Criteria For A Nobel Prize

Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career by James M. Kittelson is a biography of the famous German monk turned theologian and reformer, Martin Luther. This is one of the most influential men in history, and as a matter of fact, “In most big libraries, books by and about Martin Luther occupy more shelf room than those concerned with any other human being except Jesus of Nazareth” (Kittelson 9). This fame of Luther’s isn’t only postmortem, “This extraordinary interest in an extraordinary man reaches back almost half a millennium. Even in his own time Luther was a ‘media personality’ the first of such in three thousand years of human history” (Kittelson 9). Luther was a subject of great controversy in his own time, as well as in our, and it has only driven his name and message into the spotlight. No matter or what one aligns himself with, “People still find themselves taking sides on the question of Luther” (Kittelson 9). It is for this reason that James M. Kittelson wrote this survey. He tells us that “The primary purpose of this book is to tell the story of Martin Luther to readers who are not specialists in the field of Luther studies” (Kittelson 10). This book is a general overview of all aspects of Luther, not just a precise dissection of one aspect, which allows for “as faithful a picture as possible of the whole man” (Kittelson 11).

The beginning of the Protestant Reformation is often marked by one man’s appeal for change. Therefore, the life of Martin Luther is a thought-provoking subject not only for the scholar, but also for those curious about the history behind Lutheranism. Consequently, Roland H. Bainton has written Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther. Selling over a million copies, it was first published by Abingdon-Cokesbury in 1950, which awarded it a prize of $7,500.00. Bainton, an ordained minister, was a member of the faculty at the Yale Divinity School for 42 years. He is recognized as an authority on the

From the vantage point of the present, it is easy to look back at the tenure of any great leader and draw conclusions about just what it was that made him/her great. We can examine the circumstances under which their leadership flourished; piece together what we know of their character and personality traits; delve into the factors that may have driven them; and dissect their leadership style all in an effort to pinpoint the source of their success. The ‘Great Man’ theory, popular in the 19th century and now thoroughly debunked, held that leaders are born, not made; suggesting that men like George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., and Winston Churchill were born with the innate capacity to change the world (Landis,

The Apostle Paul, Saint Augustine, and Martin Luther have been three very important figures in the Christian church. Each went through a unique personal experience that changed the course of their lives. Those experiences were important to them and they should be important to anyone of the Christian faith. In this research paper I will explore these experiences and how they do and do not relate to each other.

Martin Luther is an individual from the Protestant Reformation which I most admire. He was born on November 10th, 1483. When he was older, one day he had a religious experience which made him give up law school and become a monk in Germany. As he devoted his life to Jesus’ teachings when he was in the monastery, he began to question what the Roman Catholic church practiced and what the Bible said. He noticed that the Catholic had driven away from what was actually written in the bible. He used Gutenberg’s printing press to help him print the Bible from Hebrew and ancient Greek to which he translated to German. Because of this, it helped him spread his beliefs. The Bible was the first book printed using the printing press. Luther was the first to speak up and protest against the church even though there were some risks to going against the church. His bravery is one of the reasons why I admire

Martin Luther .  He declared that the Bible alone was the source of God's words.  He started the "Protestant Reformation."

Martin Luther grew up in a home with very strict parents. As a result, Luther’s childhood was plagued with anxiety at home and at school. Because his father planned for him to become a lawyer, shortly after receiving a Master of Arts degree from Erfurt University he returned to the university to study law. Consequently, after a life threatening experience in a storm, Luther left the university and joined a monastery. In 1505, Luther became an Augustinian monk and subsequently became a priest in 1507. According to John Dillenberger, “Luther was extremely sensitive to the problem of how to become worthy to receive the grace of God rather than the damning consequences of His righteousness”.

The candidate should also be able to build and delegate a team. If the selection committee hires somebody who is over-dependent on others, like a mentor of some sort, success would be out of the question. The candidate should also be able to circumvent from too much power as he will be prone to abusing it. He should convert his power to influence others but not to exploit them.

17.Martin Luther- He began the Protestant Reformation in 16th century Europe after nailing his “95 Theses” against corrupt Catholic churches and the purchases of indulgences, to the door of a church

Martin Luther: German friar who believed that only the Bible was God’s word and started Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther with his ninety-five theses that focus in how corrupt was the Church divided the Church.

“There is strength in numbers” (Mark Shields). This well-known quote emphasizes the importance of working together. However, “strength in numbers” would never be achieved without a great leader. Great leaders are the basis for success in all aspects of society because without someone to lead, plans cannot be executed and ideas remain mere thoughts in people’s minds. One such great leader was Martin Luther, a German theologian, who is credited with beginning the Protestant reformation. Part of the reason why his name is so readily associated with the reformation is because he had the courage to create change. Luther was not the first to have radical ideas about reforming the Roman Catholic Church: there must have been others who loathed indulgences or were cognizant that the papacy often corrupted its power. However, Luther was the one to gather his ideas and stand up against the Church, for the sake of Christianity and its followers. Even though he often faced the threat of harsh consequences, he never recanted his teachings or gave up hope. Despite encouraging mass violence, Martin Luther should be known as a great leader since he reformed the Roman Catholic Church and helped make Christianity more accessible to the common people.

Bainton’s Here I Stand is a chronologically arranged biography of Martin Luther’s life which seeks to show his philosophy and ideas for the reform of the Catholic Church without seeking to perform psychoanalysis of the Reformer.

Martin Luther was a Monk, Priest and Theologian born in late 1483 in the German town of Eisleben. His father owned a copper mine and had always wished for his son to go into civil service. When Luther was seventeen he arrived at the University of Erfurt. By 1502, Luther had already received his bachelor’s degree and by 1505 he had a Master’s degree. The same year, while returning to University, he was caught in a tremendous thunderstorm. A lightening bolt struck near him and terrified, he cried out, "Help, St. Anne! I'll become a monk!”. Luther lived, and keeping to his promise, he dropped out of university and entered the monastery.

Of the many Christians at work during the 20th century, the three most influential people that I believe will be remembered the most throughout the history of Christianity are Pope John Paul II, Karl Rahner, and Karl Barth. During Pope John Paul II’s pontificate, he had to deal with issues that connected the church to views in the outside world. His first challenge was communism in the Soviet Empire. The communist government of Poland had begun to cause tension between the Catholic Church during an election which led to Poland independence from the Soviet Empire (pg. 448). Several other countries followed this victory in Poland and they eventually overthrew the communism government of the Soviet Empire (pg. 448). John Paul II also had to deal