Ronda Wenzel, of San Antonio, TX, is the guest blogger today. Each month she writes, for her synod, a brief item beginning with a song
from the "Luther: The Rock Opera."
Students! (No trouble at all)
“No trouble at all…” the very phrase in English implies that there is DEFINITELY going to be at least SOME trouble. The next song to engage
with from Luther: The Rock Opera is “Students!” In this song, the narrator is speaking to Elector Frederick about how to really put Wittenberg on the
map. Wittenberg, in 1513, is already known for Frederick’s whopping collection of odd relics which pilgrims could “adore” to score points that would shorten their time in
Purgatory. And Wittenberg had a new University (every electorate town needs a university, Frederick knew that)… but a little extra “somethin’ somethin’” was
needed: Luther!
“Hey!,” the singer points out, “Why don’t you get that smart young mind, Martin Luther, to teach at the University? He’ll bring in STUDENTS and
they’ll boost this backwater town to a higher level. Martin Luther won’t be any trouble at all.” When Martin moved to Wittenberg, it was the humblest and least populous place
Luther had ever lived.
Luther began teaching at the University and showed himself to be exactly what they had thought: very bright and very capable. His responsibilities
grew and grew: professor, preacher, the vicar of eleven area monasteries… he was even the “warden of a fish-pond in Torgau.” As promised, Luther was “no trouble at all” to Elector Frederick. The
University did expand and Wittenberg grew in prestige.
Luther continued to read, study and pray… always searching for perfection in all he did, in order to please God. It is thought that his mentor, von
Staupitz, gave Luther so many responsibilities to keep Luther’s mind from endlessly enumerating his many perceived sins. But we, here, in the 21st century know that
Frederick did in fact have a "troublemaker" on his hands. Luther turned out to be a lot of trouble for Frederick, turning the eye of Rome toward his little
town… but we’re not there yet… Luther hasn’t had his “on the john” experience at this point… he’s still a fastidious, pious thinker.
Come visit the University where Luther taught! Walk with us down the streets he would have walked as he ran hither and yon to preach at the Town
Church and teach at the Leucorea which is what the University was called in Luther's day -- the Greek translation of Wittenberg, or White Mountain -- when it because the most important
university in all of Europe.
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