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 Artist’s Commentary
 n a warm sticky day April 18th 1521 at the Diet of Worms, Martin Luther was commanded to respond to his charge of heresy and recant of his teachings. He responded -
“Since your majesty and your Lordships want a simple, true and clear answer I will give it. Unless I am convinced by the teaching of Holy Scripture or by sound reasoning, for I do not believe either the pope or councils alone because they have often made mistakes and have even said the exact opposite about the same point, I am tied by the Scriptures I have quoted and by my conscience, I cannot and I will not recant anything! Here I stand ~ May God help me ~ Amen!”
This image was originally illustrated for GOOD NEWS and used in issue 29 The Power of Sin. Rev. Dr. Schulz, Executive Editor, was looking for a rendering of Luther with a stern and steadfast expression that would convey his unbridled conviction to the faith. The border contains the text from Luther’s response at the Diet of Worms along with his original seal which he described as the cross to be the first thing he wished to express and within the heart, to put us in mind that Christ crucified saves us. The heart is fixed upon a white rose to show that faith in our hearts that comes by the cross brings joy, consolation, and peace. The rose is fixed in a blue sky to denote that such joy of faith in the spirit is but an earnest and beginning of heavenly joy to come that we hope for but is not yet revealed. Around this is a golden ring to signify that such bliss in heaven is endless and more precious than all joys and treasures and only Christ our dear Lord will give us such grace unto eternal life.
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