Martin Luther
"THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE"
Martin Luther was a German preacher
who trusted the Bible and quarreled with the pope. His search for religious
truth led to the creation of a new branch of Christianity called Protestantism.
Protestants do not accept the authority of the pope, the person who heads the
Roman Catholic Church.
A RELIGIOUS LIFE
Martin Luther was born in Eisleben,
Germany, in 1483. At the age of 21, he joined a monastery, and at 23, he became
a Roman Catholic priest. From 1512 until his death, he was professor of
theology (religion) at the University of Wittenberg in Germany.
CALLS FOR REFORM
Luther lived at a time when many
people were criticizing the Roman Catholic Church. They said its leaders were
corrupt and lazy. They complained that its priests did not teach people the true
message of Jesus Christ.
Luther shared these criticisms.
His Bible studies also led him to challenge key Catholic ideas. In particular,
he believed that people could only be saved from sin by faith in God and trust
in God’s grace (love and mercy). He did not believe Catholic preachers, who said
that good works and rich gifts to the church were also necessary. He was
outraged when preachers offered to sell God’s forgiveness to raise money to
build a cathedral. In 1517, Luther nailed a list of 95 complaints to a church
door in Wittenberg.
EXCOMMUNICATION!
Catholic leaders could not ignore
Luther’s protest. In 1521, the pope excommunicated Luther—that is, he banned
Luther from taking part in Catholic worship. The princes who ruled Germany tried
to make Luther apologize. But Luther refused. He told them rulers should not
interfere in religion.
Luther spent the rest of his life
teaching and writing. He met scholars and priests who came to Wittenberg to
discuss religious reforms. He translated the Bible into German, so that ordinary
people could study it. His text was so widely read that it helped shape a new
version of the German language.
A NEW CHURCH
Luther died in 1546, but his ideas
remained powerful. His followers founded Lutheranism, the first form of
Protestantism. Lutherans worshiped simply and trusted in God’s grace.
Lutheranism spread from Germany to many parts of Europe, and then to most parts
of the world.
