Transcript Martin Luther

An Analysis of the Life and
Work of Martin Luther:
The Reformer of an entire Country
by
Shawn R. Perry
Elementary German I - Professor Panaccione
Heiliges Römisches
Reich deutscher Nation
Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation
The lands of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nations emerged
from the Eastern borders of France to the Western borders of Poland and
the Ottoman Empire, a Muslim region consisting of south-eastern
Europe, Turkey, part of the Middle East, and North Africa.
Table of Events
• Johann Guteberg
perfects upon the
printing press in
Mainz.
• Martin Luther
was born at
Eiseleben in
Saxony on
November 10, 1483
on St. Martin’s
Eve.
• Luther was caught
in a severe
thunderstorm and in
hopes of not being
struck by lightning,
he threw himself to
the ground and
vowed to St. Anne to
become a monk if
he survived.
• Luther was sent
to the University
of Wittenberg in
1508 to study and
lecture in arts.
1440
1483
1505
1508

Martin Luther was born at
Eiseleben in Saxony on
November 10, 1483 on St.
Martin’s Eve. Martin
Luther was born into an
age of Christian fear was
considered “complicated,
lively and compassionate,
however, stubborn, fearful
of the wrath of God, given
to the tormenting
introspection and selfinflicted punishment, all
in the pursuit of spiritual
salvation”.

Martin Luther
attended the University
of Erfurt in 1501 where
he received a Bachelor
of Arts degree in 1502
and a Master of Arts
degree in 1505. After
receiving his Master of
Arts, under the
influence of his father,
he enrolled in the study
of law.

Luther was said to question his own mortality after the
death of a close friend and after a trip from his parent’s
home back to the University of Erfurt, where he was
caught in a terrible thunderstorm. After a close
encounter with a bolt of lightning, Luther flung himself
to the ground in terror, and prayed to St. Anne that if he
was sparred and allowed to live, he would dedicate his
life to God. Luther left the University of Erfurt to enter
as a monk under the St. Augustinian order at the Black
Monestary in Erfurt to find inner peace with his instilled
fear of an angry God.

As a young monk Luther
was obsessed with atoning
for his sins and went
through vast lengths to
punish himself. This
ranged from extreme self
denial and physical and
mental tests to self
flagellation. One such
punishment consisted of
lying in the snow, through
the night at the height of
winter until he would have
to be carried back inside.

Brother Martin Luther was
ordained a priest and
celebrated his first mass in
1507, made his vows in 1508,
and selected for further
theological studies at the
University of Erfurt. His
diligence and passion for
his works, earned him the
opportunity to be sent to the
University of Wittenberg in
1508 to join the Theology
Department to study and
lecture in arts.
Table of Events
• Luther journeys to
Rome in the
company of a fellow
Augustinian on
business for the
order.
1510
• Luther takes the
degree of Doctor
of Theology
October 19, 1512.
1512
• Luther begins
his first lectures
on Psalms at
Wittenberg.
• Death of Pope
Julius II.
Accession of Pope • Lectures on
Leo X.
Romans
1513
1515
Table of Events
• Lectures on the
Galatians
1516
• Luther
challenged the
subject of
indulgences in
the form of the
95 Theses for
debate, on
October 31, 1517
1517
• Luther debates
with Johann Eck, a
• Luther
Roman theologian,
presents his
in Leipzig
appeal before
Cardinal Cajetan challenging the sale
of indulgences and
at the Imperial
questions papacy
Diet in
infallibility.
Augsburg.
Cardinal Cajetan • Death of Emperor
Maximillian.
requests that
Luther renounce • Election of Charles
his theses.
V. to the Empire.
1518
1519

In 1510 Luther was
sent to Rome by his
vicar general, John von
Staupiz, on business
for the Augustinian
order with a senior
friar. After a difficult
800 mile journey, the
two monks reached the
Roman home of Pope
Julius II and early
Christianity.


