Reformation Women
Fall 2023
Before the Reformation in the 1500s, life was very dark, especially for women because the Roman Catholic church dominated all areas of life. Young women and even girls, rich and poor, were handed over to the church and entered convents. Although it was thought to be special, convent living was not glamorous. The women went to bed by 8:00 p.m., were awakened at 1:00 a.m. to gather for prayer, and returned to bed until 6:00 a.m. Some were not allowed to talk, and some lived in cells alone. The church governed so much of life which revolved around the church calendar, confessions, penance, and much fear. The convent lifestyle was considered more prestigious than marriage and the duties of loving husband and children, and keeping a home were minimized compared to “holy,” celibate, convent living.
The Reformation brought many revolutionary changes to women’s lives and circumstances. God saved and raised up men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli and others who preached truth—the truth of God’s grace to sinners sunken in sin. They brought the Bible to the people in their own language. They preached the forgiveness of sins by Christ’s sacrifice. They taught people to love God and their neighbors. They taught the truth regarding marriage, vocation, and motherhood.
Written sermons made their way into convents where the nuns read them and believed. When a group of twelve nuns escaped a convent in Wittenberg, they left with no money and no other provisions. Families in Wittenberg housed them, fed, and helped them. Three returned to their families while most married and one began a school for girls.
Katherine Von Bora was the last nun left unmarried in Wittenberg. She refused to marry any of the possible husbands. After a change of his own mind, Martin Luther determined to marry Katie, and they soon tied the knot. They set up housekeeping in an abandoned monastery with forty bedrooms! After whitewashing all the walls with lime and making many repairs, the Luthers extended hospitality to ex-monks and preachers, to refugees of all kinds—orphans, tutors, scholars, students. Katie managed to grow vegetables, keep livestock, and catch fish for the meals. Martin’s health improved under Katie’s care and cooking. Together they raised six children besides four orphans and several nieces and nephews. With the help of her aunt and a couple of servants, Katie managed her household, two farms, and the family finances.
Martin’s table talks were so popular that people were on a waiting list to attend dinner and the table talk at the Luthers’ home. Martin would discuss subjects of interest—the Reformation, academic subjects, and even current news. Katie fed, clothed, housed, loved, nursed, and supported people, thus freeing Martin to follow his calling. Martin highly valued Katie, who was his comforter and companion.
Katie was only one of many women who turned to Christ during that time. Some were pastors’ wives like Katie while others were royalty. The women of that day feared God, believed the gospel, embraced salvation by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone as they learned it from the Bible in their language. They lived out God’s mandate to marry, have children, manage a home, and support the poor and needy. They were hearty, steadfast, courageous first-generation Reformation believers who saw the diminishing of the Roman Catholic system they had grown up in. What examples they are for us today! May we love and serve God, doing good to others both in our own homes and communities, as fervently as those women did in their day!
Mrs. B. Mooney