Lutheranism

850 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of the Protestant Reformation

Lutheranism The Roman Catholic Church dominated religion for many years in Europe and became an extremely powerful institution. Over the years, the Roman church became corrupt and immoral in many ways. The development of the Protestant Reformation, Lutheranism, was greatly influenced by political events in the years proceeding the 16th century. The declared aim of the original reformer, Martin Luther, was to restore the Christian faith as it had been at its formation, while salvaging what he considered valuable from the Roman Catholic tradition that had developed during the previous centuries. Luther broke the unity of the Catholic Church forever by exposing their faults and misguided notions. Lutheranism spread quickly due to the availability of the Christian Faith, as well as the close relationship between religion and the state. Luther believed that the Christian Faith was being exploited. The leaders of the Roman church were abusing their monopoly over their Christian followers for their benefit. Luther wrote The Ninety-Five Theses in response to the sale of indulgences by the Pope. He wanted to make the people aware of how a true Christian should act and how the Pope was violating them: "The treasures of indulgences are nets, whereby they now fish for the riches of men." (Luther, The Nine-Five Thesis, p.5) He felt that giving to the poor and needy would make them far better off than if they bought pardons. The Romanists had set up barriers so that no one could condemn their actions and power. They thought that the temporal power had no jurisdiction over the spiritual power. Secondly, the only person who could interpret the Scriptures was the Pope. Therefore, he decided what was right and what was wron... ... middle of paper ... ...nd your books, you have truly denied God." (Luther, How far Temporal Authority Extends, p.29) Faith was a free act that no one could force because it came from within. The Protestant Reformation appealed to many including political rulers, princes and those living in towns who were tired of paying papal dues and taxes to Rome. Lutheranism was the first of its kind to give a freedom to the individual and a sense of equality among men. The Scriptures themselves could provide salvation, which was the purpose of every man's life. This provided a sense of peace to those living in a world full of corruption, tyranny, and death. The governmental authority was a means of protecting the neighborhood from the evils of the world and structured itself to be from the will of God. This authority also profited from Lutheranism, which allowed it to become such a success.

Show More
Related

  • An Analysis Of Roland H. Bainton's Here I Stand

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    Benton reminds his readers that the work that is done here on earth is only a brief period of training for the life that is to come. The only difference is the work that is performed on earth can prepare you for eternal joy or everlasting torment. Luther takes on a vow to God that he will be obedient, with the call from Heaven that he had received from God to obey his will in Luther’s life. Bainton also reminds his readers of the sacrifices that Luther made to be the man of God that he was. Bainton questions his readers on what have they done to maintain along with increasing their spiritual lives before God. Bainton also brings his readers into the struggles that Luther went through in his life along with the issues that he had maintaining his faith in God. Bainton skillfully guides his readers through the story of Luther’s life, above all Bainton brings his readers into the mindset that Luther is a man of prayer and strict obedience to the will and way of God. He instructs followers to pray by acknowledging God as their father, so that it is understood by the readers that they are in a personal relationship with God. Bainton strongly emphasizes Luther’s transformation of the Holy Spirit guiding him into the reformation of the church. Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses placed the church on notice of their spiritual and natural misrepresentation of the people of

    Read More

  • Effects Of Martin Luther's 95 Theses

    523 Words  | 2 Pages

    People started to see the logic in his words and they started to break away from the Catholic church and in the process starting the protestant reformation. In his theses Luther believed that Faith not good deeds could save a person. People were convinced when they were told that if they pay so much money that their loved ones would be able to get out of purgatory and make it to heaven. Indulgences such as this was one of the major things that made Martin Luther so angry and adamant of writing his 95 theses because he wanted to see a change in the Catholic

    Read More

  • Church Reform In The 16th Century

    489 Words  | 1 Pages

    Luther, a pastor and professor at the University of Wittenberg, deplored the entanglement of God’s free gift of grace in a complex system of indulgences and good works. In his Ninety-five Theses, he attacked the indulgence system, insisting that the pope had no authority over purgatory and that the doctrine of the merits of the saints had no foundation in the gospel. Here lay the key to Luther’s concerns for the ethical and theological reform of the church: Scripture alone is authoritative (sola sciptura) and justification is by faith (sola fide), not by works. While he did not intend to break with the Catholic church, a confrontation with the papacy was not long in coming. In 1521 Luther was excommunicated; what began as an internal reform movement had become a fracture in western

    Read More

  • Reformation and Music

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    While numerous theological issues had been brewing for some time, the Reformation was officially began in 1517 by a man named Martin Luther. Martin Luther was a professor of biblical theology who had several issues with the Catholic Church. His complaints or disputes with the Catholic Church are known as his 95 Theses. In his 95 Theses, Martin Luther argued that God offers salvation through faith alone and that religious authority comes from the Bible alone which posed a challenge to the authority of the Catholic Church. After sparking the Reformation, Martin Luther made it his goal to incorporate the church congregation in the praise and worship part of church service. A detrimental and vital aspect of Christianity, Martin Luther believed this needed to be done. Along with his followers, Martin Luther made continuous...

