Christians around the world are poised to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 It was on that day in the year 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany, beginning what now know as Protestant Christianity.
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, MI is set to host a conference reflecting on this occasion, on Monday, October 30 and Tuesday, October 31, 2017. The gathering is entitled, "That They May be One: A Time of Remembrance & Reflection on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation." While we Orthodox were not involved in the Reformation, it has influenced the world we live in to a great extent, and we have definite views on the issues that both led to and came out of the Reformation. We are inviting the Christian community in our area to hear our perspectives and to hear theirs. Following opening remarks by host pastor Fr. Michael Nasser, and the mayor of Kentwood (where St. Nicholas is located) Stephen Kepley, His Grace Bishop ANTHONY will be offering the keynote address at 7 PM at October 30. We have employed a variety of means to invite the Christian community of our area, including a direct mailing to almost 1,000 churches in a three county area. The goal of this conference will be to engage in dialogue within our Christian community with a view toward greater interaction and development of respectful relationships.