BEREA COLLEGE FOR INTEGRATED STUDIES

INDEX: CPM/BCC/052/24.

MODE OF STUDY: REGULAR

COURSE TITLE: CTH 106.

TASK: Explain the life of Martian Lither to reformation (30marks).

TUTOR: Rev. PETER KAMDO.

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 15/04/2024.

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 CONTENT

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………. 2

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………. 5

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INTRODUCTION

According to Kamau K, 1984,"Luther was born in Eileen Germany. His parents were working class
peasants. Luther were poor at the time he was born, his father was a copper miner, but presently he
became a wealthy man. Luther was the only child they managed to rear. At eighteen he began his
university studies at Erfurt -them the greatest university in Germany, with two thousand students. He
followed the usual course in the liberal art and philosophy -under good masters -took his baccalaureate
in 1502 and his master’s degree in three year later

He developed a new understanding of God faith and the church. Luther's theological journey was
marked by the growing disillusionment within the Catholic teachings and practices, particularly
regarding the sale of indulgence. This act sparked a major religious and cultural upheaval known as the
protestant reformation. Luther's ideas spread rapidly throughout Europe, aided the recent invention of
the printing press. He translated the bible into German, making it more assessable to the common
people and furthering the spread of ideas.

His Luther study law in 1501 in the university. In an July 1505 Luther gave up his law career candidate to
join the monastery of the Hermits of st Augustine in Erfurt in an attempt to solve his spiritual affair .He
was ordained priest in the year 1507.He latter transferred to the university of Wittenberg where he
began to lecture on theology and the bible whilst studying for his for his doctor of theology that he
gained his doctorate Luther visited monastery business on Rome. After gained his doctorate Luther
became the biblical professor at Wittenberg University.

During the time Luther was studying for his doctorate he was also struggling spiritually with his own
sense of sin and guilt. Luther became more dis-satisfied within the traditional teaching of the church
which was based upon the Aristotelian logic. He became convinced on the need to the plain teaching of
the bible. He realized that there is the righteousness of God that condemns and there is the ones that
saves and justifies our sins as pure act of love and grace received through faith.

Luther identified papacy teachings to contribute to the pope building fund could gain complete
remission of their own sins and also for the dead soul in purgatory. Luther was given opportunity to
translate the New Testament into German. Luther sympathized with their demand for social justice for
their economic difficulties to be considered. Luther’s senior colleague carltadt began the mass with
ordinary cloth.

He did not want reformation to get out in vain. He agreed to alter the liturgy of the mass, but he
retained candles, the use of mass vestments by the minister of crucifixes in church. Luther wrote 95
thesis, he never intended to break with Rome. He was hoping to reform the Catholic Church from within.
In 1520 also he was writing his pamphlets about the doctrine of the priesthood of all believer, the
sacrament, justification and sanctification.

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His medieval practice of selling indulgences was based upon the doctrine of merit. This document taught
that there is a treasury of merit based upon Christ three own good works of obeying God. Luther
attached as scholastic 'theses ‘to the door of the church at Wittenberg summoning people to an
academic debate on subject of indulgence.

Luther oppose that pope has the power key to forgive sins without prayers and a power to release a soul
from purgatory but he said that a man who truly repents he is already forgiven. Luther was also
affirming that repentance and forgiveness are not something that one can buy they are things that
involve the whole life of a believer.

In theses 36 and 62 Luther is looking towards the doctrine of justification by grace through faith. Later in
March 1519 Luther was persuaded to write again to the pope to submit his authority without giving way
on his opinions. This confirm was that authority rested only into the bible and in general counsel of the
church. Hughes was responsible for the preaching in the monastery church.

What that movement will chiefly be, in Luther's intention is not a crusade to reform the moral lives of
Catholic, celeries as well as lay folk, but rather a crusade against Catholicism itself but know considered
to be a corruption of the gospel of Christ. Luther's important consideration, the experience spiritual
crisis which he experienced in his life as a monk.

Luther own character was of greatest importance to the historian of reformation because he was
himself so very much whole reformation. In the early years his character is extremely complex. Luther
also corrected the view of Anabaptist doctrines that threatened to bring anarchy into the church and the
state.

Luther's theology emphasized the concepts of Sola scriptura (scripture alone) and Sola fide (faith alone),
rejecting the Catholic Church emphasis on sacraments and good work as a necessary for salvation. He
believed that salvation was a free gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ.

He disagreed with Zwingli in Switzerland about the Lord’s Supper. He did not agree about the Eucharist,
he insisted in quiting the bible Luke 22:19"This is my body" were not a metaphor but we're to be
interpreted literally. The other protestant delegated disagreed with him and they went home disunited.
Luther that the world of God is truth and that Christians could only be sanctified in obedience to its truth.
Obedience to the people should be second place to the bible.

Luther also appealed to drive initiative. During 1518-1519 Luther moved from unknown mock in a back
water university to the center stage of European politics. Luther was responsible he provided only
specific theological statement. Luther insisted that the gospel was constitutive for the church not the
church for the gospel.

Against the Rome conception of the gospel. Luther's greatest contribution was priesthood of all
believers. He argued that abolition of the ministry as a distinct order within the church. Luther struggled
with the feelings of guilt and inadequacy in his pursuit of salvation. Through his study, of scripture,

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particularly Paul's letters, he came to understand salvation as the free gift from God grace received by
faith alone, rather than through the works or indulgences. This famous "Ninety-five theses, “which he
imposed in 1517, criticizing the sale of indulgence and sparking the reformation.

Luther's influence extended beyond theology, shaping the development of modern western society
culture. His emphasis on individual conscience and the authority of scripture laid the groundwork of
religious freedom democracy.

Conclusion.

Martin Luther's life work were instrumental in catalyzing the protestant reformation, a movement that
profoundly transformed the religious, cultural, and political landscape of Europe and beyond. His bond
stance against the Catholic Church teachings and practices sparked widespread debate and ultimately
led to significant changes with Christianity.

Luther's emphasis on the authority of scripture, the doctrine of justification by faith and priesthood of
all believers reshaped theological thinking and challenged the entrenched power structure of his time.
His translation of the bible into the vernacular language the scripture access able to ordinary people and
help pave the way of democratization of religious thought.

Moreover, Luther's legacy extends beyond theology, influencing the development of modern concepts
such as individual liberty, religious freedom and secular state. His courageous advocacy for reformation
continued to the pursuit of spiritual authority.

Overall, Martin Luther's life serves as the powerful remainder of the potential for individuals to effect
change and challenge injustice, even in the fact of formidable oppression. His enduring impact on
Christianity and western civilization underscores the enduring significance of his legacy.

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Bibliography.

Chadwick D, 1964, Introduction to church history, the reformation, U.S.A.

Fosdick E, 1952, Introduction to church history, library of Congress catalog, New York.

George T, 1988, Introduction to church history, Brandan press, U.S.A.

Oberman A,1994, Introduction to church history, Erdman's publishing company, U.S.A.

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