Martin Luther
1483–1546 |
Martin Luther is best known as the father of Protestantism, as he was the first to so famously break away from the Catholic Church. He lived to see his teaching put in place by many, and he inspired the first of the numerous Protestant sects that exist today.
Martin Luther was a German priest and professor of theology. After being caught in a frightening thunderstorm that nearly resulted in his death, Luther resolved to align his life more closely to God's teachings. He entered the monastery of the Augustinian friars, and in 1507 he was ordained to the priesthood. While profoundly Catholic, however, he strongly disagreed with several practices being exercised by the early Church, among them immorality, poor education for clerics, and the absence of bishops from their assigned parishes. Angered by the Church's lackadaisical attitude, and using the letters of Saint Paul as his starting point, he began to form the ideas that would shape the Protestant Reformation.
During this same time, another questionable degree was being carried out in order to bring in extra funds for the Church—the sale of indulgences. The belief concerning these publicly issued pardons, which could be purchased for oneself as well as for family and friends, was that God and the saints had established a "treasury of merits" from which the Church could draw as needed. Assuming that the indulgences would assure quick entry into Heaven, people scrambled to procure as many as possible. Luther was troubled by this, and he wrote a letter to the bishop of that city, including alongside the note a list of ninety-five complaints, what is known as the "Ninety-Five Theses on the Power of Indulgences." He had intended his arguments for academic debate and reform, but the Church found offense with Luther's disagreements and assertions, and they responded with the order that he recant or be excommunicated. Luther refused, and as a result was summoned by Charles V to appear before the German Diet of Worms and deny his beliefs. When Luther once again declined, Duke Frederick of Saxony took him under his protection to save him from Charles.
Between 1520 and 1530, Luther created the basic tenets of his new faith. His beliefs rested rested on four major articles, all of which were highly different from the teachings of the Catholic Church. His major assertions were:
- Man is saved by faith alone ("sola fide")
- The Bible is the sole source of authority in the church ("sola scriptura")
- The church consists of the entire community of Christian leaders
- All vocations have equal merit, and every person should serve God according to his individual calling
Luther's deviation from traditional beliefs had a great social impact on sixteenth-century society. He inspired many other leaders, among them John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli. His teachings led peasants to revolt against the wealthy landowners, and the change of a religious era lent itself to a new artistic style called the Baroque Movement. Women liked that Luther's argument that all vocations have merit in God's eyes gave dignity to those who were reduced to menial household chores. Martin Luther was responsible for bringing about both chaos and community, and he was the first to openly challenge the Catholic Church.
Key events during the life of Martin Luther:
| Born | |
| Entered the University of Erfurt, later enrolled in law school at the same college but dropped out almost immediately | |
| Nearly struck by lightning during a storm, determined to serve God for fear of divine judgment | |
| Entered the Augustinian friary in Erfurt | |
| Ordained to the priesthood | |
| Johann Tetzel was among those selling indulgences to raise funds for the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica | |
| Posted the Ninety-Five Theses | |
| Diet of Worms | |
| Began forming a new system of beliefs | |
| Published German translation of the New Testament (Old Testament was completed in 1534 | |
| Peasants' War is instigated, much of it in Luther's name | |
| Marburg Colloquy established doctrinal unity in the emerging Protestant states | |
| Luther passed away after suffering from kidney stones, a cataract, arthritis, and Meniere's disease |
Other Resources
| Martin Luther the Reformer in | Stories from German History by Florence Aston |
| Boy Who Sung for Breakfast in | The Story of Liberty by Charles C. Coffin |
| Plans that Did Not Come to Pass in | The Story of Liberty by Charles C. Coffin |
| Martin Luther in | Christian Persecutions by Asa Craig |
| Reformation in | Germany: Peeps at History by John Finnemore |
| Luther, 1483-1546 in | Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages by George Hodges |
| Charles V in | The History of Germany by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall |
| Beginning of the Reformation in | The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall |
| Luther and the Indulgences in | Historical Tales: German by Charles Morris |
| Story of Martin Luther in | The Awakening of Europe by M. B. Synge |
Image Links | ||
|---|---|---|
 Luther Burning the Pope's Bull in Stories from German History |
 Martin Luther in Saints and Heroes Since the Middle Ages |
Martin Luther burning pages in Back Matter |
Luther Introduced to the Home of Frau Cotta in Back Matter |
Martin Luther before the Council of Worms in Back Matter |
 Statue of Luther at Worms in Historical Tales: German |
Martin Luther in Martin Luther |
 Luther burning the Pope's bull at Wittenberg in The Tudors and the Stuarts |
|
| John Calvin | Protestant Theologian. Influenced French Huguenots, Presbyterian Scots, and English Puritans. |
| 16th century Hapsburg Emperor who ruled Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and parts of Italy. |