It may come as a surprise that as the Gospel was ‘re-discovered’ in the 16th century reformation there were enormous changes to the family.
At the start of the 16th century approximately 10% of Western Europe were in holy orders. With the Reformation, monasteries and convents emptied. Priests and nuns were urged to marry and raise families. Martin Luther had a wonderful marriage to Katherina Von Bora and you can read their beautiful and funny letters to each other. She was quite the entrepreneur and this gift helped Luther’s writings be widely published.
The Reformation saw a ‘re-orienation’ of the ‘spiritual life.’ Instead of glorious monastic celibacy separated from the world, true spirituality was found in service and love. Luther famously wrote about the true glory of God being seen in the changing of infants nappies!
Now observe that when that clever harlot, our natural reason… , takes a look at married life, she turns up her nose and says, “Alas, must I rock the baby, change its nappies, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and sores… ? What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. It says, O God, because I am certain that thou hast created me as a man and hast from my body begotten this child, I also know for a certainty that it meets with thy perfect pleasure. I confess to thee that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or change its nappies, or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I, without any merit, have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? O how gladly will I do so, though the duties should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor, will distress or dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight… God, with all his angels and creatures is smiling—not because the father is changing nappies, but because he is doing so in Christian faith.
Why does he say this? Well, partly because he is a theologian of the cross rather than a theologian of glory. God is known not by mystic contemplation of the unknowable but by his revelation at the Cross. The Christian life is the way of the cross, not the way of glory. This was seen to match the Bible’s concern for the household and relationships within it. The pastoral epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus) encourage the selection of church leaders who are able to lead their own families well. It is hard for us to understand how scandalous this was seen in the 16th century.
The Reformation also saw a wide spread attempt to improve literacy and educate children. Why? Because of ‘Scripture Alone’ – if God is known through his word then you will want children to read. Reformers like Melanchton & Bucer brought about universal (yes – girls too!) education for the first time. That legacy is with us today. Slogans.
The Reformation and Changing Nappies
The 2003 movie ‘Luther’ with Joseph Fiennes tells the story well. If we can work out the technology we may show it after 6pm church on the last night of this preaching series.