The Protestant Reformation has been recognized, even by secular historians, as one of the most influential events in “modern” history in the west. When Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, he lit a fuse that soon led to a glorious “explosion” of gospel truth that spread fruits of freedom widely throughout western civilization (please pardon the mixed metaphors here!). Few took note of it on that evening of All Saints’ Day, but within a few weeks, local printers had made copies of it, which were quickly and widely distributed so that these matters spread all across Germany.
The lasting impact was much broader than the theological issues Luther addressed. Under the second-generation Reformation influence of John Calvin (1509-1564) in Geneva, Reformation principles led directly to such things as quality university education (beyond literacy to liberal arts, beginning with the Geneva Academy), modern democracy (government by elected representatives), care for the needy (through diaconal mercy ministry to widows, orphans, the elderly, and inform), as well as evangelistic missions (with many young men trained and sent out from Geneva into France – most of whom were martyred – and across the Atlantic to Brazil).