Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation · Diana Litvinenko Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation 5 The Ninety-Five Theses and Its Outcome viiOn October 31, 1517, Martin

Diana Litvinenko Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

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Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

Diana Litvinenko Junior Division

Paper


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Martin Luther (1483-1546)


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Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation By

Diana Litvinenko

Perhaps the most significant reformer in the history of religion was a German monk

named Martin Luther. He wrote the Ninety-Five Theses, split the Roman Catholic Church,

and changed many of the established religious ideas of the time. In his life, Luther was a

theologian, priest, and a professor. (Whitford, 2005)

In the Holy Roman Empire, people accepted the emperor as the ruler of life on earth

and the Roman Catholic Church as the teller of destiny. Suspicion was in the air. Men,

women, and children feared famines, plagues, natural catastrophes, and deathi. At the time,

the Holy Scriptures were in Latin, so most of the people could not read them. Consequently,

the only correct interpretation was considered that of the Church. People believed in the

teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, which emphasized the judgment of G-dii (and

Jesus Christ), instead of their love or acceptance. (Martin Luther, 1953) The teachings also

involved the idolizing of relics and saints (Lilje, Hans, et al, 1967).

Martin Luther Becomes a Theologian

Martin Luther was born in Eislebeniii on November 10, 1483, to Hans Luther and

Margarete (Lindemann) Luther. In July of 1505, Martin Luther was trapped in a

thunderstorm. Afraid of dying, Luther prayed, “Save me, Saint Annaiv, and I shall become a

monk.” He did so at the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt on July 17, 1505. (Whitford, 2005)

Martin Luther feared G-d and thought Him to be evil. He tried to love G-d, but still

ended up thinking of Him as a judge. Luther thought that he could not love G-d out of fear of

Him. This, he considered his sin. (Whitford, 2005) Luther began to inflict self-punishment,

such as starving himself, for his sin. In 1507, Martin Luther became a priest. When his

distress continued, Luther’s mentor had him study the Scriptures, preach in the


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monastery, and teach lessons. This way, Luther was be too busy to worry. The result: Luther

saw the righteousness of G-d and Jesus Christ and began making his own interpretations of

the Scriptures. (Martin Luther, 1953) The next year, Luther was transferred to a monastery in

Wittenberg after receiving his Doctor of Theology degree. (Whitford, 2005)

Indulgences

During this time, Pope Leo X was head of the Roman Catholic Church and in need of

money to build St. Peter’s Basilica. In Rome, the selling of Indulgences served as a major

source of income for the payment of its construction and decorations. Sellersv did all they

could to increase the Indulgences’ sales. (Martin Luther, 1953)

One day as Luther was walking, he saw an intoxicated man who said that all his sins

were forgiven because he bought an Indulgence signed by the Pope (Martin Luther, 1953)

Originally, Indulgences were given by the Church to lessen the punishment of sins of people

who put themselves in peril while “fighting against the infidel” (Mosse, 1963). However, in

1517, the Pope declared the selling of new Indulgences for the cost of a piece of silver saying

that, if bought, they would a) elevate the punishment for the sins in the current and next life

and b) protect from previous, present, and future sins. The Indulgences were now alleviating

the consequences of sin not only by the Church, but [supposedly] also of G-d. (Martin

Luther, 1953) Moreover, money made from the sales was said to go towards preserving the

relics of St. Paul and St. Peter. (“Biography of Martin Luther,” 2010) Martin Luther was

furious at how any person could be “forgiven” of sins without repentancevi. This led to him

writing a document known as the Ninety-Five Theses.


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The Ninety-Five Theses and Its Outcome

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted the Ninety-Five Theses,vii a document in

which he criticized the Church’s actions and wrote about morality, on the chapel door of

the Wittenberg University (“Biography of Martin Luther,” 2010). When a person took the

document to a local printing pressviii, the information spread through

numerous copies and translations (Finley, “Gutenberg’s Presses…,”

2011). In fact, a copy of the Ninety-Five Theses was sent with a letter

to the Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz telling him to stop selling the

Indulgences. In Rome, the document was seen as challenging the

influence of the Church’s teachings, beliefs, and interpretations-- it

was seen as an attack on the Church’s authority. (“Martin Luther

Biography,” 2011)

Luther’s works were causing difficulty for the leaders of the Roman Empire,

especially Pope Leo X and Emperor Charles V. So, between 1518 and 1520, there were a

number of meetings and debates regarding them. On October 10th, 1520, Luther received a

Papal Bull, an official announcement for the Pope for Luther to recant or be excommunicated

(excluded from the Church). He was officially excommunicated on January 3rd, 1521.

