September 28, 2017 – An exhibit at Concordia Historical Institute (CHI), “Pressed into Service by the Word of God,” features rare books and coins from the time of Martin Luther and the Reformation that began on Oct. 31, 1517.
“For 500 years, both the printing press and the coin press have given witness to the truths of the Word of God rediscovered,” notes CHI Executive Director Rev. Dr. Daniel N. Harmelink.
“But more importantly, the exhibit focuses on men and women pressed into service for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.”
Artifacts such as Martin Luther’s 1555 “Articles of Christian Teaching” (also known as the “Smalcald Articles”) spelling out the differences between Lutherans and Roman Catholics – at top left of display – are part of Concordia Historical Institute’s “Pressed into Service by the Word of God” exhibit, open through Nov. 9, 2018. Photo: Concordia Historical Institute/Daniel Harmelink.
The theme of the exhibit is tied to Luther’s confession at the Diet of Worms on April 18, 1521: “I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted; my conscience is captive to the Word of God.”
Harmelink considers the exhibit “a special opportunity to view choice books, coins and medals – some from the 16th and 17th centuries – from Concordia Historical Institute’s Rare Book Collection and Reformation Coin and Medal Collection.”
These artifacts, he adds, are “rarely on exhibit and have been hand-selected to give a fresh and challenging perspective on the Reformation and its ongoing influence over the last 500 years.”
For more information about the exhibit or CHI, call 314-505-7900 or visit the CHI website.
Concordia Historical Institute is the Department of Archives and History of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and the largest archive of Lutheran history in North America.