preview

The History and Influence of Martin Luther

Good Essays
Open Document

The History and Influence of
Martin Luther

A German priest, professor of theology and philosophy, but most importantly an iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. This man alone challenged the most powerful religion, empire, and figure of the time. What he did would soon influence the lives of millions of people all around the world. He is known as the father of Protestantism. The man changed the course of history and reshaped Europe. This man’s name is Martin Luther.
Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Saxony, in the Holy Roman Empire (currently located in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) to the parents of Margarette and Hans Luther. Hans Luther was the son of a farmer who was originally going …show more content…

In the letter was a copy of his “Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences,” which later became known as “The Ninety-Five Theses”. In the Theses, Luther argued that indulgences were a violation of the intentions of confession and penance and that people were falsely being told that absolution (being forgiven of a sin) could be bought. On All Saint’s Day, October 31, 1517, Martin Luther took his ninety-five theses and nailed it to the front door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg.
The act that Luther did would be considered the start of the Protestant Reformation. The Nailing of the ninety-five theses caused a major uproar from the Catholic Church as the theses challenged the authority of the Pope and questioned the practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther was also condemning them for corruption as Luther believed that Christians are saved from sin by having faith in God (known as Sola Fide) not by just simply doing good deeds and work. In 1518, Martin Luther continued to defend his belief to the church and the very next year Martin angered Pope Leo X (1475 -1521) by not acknowledging the Pope’s absolute authority. In 1521, Martin Luther was charged with heresy (a person who violates the church’s teachings) by Pope Leo and was later excommunicated from the church. In April of 1521, Martin was ordered to appear in front of the Diet of Worms (a council that met at Worms, Germany) to retract his

Get Access