(“Martin Luther Biography,” 2011)

Two months later, the most significant of the debates occurred- the Diet of Worms.

There, Luther was brought to trial before many of the leaders of the Church and the Roman

Empire, including Emperor Charles V, who defended the Roman Catholic Church.

(Whitford, 2005) At the Diet of Worms, Luther discussed his works and the categories in

which they fall in:

Martin Luther posts

the Ninety-Five Theses


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• Religious devotion and morals.

• Criticism of the Pope’s position and the

doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church.

• Criticism of specific people who defended the

domination of the Church and those who tried to

overthrow what Luther’s teachings about piety.

(Luther, 1521)

At the meeting, the Orator of the Empire asked Luther if he would take back his

works. Unable to reply on such short notice, Luther was told to come back the next day.

(Martin Luther, 1953) When he returned, Luther finally repliedix that he would not recant

because he could not act against his conscience (Luther, 1521). Luther believed in the

Scriptures and wanted to live according to their teachings.

After the Diet of Worms, Luther disappeared. His disappearance was planned by

Fredrick III of Saxonyx to protect Luther from the angry crowd of people at the meeting.

Luther was seized by masked horsemen who took him to the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach.

There he worked on translating the New Testament into German and writing many essays.

(“Biography of Martin Luther,” 2010) On May 8, 1521, Martin Luther was put under the

Imperial Ban, which meant that Martin Luther was considered a fugitive in the Roman

Empire. In 1522, Luther returned to Wittenberg and continued his teachings and writings

(Whitford, 2005)

Life after the Monastery

In 1524, Luther left the monastery. A year later, he married Katharine von Boraxi.

The Diet of Worms


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They had six children. Martin Luther also housed students to financially help his family.

(Whitford, 2005)

Leaders of the Roman Empire, such as John Fredrick of Saxony, wanted to cleanse

the Church of the errors in its teachings. In 1530, the Augsburg Confessionxii was signed and

presented before the emperor. Charles V did not agree with the document, but the signers of

it would not go against the truth in the document. And so, the Protestant Church formally

broke away from the Catholic Church. (Martin Luther, 1953)

From 1533 to 1546, Luther was the Dean of the Theology Faculty in Wittenberg. He

died on February 18, 1546 (“Luther’s Wife,” 2003). Katherine died on December 20, 1552 in

Torgauxiii (“Luther’s Wife,” 2003).

Luther’s Works

Over the years of his life, Luther created a multitude of writings, such as the

Ninety-Five Theses. Others included “Article II: Of the Law”, the famous hymn “A Mighty

Fortress is Our G-d”, and the Small Catechism of Martin Luther.

In “Article II: Of the Law”, Luther writes that he believes that G-d gave the 10

Commandments to prevent sins and to remind people of the fall of Adam and Eve. He

believed that people feared being restricted, so the more the laws were enforced, the more the

people sinned to try to escape, therefore becoming an enemy to G-d. (Luther, 1537)

Luther also wrote the hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our G-d”. It is in it that people

praise Jesus Christ and G-d. In this hymn, Martin Luther discusses how G-d will protect

people like a shield against their enemies and against evil. Luther says that it is He who will

help those in need. Luther also mentions how G-d chose Jesus Christ to guard the people on

Earth against devils and illnesses. (Luther, 1528)


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In the Small Catechism of Martin Luther, he states the 10 Commandments and

interprets each one. One of his interpretations includes what G-d says in the Torahxiv: “I

plague the children and grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor’s sin. But I

make whole those who love me for a thousand generations.” (Exodus 20:5) Luther explains,

that G-d is to be feared, loved, and trusted above all others, and that His commandments are

to be willingly obeyed. (Luther, 1529)

