Martin Luther is one of the most controversial figures in church history. His vulgarity and antisemitism, among other issues, are well documented. They say that Protestants appreciate Luther, but no one wants all of Luther.

While the problems with Luther are clear, we needn’t succumb to a revisionist view of history and throw the baby out with the bathwater.  We can and should celebrate this world-changing theologian’s championing and heralding of the gospel of God’s grace.

Equally resonant – and refreshing – should be Luther’s viewpoint on the term “Lutherans.” He once lamented, “How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?" Tell us how you really feel! Despite his great accomplishments, Luther clearly, and modestly, shunned undue identification or personal allegiance to him.

Momentary side bar…. Everyone who claims to be a “Christian” grows up in a particular tradition, meaning a group that traces its lineage to a particular time, person, confessional statement or movement that held to certain truths or teachings. Broad Christian traditions could be anything from Protestant, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox to Mormonism. Each claims to represent true Christianity and each group should be vetted Biblically. Note well: that observation is certainly not an endorsement of the above-mentioned traditions, but rather a historical paradigm offered for the purpose of clarification. 

The Christian tradition I was raised in and still align with is the stream of Protestant/Fundamentalism. The term preferred by most today, including me, is simply Evangelicalism, as “Fundamentalism” has taken on a pejorative meaning as “extremist” though I cannot and will not deny what early Fundamentalists of the 20^th century stood for.

Yet Luther is correct in urging caution about aligning with the name of a particular individual. While it is probably impossible at this point to move away from these designations, Luther did not want people to be called “Lutherans” and it is certain Calvin would not have wanted people to be dubbed “Calvinists.”

Alarm bells should go off when men are naming institutions after themselves or calling for their students and followers to be overly identified with or pledge total allegiance to them. The reality is that all of us – Christian leaders included – have feet of clay and will disappoint at some point in one way or another, as Luther himself did.

The ultimate and absolute allegiance of all Christians, first named as such in Antioch, must be to Jesus.

Listen here to Luther, who led us to the truth of “Faith Alone,” and align your identity with “Christ Alone.”

Soli Deo Gloria!