Chaplains Chat

We live in a time where seemingly more and more voices are trying to downplay the effects and impact of history on our society. Significant historical people have gone before us and have done much to shape our culture and way of life. One of these was Martin Luther who lived in the 1500s in Germany and was pivotal in calling people back to the plain teaching of the Bible.

Luther reminded people of the great Biblical teaching that we are made right with God through ‘faith in Jesus’ alone.

Not through our own efforts or by buying indulgences to earn God’s favour. It was all because of what Jesus has done for us, that we can be made right with God. Luther’s actions set off a chain reaction throughout Europe that led to the split of the Church in what many of us know as the Protestant Reformation. While not Luther’s intent, he saw that standing up for the truth was important despite the cost.

Luther was keen for people to get back to teaching the Bible and its impact on people and society. Indeed, more recently, Vishal Mangalwadi has researched and written a book called The Book that Made your World.

He was born in India and raised a Hindu. He later became a Christian and investigated the difference between western culture and his home country of India. He was staggered by how much of the western culture is underpinned by the Biblical teaching and the strength of this in our judicial system, our desire to help the poor in society, the great insights of science and learning that have taken place in the west, and even the product of this in our economic system.

He saw all of these as positives for society. We would continue to do well to have a Biblical understanding of the teachings of Jesus and how this continues to shape so much of our society.

Reverend A Benn
School Chaplain