Today is both Halloween and Reformation Day. Though the overlap of these days may seem like a coincidence, that is likely not the case. October 31, 1517, marks the unofficial beginning of the Protestant Reformation. It is the day on which Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg. It was the circulation of these theses that started the maelstrom of controversy that ultimately resulted in the Reformation.
However, rather than just being a regular day, Luther likely chose this day to post his theses because of its significance. October 31 is All Hallows' Eve (commonly shortened to Halloween). It is a day of preparation for November 1, which is All Saints' Day (or All Hallows' Day). All Saints' Day is a day of feasting and worship in which the church is called to remember the lives of the saints who have gone before. This is followed by All Souls ’ Day on November 2, which is a day to pray for those in Purgatory.
The significance of these days to Luther and his 95 Theses is that he wrote the theses against the sale of indulgences. Indulgences are a dispensation of grace given by the Roman Catholic Church to cleanse one of the temporal punishments of sin. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is these temporal punishments that people suffer in Purgatory. John Tetzel had been selling indulgences throughout the countryside, promising that if people paid for the building of the church of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, they would be able to be forgiven of these punishments either for themselves or for their loved ones in Purgatory.
Luther vehemently objected to the idea that simply paying money was a means of having punishment for sins taken away and to the idea that the people of God should be spiritually abused with false hope while being swindled out of their money. So, it is likely that he posted these Theses at this time in order to halt the elevated activities that would be taking place over these holy days as people hoped to save themselves and loved ones from Purgatory.
So, in the spirit of Reformation Day and All Saints' Day, it is good to take some time and remember the lives of those who’ve lived faithfully, to thank God for the inheritance we have in those who have recovered and guarded the truth in previous generations, and to seek to emulate the lives of the faithful as we seek to serve the Lord.
Happy Reformation Day to you all!