REFORMATION SKIT (Reader's Theater) Characters: Narrators 1-5: (21 reading lines each) Five teens or young adults reading the narration Johann Tetzel: (4 lines; 2 reading, 2 memorized) Dressed as a fat friar, peddles indulgences to the people Martin Luther: (3 lines; 1 reading, 2 memorized) wears monk outfit Hans: (1 line) Printer: wears apron, friend of Martin Luther Townspeople: (2 lines, in unison) wear medieval peasant clothing Townsperson 1-5: (3 short lines each) Duke Fredrick: (no lines) fancy clothing Emperor Charles V: (no lines) Wears robe and crown, presides over trial John Eck: (2 lines) Doctor of theology who questions Luther at trial

Props: wallet, cell phone, stethoscope, sword, crown, coins, money bags, treasure chest, cross, Papal Bull of Indulgence, Indulgences, poster for Fredrick's relics display, hammer, 95 theses, placard “Diet of Worms”, books from Luther, 5 Placards with Solas 1-5

Set Items: table, door, chair

(Narrators take position on stage and face the audience speaking slow and clear, with emphasis) N1: They say it's darkest just before the dawn. N2: Darkest-N3: Before Dawn. N4: In the year of our Lord 1517-N5: Medieval Europe was shrouded in darkness... N1: (holds up wallet) Financially; N2: (cell phone) Technologically; N3: (donning stethscope) Medically; N4: (brandishes sword) Politically; N5: But worst of all-ALL: SPIRITUALLY! (Enter townspeople, approach table, kneel and make sign of cross.) N1: In Rome, the Catholic Church was in trouble. N2: BIG trouble! N3: Pope Julius died without finishing his pet project-N4: St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. N5: And Pope Leo the Tenth was broke. N1: But light begins to dawn-N2: With the appointment of Albert of Mainz. N3: A special indulgence is issued; N4: The poor will be fleeced; N5: And the church will be eternally... ALL: RICH! (Enter Tetzel carrying box, Townsperson #1 with cross. Townspeople crowd around.) TP1: Make way! Make way for Friar Tetzel! He comes from Rome with good news! TETZEL: (places box on table then reads from Papal Bull of Indulgence) Listen you all! God and St.

REFORMATION SKIT (Reader's Theater) Peter call you. Consider the salvation of your soul and loved ones departed. Listen to the voices of your dearly departed saying, “Pity us! Pity us!” With a mere coin you can release them from torment for: As soon as the coin in the coffer rings The soul from Purgatory springs! TP2: How can we refuse our loved ones! TP3: (pushing forward with coin in hand) This is for my dear mother! TETZEL: (waves them back, holds indulgence high) This special indulgence, granted by our holy father, is guaranteed to forgive you of ANY sin, past or present. TP4: ANY SIN? TETZEL: ANY! TP5: (scrounges for 2 coins) One for my brother and one for me! Townspeople: (throng forward, anxiously dropping their coins into the chest and gratefully receiving their indulgences) Me too! I want one! Here's my coin! And etc... Hans: (turns to audience, indicates townspeople) This is madness! The Pope has taken leave of his senses! Doctor Luther must hear of this! (exits rapidly) (Townspeople crowd around quietly looking at their indulgences. Tetzel counts his money.) N1: In case you're wondering-N2: Martin Luther was not; N3: (show stethoscope) A doctor; N4: (draw sword) A soldier; N5: (place crown on head) A prince; N1: (opens wallet) Or a merchant. N2: He was a common monk; N3: A mere Priest; N4: An obscure Doctor of Theology. N5: But was soon to be known as-ALL: THE MONK WHO SHOOK THE WORLD! (Duke Fredrick enters and shoos Tetzel offstage during narration, then posts a notice for the All Saint's Day celebration.) N1: Tetzel was not permitted in Wittenburg-N2: Duke Fredrick saw to that! N3: For he had his own plans. N2: Indulgences for everyone! N4: Everyone who would pay to see his holy relics-N5: At the Castle Church-ALL: ON ALL SAINT'S DAY! (Duke Fredrick exits. Townspeople gather around door of church) N1: No one knew as they gathered-N2: Anxiously waiting for the relics to be revealed;

