Friday, October 16, 2026

It is the 16th of October 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

One of my favorite parts of my Reformation trip through Germany and Switzerland (go to GTItours.org to sign up now!) is our first day in Wittenberg- the sleepy hamlet in Saxony- a one-time far-eastern outpost of the Holy Roman Empire. We start at the monastery that became Luther’s House and then walk steps away to the Leucorea- the site of the University and where Philip Melanchthon lived and taught. But I point out that we have to continue walking down the street to get the whole story. The Reformation needed the preacher (Luther), and it needed the theologian (Melanchthon), but it needed a crucial third element if it was to reach the masses. Just yards from Melanchthon’s dwelling is the apothecary and printer's workshop of the Reformation’s most overlooked expositor- the painter of the early Reformation: Lucas Cranach the Elder.

 

We know very little about the early life of Lucas Cranach. A dated portrait from later in life seems to place his birth in 1472. We know that he was born in Kronach- hence his name- “Cranach”. His father was called Hans Maler- or “Hans the Painter”- we know he learned art from his father early on before he made his way to Vienna by 1502. There he made a name for himself amidst the booming art scene- enough of a name that in 1505 he was named the court painter to the new Elector of Wittenberg, Frederick the Wise. There, Cranach would be in charge of paintings and works for the elector but also a kind of city planner in charge of communal events. He would be awarded a herald- a symbol given to him of a winged dragon with a gold ring in its mouth- this would become the signature he would use on his paintings (and can be seen around the town today).

 

Cranach would build a reputation in town not only as the painter and printer but also as an apothecary, wine salesman and burgomaster. He welcomed the King of Denmark to his home in Wittenberg and made trips to Nuremberg where he met his friend- the famed Albrecht Durer.

 

Of course, everything was turned upside down in Wittenberg in 1517, and the question would be: to what extent would the town painter and printer adopt Luther’s ideas?

 

The answer seems to be: very quickly. In fact, Cranach and Luther became fast friends- Luther was the godfather to Cranach’s daughter, and when Martin and Katie secretly married, it was Lucas who was the witness (to the chagrin of Luther’s other friends who were not invited to the initial ceremony- later, a giant celebration, planned in part by Lucas, took up the whole city).

 

Cranach is a celebrated Renaissance artist- his works in the Coburg Castle (which we see on the trip) are worthy of recognition as art for art’s sake. But it was his theological paintings- his artwork for Luther’s bible and his altarpiece at St. Mary’s church in Wittenberg that took the concepts of the Reformation and presented them in pictorial form.

 

The triptych altarpiece at St. Mary’s recentered the purpose of the church- on the four panels you see Baptism, the lord’s Supper as well as the pastoral office of absolution and, on the bottom, a striking picture of Luther preaching by pointing to a Crucified Jesus. This was, to the early Lutheran Reformation, the purpose and work of the church- nothing more, nothing less. The characters in the paintings were local Wittenbergers, highlighting the individual's role in the church. Another famous piece, his “Law and Gospel,” portrayed the distinction between curse and promise with a tree splitting the picture in half. The Law or Curse side being pictures of death and damnation with parallels on the other side of the painting of a Risen Christ and the blessings associated with it.

 

Famously, his woodcuts for Luther’s Bible were so well done and popular that a Catholic edition borrowed the same images- this made it especially awkward when it was discovered that a picture of the anti-Christ in the book of Revelation was coded as Roman and Papal. Oops.

 

When the Protestant elector of Wittenberg was imprisoned, Cranach took leave to live near his master. He eventually settled down in Weimar near his former elector and worked until he died on this, the 16th of October in 1553. Lucas Cranach the Elder, born most likely in 1472 he was approximately 80 years old.

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and 1 Peter 5:

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
 but shows favor to the humble”

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 16th of October 2026 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man in Brewers Country- all of us right-thinking folks are with you and opposed to the new evil empire- he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who can’t wait for Blake Grupe to make everything right. One can hope. Go Rams. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.