Comparison of Beliefs

When Martin Luther separated the Protestant Church from the Roman Catholic

Church, he changed the way people saw religion and even changed some of the

current beliefs. (Whitford, 2005). The Catholics believe in one, all-knowing, and

omnipotent G-d, who made people in his image.xv The Pope is the leader of the Catholics

and is believed not to make errors. Catholics worship in a ceremony called a “mass” in

chapels, churches, or cathedrals where images of worship are permitted. Their Holy Books

include the Bible and the Apocryphaxvi. As for sin, Catholics believe that every person is

affected by transgression, but that faith in Jesus Christ removes the sin. Their beliefs in the

afterlife include a Final Judgment, Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. (“Major Sixteenth Century

European Religious Beliefs,” 2003)

The Protestants have many beliefs similar to the Catholics regarding G-d. Their

religious leader is a priest, pastor, or minister. Protestants worship in a church, chapel, or a

meeting house. Images of worship are not allowed. The Protestants believe that everyone is

affected by sin. Faith in Jesus Christ removes the punishment of sin but not the sin itself. Nor

is sin removed through good acts. As for death and the afterlife, Protestants believe in a Final

Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. (“Major Sixteenth Century European Religious Beliefs,” 2003)

Lutheransxvii also believe that G-d created the universe and everything in it within six


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days. Since no one was able to see this, though, Lutherans believe in G-d’s word, as is

written in Genesis 1 and 2. (Smith, 1932)

Conclusion

The driving force behind the Protestant Reformation was to correct errors in the

teachings and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. However, what was seen as a mistake to

the Protestants was not always considered incorrect to the Catholics. The significance of this

movement was that it caused peoples’ perception of religion and their beliefs to change.

This resulted in the variations of the interpretations of the Holy Scriptures evolved and

caused the many different religions that are seen around the world develop…The

Protestants include a number of groups within their branch of Christianity. In fact, in 1534,

King Henry the 8th established the Church of Englandxviii as a result of wanting to divorce

Queen Catherine of Aragon for not giving him a son to be the heir to the throne and the Pope

not allowing the divorce. (“Anglican,” 2012) Other groups within Protestantism include

Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The new Protestant churches made liturgies more accessible to the common people.

The text of their Scriptures was in vernacular, rather than Latin. The increasing number of

Protestant churches caused the decrease of the power of the Roman Catholic Church. When,

in the 1600s, feudalism ended and the Renaissance began, the society changed from being

based around religion to being based on the studies of philosophy, math, science, and

humanism. Even so, the light of a new age of religion that sparked with Martin Luther’s

Ninety-Five Theses continues to burn with a bright passion even today.


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Footnotes

i In the Roman Empire, there were many deaths as result of poor sanitation and

development of medicine (Lilje, Hanns and Karl Franz. Reinking, 1967).

ii Due to various religious beliefs, this word will be spelled “G-d” every time it is used in

this paper.

iii He was born in the part of the Roman Empire that is now known as Germany (Lilje,

Hanns and Karl Franz. Reinking, 1967).

iv Saint Anna was the mother of Virgin Mary and the saint of the miners (Whitford,

2005).

v One of the sellers positioned to sell Indulgences in Saxony was John Tetzel. He was

a gifted vendor willing to say anything to improve the sales. One of Tetzel’s claims was

that if a person’s loved ones were in Purgatory, they would be able to leave without

remorse for their actions. Tetzel even had a saying to this offer: “As soon as the coin in

the coffer rings, a soul from Purgatory springs” (“Biography of Martin Luther,” 2010)

vi In frustration of the selling of Indulgences, Luther said in one of his sermons that “You


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cannot buy G-d’s mercy” in reference to them (Martin Luther, 1953).

viiThe Ninety-Five Theses were originally written in Latin in hopes that scholars would

be the ones to read and discuss it. Some of his theses were:

“4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues;

for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the

kingdom of heaven.”

“5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than

those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.”

