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On The Five Hundredth Anniversary Of The Protestant Reformation


WHEREAS, October 31, 2017, marks the five hundredth anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation with Martin Luther’s nailing of the Ninety-Five Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany; and

WHEREAS, The Reformation stressed a return to the sufficiency and primacy of Scripture as the supreme guide for faith and practice in the church of Jesus Christ; and

WHEREAS, The Reformation was driven by the biblical conviction that sinners are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone based on Scripture alone to the glory of God alone; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists trace much of their theological heritage to the events, figures, and principles of the Magisterial Reformation and the Radical Reformation; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists particularly value the principles of the Reformation that inspired subsequent generations of Baptists to advocate for the religious liberty of all people; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 13–14, 2017, express our gratitude to God for the courage and conviction of our Reformation forebears; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves anew to the biblical convictions of the Reformation, calling all people everywhere to personal repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as taught by holy Scripture; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we will promote the sufficiency of Scripture, the power of Christ’s grace, and the personal accountability of all humanity before God even as we advocate for the fundamental right of all people to exercise religious liberty; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we will proclaim the priority and preeminence of Christ and His kingdom above all earthly powers to the glory of God alone.