Many parents who have young children have recently found themselves watching 100 minutes of plastic bricks animated with stop-motion magic: the block-buster ‘Lego Movie.’ Other fans of the little bricks have put their collections of figures and bricks through various permutations in recreating scenes that represent key events in the life of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. After all, Lego was invented in the Lutheran country of Denmark, so it seems appropriate t

Martin Luther said, "When I feel that I have become cold and joyless in prayer because of other tasks or thoughts I take my little psalter, hurry to my room, or if it be the day and hour for it, to the church where a congregation is assembled." We will follow Luther's example this morning for there is no better way to start a season of prayer than by singing a psalm; Psalm 40:1-5. On this morning of prayer that has been specially convened by our Presbytery we have assembled f

Dr Albert Mohler, the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, was travelling to preach at the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. His subject was Luther’s hymnody. His flight was experiencing problems because of the weather. Dr Mohler was spending some time doing some reading Luther. The flight attendant noticed this and asked, “Why are you reading about Luther?” Dr Mohler explained that he was travelling to speak on Luther’s contribution to hymnody. Sh

Meantime, in a 'welding shop' outside Portadown, another man (Phil Hartin) is busy getting a substantial base ready for our fly press – the core of our reproduction of the old Gutenberg Press. It is our plan that each person who visits the Reformation Room will be able to stamp out their own message, for example, "Thank you for visiting the Reformation Room. 'The Just Shall Live By Faith' Romans 1:17."

Yesterday witnessed a push in the Reformation Room(s) wallpapering programme: both anterooms that are adjacent to our main Reformation Room received some treatment. Jim Lockhead and Ian Jenkinson added their wallpapering talents to those of Peter Lunn that were already in play in recent days, resulting in a few 'stone' and 'wood panelled' walls taking on serious shape. We are delighted to see another step forward in the Luther exhibition at Martyrs.

Further recommended reading on this subject: 1. A discussion on the appearance of "salvation by grace" in the Old Testament Scriptures: 'Grace in the Old Testament' by Art Farstad: http://faithalone.org/magazine/y1991/91oct1.html 2. A hymn jointly authored by Philip Doddridge and Augustus Toplady, 'Grace 'Tis A Charming Sound.' 1 Grace, ’tis a charming sound, Harmonious to mine ear; Heaven with the echo shall resound, And all the earth shall hear. 2 Grace first contrived th

On 15 March 1517, Pope Leo X authorised a plenary indulgence (essentially a payment for sin) in order to finance the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It was the brazen hawking of this indulgence that outraged Dr. Luther and inspired The 95 Theses, which sparked the Protestant Reformation.

This video by Premier Travel Media may be less than 5 minutes in length, but it opens the door to those places where the life of Martin Luther was played out. Whether you’re planning a trip to Germany to follow the footsteps of the great Protestant Reformer, or simply looking for a short pictorial summary of his life, this little compilation is worth watching. [ For Video and Further Information check: http://religioustravelplanningguide.com/take-your-group-to-germany-for-the

This is one of the most striking images to be seen among the vast number of broadsheets directed by the Reformers against the Roman Catholic church. The image of the Devil perched on the shoulders of a monk, whose head forms the bagpipe and through whose ears and nose he "plays his tune,” is pungent: the idea that monks were the instruments of the Devil was a common one and resulted in numerous woodcuts showing them as thinly disguised monsters. Scribner has commented that th

On this 500th anniversary year of the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholicism is once again demonstrating the key role it plays as the creator and maintainer of Mary worship. One of six statues of Our Lady of Fatima, blessed by Pope Francis at the beginning of the year, is today concluding its tour of Northern Ireland. The Irish News notes how, “In a celebration of 100 years since the Virgin Mary appeared to three children in the Portugese village, the three-foot-high statu