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Fruit of the Reformation: The Centrality of Sally Preaching
by Captain Marion
Platt
In a recent article, General Shaw Clifton
(R) reminded readers that we "owe much to Luther's emphasis on
the authority and authenticity of the scriptures".
Indeed, the Army's doctrine and heritage of preaching
is deeply tied to the reformer’s emphasis on both the
sufficiency of Scripture and primacy of preaching.
On this 500th anniversary of the Reformation, it’s
worth our time to reflect on Martin Luther's apparent belief
that:
Preaching should be
primary.
There were many reasons for preaching’s decline in the
medieval church, most notably its capitulation to earthly
authority (namely, the office of the pope) and its emphases on
mass and sacramental observance as the primary means of grace.
Luther’s theses state that "the true treasure of the
church is the most holy gospel"; he later asserted that what
makes the “church beautiful and holy… is the Word of God and
sound preaching".
Catherine Booth would later add the warfare
of her own words: “I have to preach the truth - the beautiful,
whole, round, diamond, luminous with Divine light [truth], and
not a base, muddy, paste imitation”.
When properties, pennies, programs, or
anything-else-at-all becomes primary for the Army, the pulpit
fades from its saliency and soldiers lose proficiency in
wielding their principal weapon:
the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17b)
Preaching should be
pragmatic.
Pre-Reformation sermons were often delivered "in Latin, which
most people could not even understand.”
A superior theologian, Luther granted that his
preaching was tailored "to the circumstances of the common
people,” and he trained Wittenberg theology students to
"preach for the sake of plain people".
Booth challenged Army
officers similarly: "Explain the truth you present in the
simplest language you can find”.
Early church fathers described the gospel as both
shallow enough that a child could splash, and deep enough that
a theologian could drown. Pragmatic
preaching reaches both the
simple splasher and
the strong swimmer.
Preaching should be
prophetic.
Luther believed that “preaching is not the work of men,” and
that if God isn’t speaking through the preacher, “it is time
for him to be quiet.”
Ever a proponent of the preacher as forth-teller,
Luther emphasized that sermons should always address “the
issues which deal specifically with your time – [else] you are
not preaching the gospel at all.”
The Salvation Army’s foundation is in the
prophetic tradition, in fact Booth considered Isaiah 58:6-12
to be the “Salvation Army Charter.”
The Spiritual Life Commission's
Call to Our Life in the
World references the Army's prophetic witness.
Consistent with God’s purpose for raising up the Army,
our preaching and practice is best when we, in the words of
Booth, “encircle the world with our arms.”
The Salvation Army’s emphasis on preaching,
then, has its roots in the Reformation, its shoots in a Quaker
graveyard, and its fruits in our prophetic orthopraxy which,
when we’re at our best, "Seeks justice [and] encourages the
oppressed" (Isaiah 1:17, NIV).
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