October 31, 1517

"This volume is small but weighty and a solid addition for all modern Christianity collections." —Ray Olson, Booklist With a foreword by James Martin, this classic reader on the Reformation by Martin Marty answers the question: Why is the Reformation relevant today? Most importantly, this book is about how the Reformation impacts us devotionally as Christians of any denomination. Accessible for church groups or personal reading, this is not a historical narrative of Reformation events, but an explanation of the issues that led to Luther's posting of the 95 Theses and their implications for the Church and the world. As one of the world's preeminent Luther scholars, Martin Marty also explores the concept of repentance as a central theme of the Theses. In a foreword, James Martin, SJ, offers context and a shared vision. This year began with the joint ecumenical commemoration in Lund, Sweden, on October 31, 2016, attended by Pope Francis and members of the Lutheran World Federation and other Christian churches. Martin Marty explains how this event, and indeed all ecumenical dialogue that has happened over the past few hundred years and will happen in this coming year, represents a change of heart. "Valuable insight." – Kathleen Norris