ATLANTA—In October 2016, Pope Francis and leaders of the Lutheran World Federation launched a year of activities to mark the 500th anniversary in 2017 of Martin Luther’s efforts to reform the church. The pope encouraged Catholics to commemorate the event by focusing on concrete ways to strengthen doctrinal agreements reached by Catholic and Lutheran theologians.

Reformation anniversary events to be held include:

Reformation Day with Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory on Thursday, Oct. 26; 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Pitts Theology Library of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta. The program, sponsored by the Aquinas Center of Theology, will explore the topic of “Did the Reformation Fail?” and also features Bishop Julian Gordy of the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Bishop Larry Goodpaster of the Candler School of Theology. For details, go to candler.emory.edu.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Southeastern Synod and the Archdiocese of Atlanta will come together for the Common Prayer Service, “From Conflict to Communion: Lutheran-Catholic Common Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017,” on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta. Archbishop Gregory and Bishop Gordy will preside.