Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther: Trivia, Theses, Timeline

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Timeline | Quotes | Writings | Causes of Reformation

95 Theses Summary | Impact | John Calvin | Political Effects

English Reformation | Reactions | Overview of Times

Martin Luther Trivia: Brief Biography

German Priest known as the Reformer
Biblical Scholar
Linguist
Son of a miner
Attended the University of Erfurt
Translated the Bible into the Vernacular German
Prolific writer
Works include commentaries, polemical and practical devotional works
Considered a heretic by the Catholic World

Timeline: Life

born November 1,1483 Eisleben Saxony
In 1506, Joined Monastic Order of St. Augustine
In 1507, ordained priest
From 1508-1546, taught at the University of Wittenberg
In 1512, received doctorate in Theology
1511, began preaching sermons in monastery
1514, became preacher of Parish church
1515, became Vicar over 11 other houses
1515-1516, personal discovery of the doctrine of justification by faith alone
October 31, 1517, Nailed the 95 theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg
Died February 18, 1546

Quotes

In the bonds of Death he lay who for our defense was slain; But the Lord is risen to-day,, Christ hath brought us life again, Wherefore let us all rejoice, Singing loud, with cheerful voice, Hallelujah! --- In the Bonds of Death
A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing --- Translated from Ein feste Burg
I can do no other --- From Speech at Diet of Worms, 1521

Excerpts from Martin Luther's Writings - 1545

For however irreproachably I lived as a monk. I felt myself in the presence of God to be a sinner with a most unquiet conscience, nor could I believe that I pleased him with my satisfactions. I did not love, indeed I hated this just God, if not with open blasphemy, at least with huge murmuring, for I was indignant against him, saying " as if it were really not enough for God that miserable sinners should be eternally lost through original sin and oppressed with all kind of calamities though the law of the ten commandments, but God must add sorrow on sorrow and even by the gospel bring his wrath to bear." Thus I raged with a fierce and most agitated conscience and yet I continued to knock away at Paul in this place, thirsting ardently to know what he really meant.

Causes: Beginnings

Martin Luther was a German Monk who started the Protestant Reformation during the Renaissance.

Martin Luther disliked religious abuses of the Church, the superstition, fraud and purchasing of salvation or purchasing of freedom from sin. The Pope in 1476, declared that one could buy his own salvation and that of those already deceased. Martin Luther was alarmed at the sale of relics and artificial relics to raise money. The Church operated under the theology of St Thomas Aquinas. God’s grace is not irresistible and man can freely reject God’s advances. Sacramental ministrations communicate ongoing grace and help sinners improve changes at salvation. Only priests can administer sacraments. Martin Luther favored St Augustine’s theology, God predestines who will be saved regardless of what we do on earth. Martin Luther’s theology states that man is saved through grace alone not good works but those who have faith will do good works anyway. This made religion more private and less ceremonial.

History of the 95 Theses: Summary

Luther gave his 95 theses to his university colleagues October 31, 1517. Luther declared the Pope and all clerics were merely fallible men and the highest authority was in the truth of the scriptures. Luther set forth tenets of the Lutheran Church 1520, Justification by faith, Primacy of the scriptures (if not sanctioned in the scriptures don’t do it), Priesthood of all believers. Luther came to accept baptism, penance and the Eucharist as sacraments but declared they were activities to aid the believer down the path of eternal life. The dissemination through print of Luther’s arguments and the 95 theses spread the theological arguments rapidly through Germany. The 95 theses was a list of what was wrong with Catholic doctrine. Popes were so bad during this period, Erasmus (who rewrote the New Testament) had proclaimed in his work, In Praise of Folly, that if Popes were ever forced to lead Christ like lives, no one would prove more disconsolate than themselves. The Popes were corrupt but still all-powerful.

Luther sent copies of the theses to the Archbishop of Mainz and to his own ordinary. However, copies got out to the public and circulated far and wide. It became a public controversy discussed most everywhere. This publication sparked the Protestant Reformation that spread over northern Europe and beyond.

