“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8-9
Reformation Day, observed annually on October 31, commemorates Martin Luther’s bold act in 1517, when he nailed his 95 Theses to the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This public protest challenged the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences—payments for forgiveness—and called for sweeping reform.
By confronting the Church’s authority and doctrine, Luther reclaimed the biblical truth of salvation by faith alone, igniting what became the Protestant Reformation. His theses were rapidly translated and circulated across Germany, sparking widespread theological debate and transformation.
Celebrated primarily by Protestants, Reformation Day marks the beginning of the most dramatic reform in Christian history. Luther’s courageous stand against the only Christian institution of his time reshaped the faith and laid the foundation for Protestantism.
As Dr. Ray Pritchard writes:
“On Reformation Day, we pause to give thanks to God for Martin Luther and for the recovery of the gospel truth that we are declared righteous in the eyes of God solely based on what Jesus Christ accomplished for us in his bloody death and victorious resurrection.”
What exactly were Luther’s 95 theses – click HERE
(updated 10/24/25)
