preview

Similarities Between Luther And John Calvin

Decent Essays

Martin Luther and John Calvin were two key people in the reform in the Catholic Church. Martin Luther was born in 1483 and died in 1546. He was a monk and educated by Okham whom he took in everything he said, and believed the opposite. In protesting the sale of indulgences, the 95 theses came into place, which started a beginning to the Lutheran religion in the reform. John Calvin was born in 1509 and died in 1564. Calvin had similar beliefs as Luther did, yet his ideas advanced into Calvinism (Christian Theology). The start of this was Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion being his promulgation of his theology.
The methods of Martin Luther in the reform were revolutionary. He stood for justice and rights of the people of God. …show more content…

Luther’s intended audience was those who had been wronged by the Catholic Church. The people who believed truly in their hearts of God’s grace being deserving not of the rich financially, yet the rich in faith. When he posted the 95 theses he was reaching out to those people, calling out who has wronged them indirectly, his truths. And later, goes onto teach the masses and preach the word. Yet it can be argued that Luther’s true intended audience was himself, for he was not convinced he was living up to God’s plans for him. He was searching for inner growth in faith, and in his process of changing became a role model of faith.

Calvin’s intended audience was political and civil. He wanted to reach out to society’s believers and the government. Being spawned from law and politics, Calvin wanted to reach to those in his position, helping those who felt tapered down to the Roman Catholic Church a refreshing faithful savior. He also wanted to rise against the council, intending to water-down their perception of authority in the public eye.

Luther and Calvin represent a large range of the break from the Roman Catholic Church into an Age of Reformation. They both believed in God’s undying grace for his children, and were sent as messengers of the Lord. They not only politically changed the church, yet spiritually. Those now all

Get Access