Unheralded

DAVE VORLAND: It Occurs To Me — Martin Luther At MIA

Garrison Keillor often said there are two kinds of Lutherans — those who take their religion very seriously and those who mostly don’t.

I’ve been accused of being in the second group, although my Norwegian grandfather, Hans Vorland, helped build the Bethany Lutheran Church near Wellsburg, N.D. Some Facebook friends know I recently had my grave marker placed in the cemetery there.

Be that as it may.

This post is about the magnificent Martin Luther exhibit being hosted by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, consisting of artwork, documents, objects and other materials connected to Luther that have never before been displayed in one location. Dorette and I stopped in today.

I shot the above iPhone photo of twin paintings by Lucas Cranach of Luther, a former Augustinian monk, and his wife, Katharina von Born, a former nun, shortly after they were married in 1525.

But my favorite artifact was a large open Bible.

Written on the pages in black ink in Luther’s hand are notes he made to himself as he wrestled with interpreting scripture from a Protestant point of view.

Take my word for it: this exhibit is worth a special trip to the Twin Cities.





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