REFORMATION SKIT (Reader's Theater) N3: The events of that night would become legendary-N4: And Christendom would mark that date, N5: October 31, 1517, ALL: AS REFORMATION DAY! (Enter Martin Luther with purpose, carrying 95 theses and mallet, ignores crowd) TP1: It's Doctor Luther! ML: (posts theses on door, turns to audience) There! That will put a hole in his drum! (exits) TP2: (approaches door curiously) TP3: What does it say? TP2: I don't know. TP4: It's in Latin. TP5: Latin? TETZEL: (enters and surveys theses angrily) What?! This is blasphemy! Blasphemy! Blasphemy! TP2: What does it say? TETZEL: Go! Return to your homes all of you! Our holy father shall hear of this. (turns on heel, exits) (Townspeople disperse reluctantly) N1: Calling all scholars to a debate regarding indulgences, N2: Doctor Martin Luther posted his objections on the church door. N3: Ninety-five Objections-N4: To the sale of Indulgences, N5: Now known as-ALL: THE NINETY-FIVE THESES (Hans enters with paper and pen, approaches door cautiously, looking around stealthily, scribbles quickly on paper. Hands copies to the townspeople who begin reading it quietly.) N1: Never intending that his theses be made public; N2: Luther was shocked to discover that it had been translated, printed, and distributed-N3: In German! The Language of the People! N4: And the truth of his words resonated with the people; (Townspeople nod happily) N5: But the Pope and the clergy did not agree-N1: Four years; countless debates and books later, N2: Martin Luther was summoned before Emperor Charles the Fifth (enter Emperor and sit on chair) N3: To stand trial for heresy-- (enter Martin Luther and John Eck) N4: At the Deet of Verms N5: (holding placard) Also known as-ALL: THE DIET OF WORMS! Townspeople: EEEEWWWW! (Townspeople watching trial from side. Emperor watches passively as Eck questions Luther) ECK: (indicates books) Doctor Luther, are these books yours? ML: (rifles through them before answering)Yes, they are mine.

REFORMATION SKIT (Reader's Theater) ECK: Do you defend what you have written, or are you prepared to renounce them all? ML: (taking deep breath and speaking slowly but passionately) Unless I am convicted of my error by Scripture and plain reason, I cannot recant. My conscience is subject to the Word of God and to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me. Amen. (Shock on faces of Emperor, Eck, and townspeople. Exit Martin Luther. Townspeople turn and begin muttering to each other in excitement. Emperor and Eck gaze at each other in rage.) N1: How could such defiance go unpunished? N2: Everyone in the room knew that the days of Martin Luther were all but over. N3: Would he even live long enough to make the journey home? N4: What good were his books, his lectures, his debates now? N5: Martin Luther was a marked man! And the penalty was death! N1: But God's plans are not thwarted by mere men; N2: Through a simple monk, He opened the pathway to reformation-N3: Not only in Germany. But throughout all of Europe. N4: And it's rippling effect touches all of us today-N5: In what is known as-ALL: THE FIVE SOLAS OF THE REFORMATION! (Cast lines up for curtain call, Townspeople 1-5 line up behind their Narrator, Sound of Music style, “popping” out to say their lines.) N1: (holding Placard #1) SOLA GRATIA TP1: By grace alone! N2: (holding Placard #2) SOLA FIDE TP2: Through faith alone! N3: (holding Placard #3) SOLA CRISTO TP3: In Christ Alone! N4: (holding Placard #4) SOLA SCRIPTURA TP4: On the Scriptures Alone! N5: (holding Placard #5) SOLI DEO GLORIA TP5: To God alone be the Glory! (Cast sings in unison, then bows and exits stage) By Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, to God Alone be the Glory! In Christ Alone, on His Word Alone, to God Alone be the Glory! For by grace are ye saved through faith; Not of works lest any man should boast. By Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, to God Alone be the Glory! In Christ Alone, on His Word Alone, to God Alone be the Glory! *Permission to copy, edit, and use is freely granted by author Mary Jo LeBlanc