The doctrinal, ecclesiastical, and ritual reforms that made up the Reformation ultimately had a pastoral goal.

No doctrinal dispute has ever been contested more fiercely or with such long-term consequences as the one over justification. There were other ancillary issues debated in the 16th century, but none so central or so heated as this.

Though dozens of events are planned this year to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, Mark Ryan hopes that Covenant Theological Seminary’s (CTS) lecture series, Sept. 29-30, will examine the milestone with a unique perspective.