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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2017)
FAITH Friday, May 19, 2017 East Oregonian Page 7A BRIEFLY Luther and literacy HERMISTON — A wine tasting event raises money for the Catholic Daughters of America Marilyn Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund. The event is Saturday from 6:30-8 p.m. at The Bistro at Bellinger’s, 1823 S. Highway 395, Hermiston. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. In addition to wine tasting, the event features appetizers and a silent auction. For more information or tickets, call Kristi Smalley at 541-571-0997 or stop by Our Lady of Angels Church, 565 W. Hermiston Ave., Hermiston. On 500th anniversary of Reformation, legacy continues Wine tasting benefits Catholic Daughters scholarships Nazarene church hosts Ugandan Kids Choir HERMISTON — The Ugandan Kids Choir will perform in Hermiston. The public is invited to experience the unique worship experience. The 10-child choir will present traditional rhythmic dances and songs of Africa Sunday, May 28 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hermiston Church of the Nazarene, 1520 W. Orchard Ave. These children from Uganda have been given improved lives through child sponsorship including education through the years to secure jobs and a better future. As a sponsored mission of Childcare Worldwide, the choir participants receive education and other support to assist in a better future. For more about the choir, visit www.facebook. com/ugandankidschoir. For more about the Hermiston performance, call the church at 541-567-3677. Baptist church hosts movie night BOARDMAN — A movie about a high-powered executive who meets an angel is featured during family movie night in Boardman. “What If?” focuses on Ben Walker, who left his girlfriend and ministry calling for a business opportunity. The celestial visitor gives him a glimpse of what his life would have been like if he followed his true calling to be a preacher and family man. The public is invited to watch the flick Saturday at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 200 Willow Fork Drive, Boardman. The 2010 family drama is rated PG. There is no admission charge. Refreshments and popcorn will be available. For more information, call 541-481-9437. By RICHARD GUNDERMAN Indiana University T his year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s famous 95 Theses, which helped spark the founding of the Reformation and the division of Christianity into Protestantism and Catholicism. The 95 Theses critiqued the church’s sale of indulgences, which Luther regarded as a form of corruption. By Luther’s time, indulgences had evolved into payments that were said to reduce punishment for sins. Luther believed that such practices only interfered with genuine repentance and discouraged people from giving to the poor. One of Luther’s most important theological contributions was the “priesthood of all believers,” which implied that clerics possessed no more dignity than ordinary people. Less known is the crucial role Luther played in making the case for ordinary people to read often and well. Unlike the papacy and its defenders, who were producing their writings in Latin, Luther reached out Martin Luther in a 1533 painting by Lucas Cranach. to Germans in their mother tongue, substantially enhancing the accessibility of his written ideas. In my teaching of philanthropy, Luther’s promotion of literacy is one of the historic events I often discuss with my — Martin Luther students. Early years castle, where he remained for two people were not only capable Born in Germany in 1483, of interpreting the scriptures for Luther followed the wishes of his years. It was during that time that themselves, but that in doing so father to study law. Once, while they stood the best chance of caught in a terrible thunderstorm, Luther produced an immensely influential translation of the New hearing God’s word. He wrote, he vowed that if he were saved, Testament into German. “Let the man who would hear he would become a monk. Impact of Luther’s writing God speak read Holy Scripture.” Indeed, Luther later joined Gutenberg’s earlier Luther’s Bible helped form the austere Augustinian order, introduction of the printing press a common German dialect. and became both a priest and in 1439 made possible the rapid Prior to Luther, people from a doctor of theology. Later he dissemination of Luther’s works different regions of present-day developed objections to many throughout much of Europe, and Germany often experienced church practices. He protested their impact was staggering. great difficulty understanding the promotion of indulgences, Luther’s collected works run one another. Luther’s Bible the buying and selling of to 55 volumes. It is estimated translation promoted a single clerical privileges, and the that between 1520 and 1526, German vernacular, helping to accumulation of substantial some 1,700 editions of Luther’s bring people together around a wealth by the church while works were printed. Of the six to common tongue. peasants barely survived. seven million pamphlets printed Expanding literacy Legend has it that on Oct. 31, This view, combined with the during this time, more than a 1517, Luther nailed his 95 wide availability of scripture, Theses to the door of the church quarter were Luther’s works, shifted responsibility for many of which played a vital in Wittenberg, the town where role in propelling the reformation scriptural interpretation from he was based. clerics to the laity. Luther wanted forward. He was branded an outlaw ordinary people to assume more Thanks to Luther’s translation for refusing to recant his responsibility for reading the of the Bible, it became possible teachings. In 1521, Pope Leo X Bible. for German-speaking people to excommunicated Luther from In promoting his point of view, stop relying on church authorities the Roman Church. His patron, Luther helped to provide one of and instead read the Bible for Frederick of Saxony, saved the most effective arguments for themselves. Luther from further reprisal universal literacy in the history of Luther argued that ordinary and had him