Luther in Contemporary Culture
by Envoy Steve Bussey
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree - The Fruit of Luther in
Contemporary Culture
“First I shake the whole Apple tree, that the ripest might fall. Then I
climb the tree and shake each limb, and then each branch and
then each twig, and then I look under each leaf” - Martin
Luther
When Martin Luther first applied his apple
analogy, he was referring to how he studied the Bible. If one
were to study contemporary culture, one could find an orchard
of ripe ideas and practices which can be traced back to the
seeds planted by this Reformer. Dubbed, “the last medieval man
and the first modern one,” it is hard find a corner of society
not impacted by the epochal shift being commemorated by the
Reformation 500 celebrations.
Luther was a historical switchman - an
individual whose actions changed the direction of society,
moving all people towards a new destiny. Historian and media
ecologist Elizabeth Eisenstein identified Luther’s ideas,
mediated by Gutenberg’s printing press, as revolutionary.
These set in motion a belief that every person should have
access to the Bible in their own language in order to
personally know the beauty and freedom of grace straight from
the source. Driven by a need to reform the abuses of a Church
which had drifted from its founding vision, access to
Scripture in the vernacular of the masses would give birth to
Bible and missionary societies determined to reform society by
translating Scripture into every language for people of every
tribe and nation.
Access to Scripture meant that there was a
need for individuals to learn how to read. The need for
literacy ignited a revolution in education which would
challenge the justice of many societal norms - including
notions of laity, class, ethnicity, gender and age. Who should
have access to Scripture? Where can people meet and who can
share from Scripture? Who are we as individuals and groups in
light of these actions? As time pressed on, the legacy of
Luther’s influence wove through most of the defining moments
of history of western culture and more recently, global
culture.
The study of Scripture, modelled by Luther
fueled new forms of philosophical inquiry - centering the
individual as one who could question, form opinions, debate
and even protest. One wouldn’t simply believe an idea because
it was stated by a person of authority, this was to be
evaluated in light of ‘God’s Word’ as the Bereans did in Acts
17. For good or bad, this seed of self-identity would bear the
fruit of Descartes’ modern ratiocentic philosophy, captured in
the phrase “I think therefore I am.” which ushered in the age
of “enlightenment.” This spirit of inquiry and expression
would fuel creativity and curiosity giving rise to a culture
of experimentation in art, technology politics, business,
education and culture.
Five hundred years later, we live in a
similar era of dramatic epochal shifts. Rather than posting
our protests on the Wittenberg Door, many ‘post’ their
concerns on social media. While the methodology which Luther
employed might remain the same, the most critical question is
whether the source which fuels us is a fervent commitment to
Scripture as our only authority (sola
scriptura) or our own personal opinion (ex
mea sententia). Ultimately, the success of Luther’s
reformation and its’ continued impact on society was not the
technological innovation of the printing press nor the
audacity of his challenge, but rather this was found in the
character of the content of the message posted.
The ground is fertile
once again for a new reformation, but the fruit of the Spirit
(Gal. 5:22) will only blossom and ripen if our faith remains
rooted in Christ and His grace alone (Col. 2:7).
Soli Deo Gloria.
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