The Protestant Reformation is something that happened more than 500 years ago. It was a movement that spread across Europe and whether you know what it is or not; you should be aware that without it you would never know the freedom of being able to read the bible in your language and more. This is because during the time before the reformation, spiritual ignorance was a common problem. This caused corruption, even within the established churches of that time. It all started when John Wycliffe protested the fact that scriptures were chained up and written only in Latin, which made them inaccessible to people. It is something that he changed by translating it into English in 1382 and then was stripped of his position at Oxford, forbidden to preach, and after his death; exhumed and burned, but this did not stop the movement for reformation.
John Huss Steps in to Reformation
Hus believed in what Wycliffe wanted to do. He wanted to expose the fact that there was hypocrisy within the churches. He strived to elevate the truth of the scriptures. Eventually, his words were brought to an end because he was covered in tar and burned. More than a century later, it was Martin Luther who reignited the findings of these other men.
Martin Luther Takes Over
The only way to receive forgiveness for sins is to accept the free gift that God provides, and Luther wanted everyone to know it. Therefore, he refused to stand by and see people extorted by the charlatans. On October 31, 1517, he visited the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany and nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the church. It was his effort that would spark other European Reformers to stand up for what they believed in and made it possible for Christian practices and beliefs to change and become what it is today.
Without the efforts of these men and many others, our churches would not be what they are. It is because of them that you have the freedom of choice as it pertains to your choice of religion. This is why reformation is important to all.