LUTHER

Corruption of the Catholic Church:

• Catholic Church often sold church offices to the highest bidder, not to the most worthy
Christian
• Church officials had many scandals, corruptions, bastard children, Church was more like a
government
• Pope Leo X. wanted money for St. Peter´s Basilica, so he supported selling of indulgences
• Indulgences served as a way to reduce the amount of punishment for sins, could be
earned for good deeds for oneself, or also for deceased family members
• They could be earned by good deeds, but they also could be bought and some priests
prefered that method over others
Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)
• Decided to become an Augustinian monk after he survived a storm in a forest
• Was trying to be a good Christian and wanted redemption, but he always found flawns
on himself
• He became a teacher in University in Wittenberg
• After studying the Bible, he realizes, that redemption does not come from good deeds,
but from faith alone through the grace and sacrifice of Christ
• He was displeased by the selling of indulgency, since they were in a contradiction to Bible
teachings
• 31.10.1517 – 95 Theses were nailed on the door of Wittenberg´s cathedral
Luther´s ideas
• 95 Theses were Luther´s attempt to open a discussion about this practice
• He criticized it, since people alone could not cover their sins with anything than faith
• He wanted to reform the Church, not to create a new one, but since the Church failed to
adress his remarks, he criticized it more
• Luther questioned Papal supremacy and sacraments
• He claimed that Bible should be accessible to everyone, and that people do not need
priest to interpret the Bible
• His ideas directly threatened Catholic authority, they tried to summon him to Rome, but
he refused because of fear for his life
The retaliation from Rome
• Luther was questioned several times shortly after Reformation, but they were not able
to to convince him to renounce his teachings
• Kurfirst of Saxony, Frederick the Wise did not let Luther to be taken to Rome, he
wanted the matter to be settled in HRE
• Papal Bull Exsurge Domine 1520 – pope threatened Luther with excommunication,
Luther publicly burned the Bull, from this point it was clear, that there could not be a
reconciliation, Luther condemned papacy as Antichrist
• Luther was excommunicated in 1521, but he had many followers
• Diet of Worms 1521 – Luther was summoned before HRE Charles V. he was given the
last chance to revoke his teachings, but he refused
• He was made an outlaw, which ment that he was not protected by the law and could
be killed without consequences
The reasons why was reformation successful ?
• Nobles support –Luther wrote to German nobility and some realized the atractivity of
his teachings, because they could seize Church´s property, or stop paying to the Church
• Book printing – Luther´s ideas were printed quickly and in large numbers and spread all
across the Germany
• Locality – central Europe, university town
• Acceptable message – it had backing in Bible, he denounced monk vows as not valid,
many joined the reformation
• Native language – Luther started translating Bible and Church service to German, so the
people could know God better