“21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the

pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;”

“67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known

to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.” (Luther, 1517)

viii The Gutenberg Printing Press was invented in 1455 by Johannes Gutenberg (Finley,

“Gutenberg’s Presses…,” 2011)

ix “Your Imperial Majesty and Your Lordships demand a simple answer. Here it is,

plain and unvarnished. Unless I am convicted [convinced] of error by the testimony of

Scripture or (since I put no trust in the unsupported authority of Pope or councils, since it

is plain that they have often erred and often contradicted themselves) by manifest

reasoning, I stand convicted [convinced] by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and

my conscience is taken captive by God's word, I cannot and will not recant anything, for


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to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us.” (Luther, 1521)

x Fredrick III of Saxony was also known as Fredrick the Wise (“Biography of Martin

Luther,” 2010).

xi Katharine von Bora became a nun in 1515. In 1523, she left the convent and had to

take refuge in Wittenberg after the escape [Luther helped her with]. She escaped with

eight other nuns. (Whitford, 2005)

xii The Augsburg Confession was a document of Lutheran beliefs and the corrections

of the Church (Martin Luther, 1953).

xiii Torgau was the city Katherine von Bora fled to in order to escape a plague in

Wittenberg (“Luther’s Wife,” 2003).

xiv The Torah is also known as the Old Testament. In it are the five books of Moses.

xv The phrase “…in His image” is meant in the sense of a person’s characteristics

(“Major Sixteenth Century European Religious Beliefs,” 2003).

xvi The Apocrypha is the biblical writings by Christians of which the truth is disputed

(“Major Sixteenth Century European Religious Beliefs,” 2003).


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xvii ‘Lutherans’ are a branch of the Protestants (Smith, 1932).

xviii The Church of England is also known as the “Anglican Church” (“Anglican,” 2012).


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Works Cited and Annotations Primary Sources Luther, Martin. “A Mighty Fortress is Our G-d.” 1528. Project Wittenberg. 24 January 2012<http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/hymns/fortress-english.txt> This source provides the American Lutheran Version of the famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our G-d” by Martin Luther. It is easy to read because it has been translated to English. This source mainly talks about how G-d protectors people from danger, evil, and helps those in need. Luther, Martin. “Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther.” 1517. Project Wittenberg. 27 November 2011www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/nintyfive.html

This a digital copy of the Ninety Five Theses written by Martin Luther in the 1500s. This is a primary source translated to English from Latin. I included a few of the statements as notes in my project to further explain Martin Luther’s thought process and beliefs regarding the Roman Catholic Church and its selling of Indulgences.

Luther, Martin. “Martin Luther: Excerpts from his account of the Confrontation at the Diet of Worms (1521).” 1997. Documents of the Christian Church (1903). 30 November 2011<www-personal.ksu.edu/~lyman/english233/Luther-Diet_of_Worms.htm>

The excerpt of Martin Luther’s account discusses the debate at the Diet of Worms. Here, Martin Luther talks about his written works. This document is written in the form of a dialogue between Martin Luther and Dr. Ecken, an official person of the Archbishop of Trier. I used this source to describe the types of works that Martin Luther wrote and what categories they would fall into.

Luther, Martin. “The Small Catechism of Martin Luther.” 1529. Project Wittenberg. 20 November 2011<http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/little.book/web/book-1.html> In this source, Martin Luther states the 10 Commandments and explains the meaning of each one. I am quoting part of the source and including it in my project about what G-d has said in Exodus and what it means. Luther, Martin. “The Third Part of the Articles-Article II: Of the Law.” 1537. Project Wittenberg. 1 December 2011<http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/concord/web/smc-03b.html>

This source is a translation of one of Martin Luther’s Smalcald Articles. The


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version is written in the plural form of the first person. This article talks about why G-d gave the people laws to follow and how they affect the people. I used the article to explain Martin Luther’s thinking in that how some people fear the laws and feel that they are limited by them. To try to escape the laws, people disobey them.

Secondary Sources "Anglican." Biblical Heritage Home Page. Web. 11 Jan. 2012. <http://www.biblicalheritage.org/Religions/Christian/anglican.htm>. This website provides basic information on the establishment of the Anglican Church. I used this information in a paragraph about the groups of Protestantism through the years. “Biography of Martin Luther.” 2010. Dreamweaver. 1 December 2011<http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/people/luther/bio.htm>

This is the biography of the life of Martin Luther. The source is easy to read and

very informational, but the ads are distracting. I used parts from this website to add into the paragraphs about Martin Luther’s life to make it them more detailed.

