Baylor’s Parchman Lectures on Oct. 24 and 25 Will Address Impact of Martin Luther

Media Contact: Terry_Goodrich, 254-710-3321

Follow Baylor Media Communications on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

WACO, Texas (Oct. 20, 2017) — Renowned theologian Robert A. Kolb, Ph.D., will present three lectures with a theme of “What Did Martin Luther Change, and Why?” as George W. Truett Theological Seminary hosts the annual Leo and Gloriana Parchman Endowed Lecture series Oct. 24 and 25.

This year’s lectures mark the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation. The series, established in 1999, enables Truett Seminary to bring renowned theologians from a variety of fields and disciplines to lecture on topics of need or interest to the church and Christian academic community.

Kolb is International Research Emeritus Professor for Institute for Mission Studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

TIME Magazine and A&E Biography placed Protestant reformer Martin Luther in the top five of their respective lists of the 100 most influential people of the past millennium.

Luther helped usher in the modern age of Western civilization by reforming the Church, said Brian Brewer, Ph.D., associate professor of Christian Theology at Truett. Luther argued that salvation comes not by human works or contributions but by the grace of God alone, and Luther rebelliously translated the Bible into the native language of Germany — a move which contributed to a rise in literacy in the West, Brewer said.

“Citizens of the world, whether Protestant or even Christian or not, have now been shaped by his contributions,” Brewer said.

“It seems appropriate for a leading evangelical, Protestant seminary to commemorate this time by reviewing the contributions of its first Protestant Reformer not only to the church but to the broader society,” Brewer said. “Dr. Kolb, one of the greatest scholars of Luther today, will present just what exactly Luther changed in his reform efforts 500 years ago, what Luther intended and what actually resulted that has made our world what it is today.”

The lectures will begin with a presentation entitled “Luther’s Redefinition of Being Christian: From Ritual to Proclamation” at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, in Paul W. Powell Chapel of George W. Truett Theological Seminary, 1100 S. Third St.

The series will continue at 7 p.m. that day with Kolb speaking on “Luther’s Language Games: The Reformational Transformation of Theological Terms.”

The lectures will conclude with Kolb’s presentation of “Luther on Conspicuous Consumption: A New Ethic for Everyday Life” at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the George W. Truett Theological Seminary website.

by Joy Moton , student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.