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PROGRAM ON LUTHER'S SEAL We purchased felt pieces of black, white, red, blue, and gold, and cut them into the appropriate shapes in advance of the program. In the program, while we read the paragraphs of Luther's description and explanation of his seal, one of us standing up front, put the parts together: the black cross on the red heart, the red heart on the white rose, the rose on the blue sky, and the gold circle surrounding all. (Later, after the program, we glued together these parts and made a wall hanging of Luther's seal for our Fellowship Hall) Next, we handed out the "Quiz Sheet" of multiple choice questions about the Seal. Then we put away the model seal, handed out coloring pencils, and challenged everyone to draw her own version of the Seal. Although we had promised prizes for the best quiz and the best drawing, we found them all so good that we had the ladies draw "straws" for little prizes. Everyone could take home her picture and tell her children or grandchildren to put it up on the refrigerator. (After all these years of displaying art work of our offspring, isn't it now our turn at last?) Our program was educational and fun, too. Betty Amundson and Helen Lancer Martin Luther's Seal Since you wish to know whether my seal is well done, I shall gladly comply with your request by communicating to you the thoughts I originally desired my seal to embrace as indicative of my theology. First there is a cross, black on a heart in red, as its natural color. This is to remind me that faith in the Crucified saves us: for if one believes with the heart, one is justified. Now although it is a black cross, although it mortifies and is designed to inflict pain, it nonetheless allows the heart to keep its color, it does not destroy its nature, that is, it does not kill but keeps alive. (For the just lives by faith, but faith in the Crucified). Such a heart is to be centered on a white rose in order to indicate that faith yields joy, comfort, and peace and straightway beds one on a white, pleasing rose. Nor does faith yield the peace and joy of the world, Therefore the rose would be white and not red, because white is the color of the spirits and of all the angels This rose is on a field tinted with the hues of heaven to indicate that this joy in the spirit and faith is a beginning of the future heavenly joy, a joy which, to be sure, is even now present in faith and embraced by hope but is not yet revealed. And around this field runs a ring of gold to show that the blessedness of heaven endures forever and ever and is more precious than all pleasures and possessions of earth, as gold is the most precious and the noblest metal. (Letter sent from Coburg Castle to Lazarus Spengler. July 8 1530.)
1. Luther
intended it to be: B. A
colorful flag for the Castle Church at
Wittenburg C. An
expression of his thoughts on
theology A B C 2. The
cross indicates: B. Luther
felt sorrow C. Path
in the crucified saves us A B C 3. The
heart keeps its color because: B. Pain
brings suffering and blood C. Life
comes through faith in the Crucified
Christ A B C 4. Luther
chose a white rose to symbolize: B. The
approval of the world D. Faith
yields joy, comfort and peace, and is the color
of the spirits and of all the angels A B C 5. The field
on which the rose resides tells us: B. Sad
and blue are religious attitudes C. Joy in
the spirit and faith are the beginning of
heavenly joy, and blue is the hue of
heaven A B C 6. The
ring of gold shows that: B. Love
is forever C. The
golden blessedness of heaven endures forever and
is more precious than all the pleasures and
possessions of earth A B C |
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