Impact

Lutheranism spread because it was an alternative that appealed to the Nobles. Lutheranism has its own bible which was translated in the vernacular so all could read not just priests. The newly invented printing press helped spread the Lutheran bible. The first translation of the Bible was in the German language not in Latin. Many translations of the bible sprang up. Many errors in print too. The wicked Bible (1631) had major mistakes in the book printing like thou shalt commit adultery. In 1551, the first list of Banned books was made.

European states were quick to adopt the principles of Luther for they trivialized the interference of spiritual bodies into the secular affairs (affairs of the state). Luther’s university adopted his suggestions and German princes adopted Lutheranism.

John Calvin 1509 – 1564

John Calvin was a legalist who wrote detailed treatises on theology. He rejected all ritual and dress that looked Popery. He believed in strict observances of the Sabbath, which most people did not like for this was their only day off to have fun. Lutherans went to church and then had the remainder of the day to do as they wished. Capital crimes included murder, treason, adultery, witchcraft, blasphemy and heresy were punishable all by death.

Political Effects in Europe: Religious wars

Protestant and Catholic states began to war against each other. Crisis in France ended with the Edit of Nantes in 1558 that offered limited religious freedom which was rescinded the next year.

Netherlands ruled by Catholic Spain. The Netherlands asked for religious toleration in 1566. William enlisted aid of in Germany, France and England and harassed Spanish shipping off the coast of Netherlands. Spanish levied a 10% sales tax on the Netherlands and the people rejected it. A truce in 1609 gave independence to the northern Dutch territories.

Religious tolerant England resented Spain who had supported Bloody Mary and approved of the sea pirates raiding Spanish ships. England allied with the Netherlands to keep prosperous trade arrangements. Spain sent an Armada of ships in 1588 to invade and conquer England and remove the Heretic Queen Elizabeth I. The Armada was destroyed. England remained Protestant, the religion itself was saved and the Netherlands was saved from re-conquest.

Germany decided to eliminate Protestantism with the help of Catholic Spain and the Hapsburgs. Protestant Sweden invaded Germany to stop the discrimination. Catholic France joined Sweden's aid to the German Protestants because it did not want to be surrounded by Spain and her allies.

Spain appeared to be rich from plundering her colonies. But Spain had spent all of her plunder on wars and failed to reinvest in colonial industry or mercantilism. The Spanish colonies revolted. Counties in Spain revolted when Spain invoked taxes to raise revenue. The Spanish empire along with Portugal eventually was lost.

English Reformation

Henry VIII broke with the papacy in a divorce battle. When he failed at gaining an annulment of his marriage to Catharine of Aragon, Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church and founded the Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church or the Episcopal Church. He marriage Anne Boleyn. While Anne was queen not one person was burnt for heresy. Henry VIII sold off all the holdings of the Catholic Church to supporters and declared the Anglican Church the official church of England in 1531. When Henry VIII died, his son Edward VI assumed the throne. The country turned protestant. When Edward VI died, Mary I assumed the throne and officially reverted England back to Catholicism. But the country was too protestant and resistance occurred. Mary I burned a few hundred extremists and gained the name Bloody Mary Tudor. She died after 5 years on the throne. Elizabeth I reached successful compromises with the extremists. The church was now divided into two camps, those who believed in some form of predestination and Christian humanists who believed in free will.

Reactions: Church Reforms

Early church reformers met with resistance or slow paced reforms. Protestant revolt triggered Papal reform lead by five Popes from 1534-1590. The council of Trent called and reaffirmed basic Catholic tenets challenged by Luther, good works necessary for salvation, issuing of sacraments indispensable means of achieving grace, Pope is undisputed head of the Church and all Christianity, Approval of indulgences (buying grace but not for deceased ancestors).

Society of Jesus or the Jesuits established as evangelical arm of Catholics. Jesuits were very successful against Protestantism throughout Europe. Jesuits had very strict rules of order. They established schools for education and indoctrination and spread Catholicism to India, China and Spanish America revitalizing the Church. The Inquisition began.

1560-1660 Overview of Economic, Religious and Political Problems