Martin Luther was a clergyman who founded one of the most enduring Protestant faiths, with his writings informing many Protestant denominations. He became uncomfortable with unbiblical traditions and excesses in the church, leading him to draft the 95 Theses. Luther’s censure led to the establishment of the Lutheran Church in Germany and sparked a movement to reform the traditional church. Luther’s writings laid the foundation for many Protestant tenets, including the concept of direct repentance to God and the final authority of scripture in matters of faith. He continued to write religious works until his death in 1546.
Clergy who are often referred to as the father of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther is one of the most influential figures in the development of a form of Christianity that pioneered the concept of solar scriptural authority, the priesthood of all believers, and salvation by faith . Beginning his religious career as a monk, Martin Luther became the founder of one of the most enduring Protestant faiths, with his writings going on to inform many adherents of a number of Protestant denominations.
Born November 10, 1483, Luther first considered a career in the study of law. However, his heart just wasn’t in the job. In 1505 he made the decision to abandon his law studies and enter a closed Augustinian convent, where he undertook a period of secluded monastic life. In time, it was decided that Luther needed to focus less on introspective religious endeavors and more on public ministry. In 1507, Luther was ordained a priest and began teaching theology at the University of Wittenburg in Germany. At the same time, Luther was awarded several degrees. In 1512, Martin Luther had joined the Senate of the theological faculty of the University, holding the position of Doctor of the Bible. This is a position he will hold for the rest of his life.
Luther’s continued study of the scriptural writings of Christianity, along with the early writings of the church fathers, led him to become uncomfortable with what he saw as unbiblical traditions and excesses in the church of his day. His problems with the leadership of the established church came to a head with Rome’s appeal for the sale of indulgences among the flock in Luther’s Germany. This action prompted Martin Luther to draft his famous document, Martin Luther’s Dispute on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences. Better known as the 95 Theses, the work was not just about the practice of indulgences but a number of other doctrines and traditions that Luther believed could not be supported by an appeal to scriptural canon.
Luther’s work was rapidly distributed throughout Germany in both the Latin and German versions, and eventually came to the attention of the church leadership in Rome. While attempts at reconciliation were being made, Pope Leo X finally excommunicated Luther on January 3, 1521.
Martin Luther’s censure did not end the matter. Freethinkers and other Christians gathered around him who found great inspiration in the writings of Martin Luther. Ultimately, this formed the basis for the establishment of the Lutheran Church in Germany. The success of Lutheranism sparked a movement in other places to reform the traditional church, as well as create a number of independent Christian faiths which severed all ties with the leadership in Rome.
While not agreeing on every point of doctrine, Martin Luther’s writings laid the foundation for many of the founding tenets of the Protestant branch of Christianity. Among the most enduring of these principles is the concept that there was no need for a ministerial mediator between God and mankind, since forgiveness of sins can be obtained by direct repentance to God. The canon of scripture is the final authority in matters of doctrine and faith. Also, the church in and of itself is not divine, but rather a human mechanism that helps point people towards the Divine.
Luther continued to deliver sermons and write a variety of religious works that have remained invaluable to many generations of Protestant Christians. Eventually marrying and becoming a father, Luther settled in the abandoned convent where he began his meditations and continued his work at the University. At the time of his death on February 18, 1546, Luther left behind an enduring church structure and belief system that has influenced millions of Christians and continues to form the basis of Christian faith and belief for many people around the world.
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