baptism/luther Essay

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ESSAY QUESTION

“ Go into the world and proclaim the good news to the whole of creation”

Explain the way in which Christianity has continued to enable adherents to respond to Jesus commissioning of the disciples?

Throughout history Christianity’s dynamic and living nature has continued to influence adherents in following Jesus’s expressions of the faith, of which upholding the key beliefs, reminiscent of the teachings commissioned to the disciples within the era. Through the works of fundamental theologians such as Martin Luther as well as rituals and traditions practiced by adherents, Christianity’s dynamic and living characteristics have continued to live through the adherents propagating Jesus’ teachings onwards to the present day.

Martin Luther, as a baptized adherent of the Christian church, inspired by the ‘good news’ aspired to challenge the occurrences within his context. Luther’s ‘Commissioning’ compelled him ‘to respond’ to the context of his time. Luther was propelled to revitalize the dysfunctional aspects and practices of the 16th century Christian church. Within Luther’s research he discovered a pivotal quote governing his ideologies of the time. “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28). Luther’s finding in turn shaped his theologies of ‘sola fide’ and ‘sola scripture’. Luther’s translation of the bible into the vernacular further allowed the ‘good news’ to become widely accessible. Through Luther’s theologies and translation of the bible, the newly revitalized faith enabled the adherents to become in tune with the core values ‘commissioned’ by Jesus. With Luther’s reformed perspectives of the church, it further enabled the adherent to thus go forth and ‘proclaim’ the faith ‘to the whole creation’. Luther’s response to Jesus’ commissioning has provided Christian adherents with a new perspective enabling them to ‘proclaim the good news’.

This Notion is furthered as Luther’s theologies inspired many including Calvin, Knox, Zwingli and those who were affected by the Evangelical awakening to ‘proclaim’ their newfound ideologies and understandings of faith. As Luther strived to ‘commission’ these theories to new people; an inevitable variant of Christianity was formed known as Protestantism. These movements broke out in Switzerland, the UK and France led by Zwingli, Knox and Calvin respectively. Many reformers responded to their ‘commissioning’ by focusing on different aspects of faith. Zwingli, for example, further explored the ideologies surrounding consubstantiation stating that the bread and wine were purely representative of the body and blood of Christ. Despite these differing expressions of faith, the ‘Proclaiming’ of the ‘good news’ continued to remain at essence. Furthermore the Evangelical Awakening was paramount in enabling adherents to respond to ‘Jesus commissioning’. As this era of spiritual renewal Spread to Europe, Asia and North and South America, adherents responded to there ‘commissioning’ with increased enlightenment. In this way, and through such reformation movements, it is evident how ‘Christianity has continued to enable adherents’ to respond to and ‘proclaim’ their faith.

Luther’s theologies encompassed the idea of 2 key sacraments rather than the traditional 7. This allowed the adherents to focus on the core beliefs ‘commissioned’ by Jesus
Luther, as he responded to his context, narrowed down the expression of faith through sacramental nature to the rites of Baptism and Eucharist. Of these, Baptism is substantial as the adherent is resultantly cleansed of original sin and granted new life within the Christian community. Encompassed by the Holy Spirit and Jesus as the vital role model, Christian adherents are spiritually reborn into ‘the world’ and ‘proclaim the good news to the whole of creation’. The baptized candidate undertakes a life commitment as they ‘proclaim’ their faith throughout their daily
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