. Despite lacking an army, his powerful advocacy for nonviolence inspired Michael King, 400 years later, to adopt the name Martin Luther King in support of the original cause. This movement, known as the Protestant Reformation, fundamentally altered Western culture, fostering the pursuit of individualism, religious freedom, women’s rights, the separation of church and state, and even free public education. Without the Reformation, the pilgrims, Puritans, and the America we recognize today might not exist.