This theme, “Liberated by God’s grace”, also frames the LWF’s approach to the 500th anniversary of Lutheran Reformation in 2017. It articulates two pivotal insights of Lutheran theology: the prevalence of God’s grace when it comes to justification, and the gift of freedom that results from God’s transformative action.
Using the central theme as the starting point, the Assembly structures its work around three sub-themes:
- Salvation - Not for sale
- Human beings - Not for sale
- Creation - Not for sale
The threefold “not for sale” captures a key insight that triggered Luther’s public opposition to ecclesial practices of his time. Unbeknownst even to Luther himself, his powerful enunciation of protest – that grace is a gift and not a good that can be exchanged for money – paved the way for the emergence of the Reformation movement.
The Commemoration of the Reformation 500th Anniversary combines elements of the local and the global, “Glocal”. The liturgy for the commemoration contains Namibian liturgical symbols and music combined with those from other places in the world. Both Assembly participants and members of local congregations in Windhoek and across the country will worship and share a meal together. We look forward to welcoming thousands of our Namibian sisters and brothers, adult, youth and children at this unique and special event in the life of the Lutheran global communion.