During his pilgrimage, Luther became offended by the
manipulations of the papacy under Julius II and the Roman Popes
before him. Luther later said that he would not have missed the
trip, “for then I might have been afraid of being unjust to the
Pope.”
After his pilgrimage in Rome, Luther returned to the monastery
in Erfurt and resumed his lectures at the University of Wittenberg
in 1511. Upon Luther’s return, John von Staupiz approached
Brother Martin and requested that he consider becoming a doctor
and a preacher in theological studies. Although Luther provided
many reasons why he should not, he later returned to the
University of Wittenberg, this time to prepare for the doctorate
and to lecture the Bible. It was at Wittenberg that Luther read the
inspiring works of St. Augustine, the Scripture, the early church
and humanism in preparation for his degree. In October of 1512,
Luther received the degree of Doctor of Theology. Slowly, terms
like penance and righteousness took on new meaning. Luther
believed and taught that salvation is a gift of God's grace, received
by faith and trust in God's promise to forgive sins for the sake of
Christ's death on the cross. This, he believed was God's work from
beginning to end.

It was while lecturing at the Elector Frederick’s Castle
Church in Wittenberg he began to take issue with the
secular pursuits of the papacy. The sale of St. Peter’s
indulgences, the payment of money replacing the deed
of penance, or the forgiveness of God contingent upon
confession, as issued originally by Pope Julius II and
later reissued Pope Leo X for the construction of a new
basilica over the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican, became
a subject of concern for Luther when Johann Tetzel, a
Dominican friar, established his showman performance
on the outskirts of the Wittenberg border. Tetzel
promised the purchase of this indulgence would assure a
direct passage to heaven not only for the purchaser, but
for the purchasers departed relatives who were suffering
in purgatory. Luther believed that salvation of man was
not found in the Church or in the sale of indulgences.
He felt that if man were to repent his sin through faith,
he could be forgiven.
“Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it
to light, the following propositions will be
discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of
the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts
and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary
on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests
thathose who are unable to be present and debate
orally with us, may do so by letter
In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen”


Luther challenged the
subject of indulgences
in proposal for
discussion in his
Disputation of Doctor
Martin Luther on the Power
and Efficacy of Indulgences,
known as the 95
Theses, which he
posted to the door of
Frederick the Wise of
Saxony’s Castle
Church on October 31,
1517.

Luther presented copies of the 95 theses’ to his
students and colleagues, who passed the
proposition on to printers. In just a few months’
copies of Luther’s, 95 theses were available
throughout Europe. Approached by fellow
Augustinians who took alarm, Luther, decided to
make further certainty that everyone knew exactly
what he meant. He submitted a written tract to
his bishop, and simplified versions of his views in
German among the people. The controversy that
broke loose with the publication of the 95 Theses
placed even more pressure on the reformer to
study the Bible. This study convinced him that
the Church had lost sight of several central truths.
To Luther, the most important of these was the
doctrine that brought him peace with God.

It wasn’t until 1518, that Pope Leo X took an interest in
much of what he regarded a “monkish squabble” and
summoned Luther to Rome. The Elector Frederick of
Saxony, loathing the idea of a Saxon being tried and
judged by the Italians, asserted his view to Charles V in
conference with Archbishop Albert. The Pope, in
concessions to Frederick agreed to have Luther meet
with Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg, General of the
Dominican Order. Luther, willing to accept that the
abuses in the Church existed without the Popes
knowledge, was “asked by the Cardinal, to recant his
writings or face excommunication, trial by Inquisition
and likely death; Luther quoted Scripture supporting that
men were redeemed by faith and not by the purchase of
indulgences. Cardinal Cajetan asserted that the theory of
indulgences was doctrine, Luther denied it” and the
discussion was ended.
Table of Events
• Luther publishes
three of his most
famous tracts about
religious reform.
• The papal bull
Exsurge Domine
threaten Luther with
excommunication.
• Luther burns Canon
Law publicly, along
with a copy of the
bull.
1520
• Pope Leo X issues the bull Decet
Romanum announcing Luther's
excommunication.
• In April, Luther makes his stand
before the Diet of Worms and is
asked to recant his writings.
• Charles V. condemns Luther and
declares him an outlaw.
• In May, Luther is taken covertly to
the fortress Wartburg.
• Luther makes a covert trip to
Wittenberg to moderate reforms,
returns to Wartberg.
1521
• At Wartburg, the
New Testament is
translated into
German, published
in Wittenberg.
1522

In 1520 Luther published
three pamphlets: The Address to
the Christian Nobility of the
German Nation, declaring that
the Church should be
reformed with assistance of
the State. The Babylonian
Captivity of the Church, asserting
that Rome had corrupted the
real meaning of the Gospel
had been held from the
people of the Christian
Roman Empire and calling
for reform, and On the Freedom
of a Christian Man, a short
pamphlet on personal

Luther received the papal
bull Exsurge Domine, which
threatened Luther with
excommunication, for his
publishing’s that summed
the corruption of papal
power. In response, Luther
wrote Against the Execrable
Bull of the Antichrist. On
December 10, 1520, Luther
an his students at
Wittenberg burned the
Canon Law, the document
that recorded the laws of
the church and the papal
bull Exsurge Domine before
the city gate.

