Indulgences and Grace - Sermon by Rev. Stephen Milton

In Indulgences and Grace, preached on Reformation Sunday, Rev. Stephen Milton revisits Martin Luther’s protest against the sale of indulgences—a system that turned forgiveness into a transaction to fund St. Peter’s Basilica. Drawing on Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Rev. Milton contrasts prideful religion with humble repentance, reminding us that God’s grace cannot be bought or earned—it is freely given. From Luther’s challenge to church corruption to the United Church’s own repentance for past harms, Milton traces how faith deepens when it admits its failings and turns toward grace. True reformation, he concludes, comes not from defending our righteousness but from embracing God’s love and extending it to others with humility and compassion.