Jan Laski

493 years ago, on October 31 in Wittenberg, Germany, Martin Luther nailed his now-famous 95 Theses (protests against the Catholic Church for clerical abuses) on the door of the Castle Church, marking the beginning of a centuries-long movement towards Protestant Christianity based on the glory of God alone, grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone, and Christ supreme and alone. Today, over 500 million Christians worship in churches based on the theology and doctrine of the Reformation.

Our church commemorated this important event by holding a Reformation Banquet. Part of the evening's festivites was a presentation from each family on a specific reformer of their choice. We chose to do a little-known reformer by the name of Jan Laski (pronounced Yon Woskee) who nevertheless had a large influence on Europe. For your viewing pleasure, I've uploaded our skit--enjoy!

In Laski's Own Words:
“In brief, to make known to thee also the benefit and kindness of the Lord towards me, I was once a Pharisee of repute, adorned with many titles and dignities, splendidly endowed with many and rich benefices from the days of my boyhood; but now, after I have voluntarily left all this behind through the grace of God, after I have given up my country and my friends, because I saw that I could not live in the midst of them according to Christ’s mind and spirit, now I am in a strange land only a poor servant of my poor Lord Christ, crucified for me, lately here minister of the Church, to make known the doctrine of the Gospel, after the will of Him who, of His compassion, has called me out of the net of the Pharisees into His flock.”

“Thus now restored to myself by God’s grace, I venture, according to my little ability, to serve that Church of Christ which once, in my Pharisaism and ignorance, I hated, and pray God He will, in His mercy, not despise my humble mite beside the brilliant gifts of others, after the example of the widow in the Gospel, but will vouchsafe to make use of it for the edification of His Church.”

Laski died in 1560, leaving his translation of the Polish Scripture for others to finish and his dream of reforming Poland unrealized. His influence on Western Civilization and Christendom, however, was enormous, and can still be seen today.

Want to learn more about Laski? Check out this scholarly book available online and this well-informed article.

For more on the Reformation, check out this resource.