2020 has been (if you’ll allow me to state the obvious) a turbulent year. The alleged pandemic, protests that aren’t as peaceful as the media claims and the U.S. election that threatens to plunge our country into socialism all vie for our attention. Understandably, 1517 is the last thing on our minds.

Should it be?

Right now, we’re living in extremely serious times. I’ll admit that church history doesn’t capture my attention the way it did a year ago. Again, that’s fairly understandable, I suppose. But it’s also rather disconcerting.

Even more disconcerting is the fact that I haven’t seen many other Reformed bloggers writing about the Reformation this year. We’re busy writing about so many other issues. Important issues, certainly, and issues that definitely require attention. I by no means wish to shame anyone for addressing contemporary topics. 2020 demands as much.

But maybe we forget that one rallying cry of the Reformation was ad fontes, which is Latin for “back to the sources.” The Reformation always points us back to the Bible.

Therefore, as we remember the Reformation this month, I believe the example of the 16th Century Reformers can teach us to keep going back to the Bible as we’re tempted to entangle ourselves in the concerns and controversies of 2020.

Not that we should ignore those concerns and controversies. When Martin Luther tacked his 95 Theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, he was actually addressing problems he saw in the 1517 church. He was confronting the issues of his time. Likewise, Christians in 2020 have every reason to speak truth to today’s society. As a matter of fact, we have the responsibility to do so.

In doing so, however, let’s also imitate those Reformers by going back to the sources. Scripture alone must guide our responses to the insanity around us. Studying the Reformation can show us how to go back to the Bible as we deal with COVID-19, the probability of a Socialist government and the rioting in our streets.

So let’s celebrate the Reformation this year. Let’s remember the Reformers who risked (and indeed often lost) their lives so that you and I could go back to the sources of Scripture.

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