Below is the cover for the new priesthood lesson manual for 2017. This year's LDS curriculum will involve studying the life and teachings of President Gordon B. Hinckley. When I saw the cover of the manual I immediately noticed the large portrait on the wall looming behind President Hinckley. No, it is not portrait of Jesus Christ, nor even of Joseph Smith.. but it is a painting of Brigham Young. Anyway.. thought that was interesting, but I digress.
Section 2:The Renaissance and Reformation helped prepare the way for the restoration of the gospel.
Somehow, in that long season of darkness, a candle was lighted. The age of Renaissance brought with it a flowering of learning, art, and science. There came a movement of bold and courageous men and women who looked heavenward in acknowledgment of God and His divine Son. We speak of it as the Reformation.
Reformers worked to change the Christ church, notably such men as Luther, Hus, Zwingli, and Tyndale. These were men of great courage, some of whom suffered cruel deaths because of their beliefs. Protestantism was born with its cry for reformation. When that reformation was not realized, the reformers organized churches of their own. They did so without priesthood authority. Their one desire was to find a niche in which they might worship God as they felt He should be worshiped.
While this great ferment was stirring across the Christian world, political forces were also at work. Then came the American Revolutionary War, resulting in the birth of a nation whose Constitution declared that government should not reach its grasping hand into matters of religion. A new day had dawned, a glorious day. Here there was no longer a state church. No one faith was favored above another.
After centuries of darkness and pain and struggle, the time was ripe for the restoration of the gospel. Ancient prophets had spoken of this long-awaited day.
All of the history of the past had pointed to this season. The centuries with all of their suffering and all their hope had come and gone. The Almighty Judge of the nations, the Living God, determined that the times of which the prophets had spoken had arrived. Daniel had foreseen a stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands and which became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Most are not aware that this year is the 500th year commemoration of the Reformation. It was on October 31, 1517 that Martin Luther began the reformation after publishing his 95 Thesis. A new website was posted today with a wealth of information about Martin Luther as well as all of the other key players in the Reformation. Here is the link to the website:
In addition to numerous essays, the website contains short videos vignettes. Below are links to the first installment of 3 videos commemorating the Protestant Reformation. Each video is about 4-5 minutes in length. More videos are underway to be posted on the youtube channel. Subscribers will be notified when new videos are uploaded.
Here are the three videos.