Finley, Gavin. “Gutenberg’s Presses, Bible Translators, Reformation, and the Emergence of Pilgrim Separatists, and English Puritans During the 1500's.” 17 December 2011<http://endtimepilgrim.org/puritans05.htm> This website discusses the Gutenberg Press, translation of the Bible, and the Reformation. I used the information in a paragraph to say that it was through the Gutenberg Printing Press that the 95 Theses were distributed.

Lilje, Hanns and Karl Franz. Reinking. Luther and the Reformation. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1967. Print. This book provides an explicit explanation of Martin Luther and how he reformed the Roman Catholic Church, thus resulting in the Protestant movement. I used information from this source throughout my paper. “Luther’s Wife.” 2003. Devillier Donegan Enterprises. 1 December 2011<http://www.pbs.org/empires/martinluther/char_wife.html> The website provides information on Martin Luther’s wife, as well as their household and children. I used this information in the some of the paragraphs of my project because it represents how Luther was different from the other priests of the time, which would not marry or have children.


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Martin Luther. Dir. Irving Pichel. Perf. Niall MacGinnis, John Ruddock, Pierre Lefevre, Guy Verney, Alastair Hunter, and David Horne. De Rochemont/Lutheran Productions, 1953. DVD. This video provides a clear biography of Martin Luther’s life and the Protestant reformation. I used this information throughout my whole paper. “Martin Luther Biography.” 2011. Advameg, Inc. 1 December 2011<http://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Luther-Martin.html> This website provides the biography of Martin Luther, including information on his education, family, conversion, life in a monastery, studies. It also discusses Luther’s life in Wittenberg, Diet of Worms, and his debates with different theologians. I used the information about the Diet of Worms, the flee to the Wartburg Castle, and Luther’s return to Wittenberg to add to my paper about Martin Luther’s life and writings, as well as his effects in the Protestant Reformation. "Martin Luther." Reformed Presbyterian Church (Covenanted) Aka Steelite Covenanters. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.covenanter.org/Luther/martinluther.htm>. I used this website to get an image of Martin Luther. "Martin Luther's Life: The Imperial Diet of Worms." KDG Wittenberg. 1997. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. <http://www.luther.de/en/worms.html>. I used this website to get an image of Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms. Mosse, George L. The Reformation. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963. Print. This book contains information about Martin Luther, his reformation of the Roman Catholic Church, and why it was done. I used information about the atmosphere in the Roman Empire at the time and about the Indulgences that were sold in some of my paragraphs. Pratt, John P. "The Prophetic Dream That Saved Martin Luther." John Huss Prophesied of Martin Luther. 14 July 2010. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2010/luther.html>. I used this website to get the image of Martin Luther posting the Ninety-Five Theses. Smith, Robert E. “Of Creation.” 1932. Commission on Theology and the Church Relations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 30 November 2011<http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/mosynod/web/doct-03.html>


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The statement of the Missouri Synod discusses the Lutheran beliefs and teachings regarding the creation of the world. There is also a brief explanation of why God’s creation of the world is believed in. I used this information in a paragraph regarding the Lutheran beliefs. The Johns Hopkins University Talent Development Middle School Program: United States History Curriculum. A History of the US: The First Americans (Student Sheets, Team Sheets, and Documents. “Major Sixteenth Century European Religious Beliefs.” A History of US: The First Americans (Student Sheets, Team Sheets, and Documents). New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003 This book contains worksheets for students, as well as excerpts from primary sources. I used a sheet that compares and contrasts the religions of Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism in a couple paragraphs showing how the ideas changed after Martin Luther split the Roman Catholic Church and caused some ideas to change. I used the information in a paragraph discussing Martin Luther’s life after the monastery. Whitford, David M. “Martin Luther (1483-1546)”. 2005. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 27 November 2011< http://www.iep.utm.edu/luther/> This is the biography of Martin Luther, theology of time, and the relationship of Martin Luther’s works to philosophy. I used the biography of Martin Luther in my project to explain the order of events in his life and the effects of his actions of the Protestant Reformation.