In 1521 Martin Luther
was excommunication
by Pope Leo X. The
only steps left, was to
call for a secular ban
making Luther an
outlaw of the land.
Charles V called a diet,
the assembly of the
princes, prelates and
representatives of the
free cities to assemble
in Worms.

Luther was summoned
before the Imperial Diet
of Worms, to appear
before Charles V and the
princes to explain his
conduct. Archbishop
Albert gives Luther the
opportunity to recant the
heresies contained in 20
of his publishing’s.
Because of his strong
faith Luther refused to
change his beliefs and
stated:

“Da dann Ihre Majestät und Ihr lordships eine
einfache Erwiderung wünscht, ich ohne Hörner
werde und ohne Zähne beantworten. Wenn ich nicht
durch Zeugnisse der Schrift und klare
Vernunftgründe überzeugt werde; denn weder dem
Papst noch den Konzilien allein glaube ich, da es
feststeht, daß sie öfter geirrt und sich selbst
widersprochen haben, so bin ich durch die Stellen
der heiligen Schrift, die ich angeführt habe,
überwunden in meinem Gewissen und gefangen in
dem Worte Gottes. Daher kann und will ich nichts
widerrufen, weil wider das Gewissen etwas zu tun
weder sicher noch heilsam ist. Gott helfe mir,
Amen!„
Dr. Rev. Martin Luther

“Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire
a simple reply, I will answer without horns and
without teeth. Unless I am convinced by Scripture
and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of
the popes and councils, for they have contradicted
each other – my conscience is captive to the Word
of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for
to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.
Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me.
Amen.”
Dr. Rev. Martin Luther

Charles V, bound by
faith and politics to
Roman interests, issued
the Edict of Worms,
declaring Luther an
outlaw, after the imperial
diet. The elector
Frederick covertly
arranged to have Luther
taken to a mountain
fortress, the Wartburg,
on his return to
Wittenberg

In 1522, while in hiding
Luther translated the New
Testament from Erasmus’
Greek into the form of
vernacular German used
today. Although Luther had
been writing similar material
in Latin from 1513, this first
decade of his works in
German was produced
during the period of
transition from spat
Mittelhochdeutsch into fruh
Neuhochdeutsch as well as
from Catholicism to
Protestantism.
Table of Events
• Diet of
Augsburg, Charles
V attempts to
unite Catholics
and Lutherans
• Luther continued against Ottomans
to write tracts
by promoting The
against religious
Compromise
enthusiasts and
written by Phillip
against the
Melanchton at the
Peasant’s Rebellion. Marburg Colloquy.
• Entered a
Instead the
discussion with
Protestants
Reformist Erasmus. produce the
• Married Catherine Augsburg
von Bora.
Confession.
• The complete
German Bible,
New Testament
and Old
Testament, is
published
• South German
Protestants visit
Luther, established
the Wittenberg
Concord.
• Luther draws up
the testament later
to be known as the
Articles of
Schmalkalden.
Table of Events
• Luther writes three
terrible anti-Semitic
tracts.
1543
• Called to settle the
disputes of two German
• Luther’s last version of his noblemen. On the return
Bible. His most
trip he fell ill and died at
malicious tract against the Eisleben, the town he was
papacy: Depictions of the Pope. born, on February 18, 1546
1545
1546

Luther continued to write tracts
against religious enthusiasts
and the Peasant Rebellion of
1524 - 1525, a peasant revolution
stemming from his
misinterpreted attacks against
the Church, until he fell ill and
died at Eisleben, the town he
was born, on February 18, 1546.
Though Luther’s works were
influenced by his faith and trust
in God’s forgiveness, they began
the Reformation of Germany
and it’s sever from the Holy
Roman Empire, the creation of
the Lutheran and Protestant
religions, and advocated
political influence.