Luther's Stand

This is a photo of one of many statues of Martin Luther in northern Europe.  Copies of this and similar statues are found on campuses of various Lutheran colleges and seminaries in the United States. 


When attending Concordia University, St. Paul and later at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, I joined other students each Reformation Day morning to stand before the statues of Luther to hear the reading of Scripture, pray and sing several Lutheran hymns. Of course we always sang "A Mighty Fortress," Luther's hymn based on Psalm 46. This was one of the ways by which the faculties of those institutions helped us to retain our identity as Lutherans and believers in Jesus Christ.

Above is the statue at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. 

What is the purpose of these statues? And why should we Lutherans want to have statues, busts, paintings and other images of Luther in our churches and schools? Obviously, these images remind us of Luther, what he did and what his call to reformation means for us Christians even over five hundred years later, not only in Europe or the United States, but throughout the world. Our purpose is certainly not to worship Luther, the man, but to remember what he taught and what he stands for.  


Most of these statues show Luther pointing to the Scriptures or holding a Bible. When called before the Diet of Worms to recant his writings, he refused because he was convinced that what he wrote was based upon the inspired Scriptures. He is quoted as saying, "Hier stehe Ich, Ich kann nicht anders" (Here I stand, I can say no more). This stand brought about the world-changing reformation of the Christian Church.

On this Reformation Day I find myself pondering these memories and praying that we of the 21st century Lutheran churches may have the courage and strength to follow Luther's example. Without the heritage of the Holy Scripture we surely are in danger of losing Him to whom they testify. As Jesus said, ". . . it is they that bear witness about me" (John 5:39).