taken in secret to a “Let the man who would hear God speak read Holy Scripture.” Seventh-Day Adventist Church Saturday Services Pendleton 1401 SW Goodwin Place 276-0882 Sabbath School 9:20 am Worship Service 10:45 am Western civilization. At a time when most people worked in farming, reading was not necessary to maintain a livelihood. But Luther wanted to remove the language barrier so that everyone could read the Bible “without hindrance.” His rationale for wanting people both to learn to read and to read regularly was, from his point of view, among the most powerful imaginable – that reading it for themselves would bring them closer to God. For much of Luther’s life, his remarkable output in theological treatises was exceeded only by his Bible commentaries. He believed that nothing could substitute for direct and ongoing encounters with scripture, which he both advocated for and helped to shape through his detailed commentaries. Reading to interpret truth Luther had many reasons to favor the dissemination of learning. He was a university professor. His 95 Theses were intended as an academic disputation. His teaching and scholarship played a crucial role in the development of his theology. Finally, he recognized the crucial role students would play in carrying his movement forward. So powerfully did Luther’s influence reverberate down through the ages that, during a visit to Germany in 1934, Rev. Michael King Sr. chose to change both his and his son’s name to Martin Luther King. MLK Jr., namesake of the great German reformer, would make full use of the power of free speech in catalyzing the American civil rights movement. In posting his 95 Theses, Luther was encouraging a vigorous exchange of ideas. The best community is not the one that suppresses dissent but one that challenges ideas it finds objectionable through rigorous argumentation. It is largely for this reason that the founders of the United States took so seriously freedom of religion, free association and the protection of a free press. Luther trusted ordinary people to discern the truth. All they needed was the opportunity to interpret what they read for themselves. ■ Richard B. Gunderman, MD, PhD, is a professor and vice chairman of the department of radiology at Indiana University, with faculty positions in pediatrics, medical education, philosophy, philanthropy, and liberal arts. Worship Community Redeemer Episcopal Church 241 SE Second St. Pendleton (541)276-3809 www.pendletonepiscopal.org Sunday Holy Communion 9:00 a.m. Wednesday Holy Communion Noon Weekly Adults Spiritual Life Group All Are Welcome Community Presbyterian Church St. Johns Episcopal Church Join Us On Our Journey With Jesus. 14 Martin Drive, Umatilla, OR 922-3250 Scripture, Tradition and Reason Worship: 10 AM Sunday School at 11:30 N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672 We are an all inclusive Church who welcomes all. Family service 9am Sunday Come meet Jesus at PENDLETON BAPTIST CHURCH 3202 SW Nye Ave Pendleton, OR 541-276-7590 Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Sunday Bible Classes 9:45 AM Sunday Youth Group 6:00 PM Mon. Community Women’s Study 9:30 AM & 6 PM Awana Kids Club (K-6th grade) Wed Men’s Study 6 PM MOPS meeting the 1st Thur of the Month 6 PM FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH in Mission for Christ LCMC Bible Study.........9:00 AM Sunday Worship......10:30 AM Red Lion Hotel ( Oregon Trail Room ) www.faithpendleton.org Grace Baptist Church 555 SW 11th, Hermiston 567-9497 Nursery provided for all services Sunday School - 9:30 AM Worship - 10:45 AM 6:00 pm Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM “Proclaiming God’s word, growing in God’s grace” P eace L utheran C hurch 210 NW 9th, Pendleton ELCA Join us Sundays 9:30 Sunday Worship 9:30 am am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Fellowship 11:00 am Sunday School & Adult Class ~Come and be at Peace ~ on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday We off er: Sunday School • Sign Language Interpreters • Nursery • Transportation • & more! Pastor Dan Satterwhite 541.377.4252 417 NW 21st St. • Pendleton, OR 97801 www.facebook.com/ PendletonLighthouseChurch Worshiping God OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR www.graceandmercylutheran.org Sunday Worship 8:45 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School Check Out our Facebook Page or Website for More Information FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM 712 SW 27 TH ST. 541-276-1894 www.fcogpendleton.com 541-289-4535 Tom Inch, Pastor Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA (First United Methodist Church) 191 E. Gladys Ave. / P.O. Box 1108 Hermiston, Oregon 97838 LCMC Wednesday Healing School 6:00pm Sunday Service: 10am & 6pm Tuesday Kingdom Seekers: 7pm Wednesday Bible Study: 7pm Faith Center Church Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Sunday Worship 10:00am PENDLETON LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH Sunday worship at 11:00 AM 420 Locust St. • Boardman, OR 541-481-6132 Colin Brown, Pastor First United Methodist Church Pendleton 352 SE 2nd Street, Pendleton OR Sunday Worship 9am • 541-276-2616 Worship Broadcast on KUMA 1290 @ 11am Worship Livestream at www.facebook.com/FUMCPendleton/ Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor Youth Classes: Nursery - 6th grade Sun & Wed Jr & Sr High Discipleship Program Wed Overcomer’s Outreach Tuesday at 6:00pm - Annex A Christ-centered, 12-Step Recovery Support Group Pastor Sharon Miller 401 Northgate, Pendleton 541-278-8082 www.livingwordcc.com To share your worship times call Terri Briggs 541-278-2678 Loving People 108 S. Main • 276-9569 Sunday Worship 10:30 am Sr. Pastor, Ray O’Grady pendletonfaithcenter.org FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH -Presbyterian Church (USA)- 201 SW Dorion Ave. Pendleton Service of Worship - 10:00 am Children’s Sunday School - 10:20 am Fellowship - 11:00 am www.pendletonpresbyterian.com Open Hearted... Open Minded BAHA’I FAITH “The Unity of All Mankind” Pendleton Baha’i Center at 1015 SE Court Place Devotions Sundays @ 11:00am; Everyone invited! (541) 276-9360 visit us at www.pendletonbahais.org