    Read More

  • Who Started The Columbian Exchange

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Protestant Reformation was the religious, political, intellectual upheaval that gave the Catholic Church a run for their money. It all started with Martin Luther, a monk, who posted over 90 theses on the church door challenging many of the Roman Catholic practices. He argued that the bible was the central means to discern God’s word and not the pope. Luther developed a belief that soon became known as “Lutheranism”. Many people were moved by Luther's efforts, especially John Calvin, a French theologian and lawyer, who started Calvinism. Lutheranism and Calvinism together got the people thinking and they were ready for a change. In 1606, the King granted a group of around 100 members to voyage off to the New World, and there they started

    Read More

  • Reformation's Religious and Educational Impact

    1084 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries a movement called the Reformation took place in Europe. But merely being more than just another religious movement, the Reformation was the moment in history in which God showed His great power and Salvation to the world through the lives of men like John Wycliffe, John Huss, William Tyndale, Martin Luther and John Calvinmen which were determined to die if it was necessary for the Lord's causea moment in which two distinct forcesthe desire of learning and the rebirth of the Word of Godmade it possible for people to believe in the Bible as the only absolute source of wisdom and truth, putting it as the final authority over man and church. As stated in World History and Cultures by George Thompson and Jerry Combee, the story of how the Protestant Reformation began is a story of how brave men in a world dominated by the Holy Roman Empire "desperately searched for the truth about salvation and found it in the Bible and how they were willing to step out on the sole authority of God's Word, even if it meant to stand alone for what is right"(246). I think that Martin Luther clearly expressed this thought when he said,

    Read More

  • Catholic Reformation Dbq

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Reformation occurred all over Western Europe. It was mostly set in Germany where various parts of corruption in the Church happened. Martin Luther started the process of the Reformation, he was German so he understood how the Catholic Church took advantage and didn't think this was fair. The Catholic Reformation took place between 1450-1650 which was the biggest revolution in Germany, although the understanding of Luther's actions weren't taken notice of until he put the 95 Theses on the Church's door. Luther felt that Bishops and Priests didn't understand the bible correctly. Luther wanted the Reformation to help fix this by helping the uneducated and powerless. Some of the movement of this was

    Read More

  • How Did Martin Luther Impact Society

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    Luther would go on to deny these objectives by writing “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” also known as “The 95 Theses.” This would consist of questions that were up for debate. The 95 These would later become the basis for Protestant Reformation, was written in a way not accusing but simply questioning. In the first two theses, contained Lathers’ main focus, those of which God ask believers to repent rather than faith alone. The following 93 would simply argue that of the first two. The 95 Theses became widely popular and spread from Germany to Rome, although the Roman Catholic Church was not open about it and would hold up to their threat on Luther. On January 1521, Luther was excommunicated from the church, and the council also convicted the “Edict of Worms,” which would ban Lathers’ writings and declare him a convicted man. This still would not stop Luther

    Read More

  • The Protestant Reformation Essay

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century revolt that changed not only Europe but the whole world in terms of politics and religious freedom that essentially led us to the modern world that we live in today. In Western Europe, Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII, the most influential and important reformers questioned the corrupted Catholic Church. This led to protests, wars, bloodshed, and of course the founding of Protestantism. Many people were against this new ideology yet, many were also for it; this began the Age of Reformation. There were several factors that contributed to the Protestant Reformation, however the most significant reasons were the following; the invention of the printing press, the corruption of the Catholic

    Read More

  • Events Leading Up To Martin Luthers Excommunication

    652 Words  | 2 Pages

    Luther took his religious vocation very seriously and spent much of his time reading the bible, which lead him to question the Roman Catholic Church. He realized man was at a disadvantage because our weaknesses force us to be burdened with sin. He said humans could not earn salvation by doing good deeds or performing holy acts instead we can earn it with faith in Jesus alone. Believing this, Luther was influenced to write the ninety-five theses along with him strongly opposing the sale of indulgences which are documents freeing sinners of punishment after death.

    Read More

  • Martin Luther Thesis Statement

    644 Words  | 2 Pages

    During Luther’s early life he faced a severe inner crisis. When he sinned he looked for comfort in confession and followed the penance, the fasting, prayer and observances that the church directed him. But, he found no peace of mind and worried about his salvation. But reading St. Paul’s letters he came to believe that salvation came though faith in Christ. Faith is a free gift, he discovered, it cannot be earned. His studies led him to a conclusion that, “Christ was the only mediator between God and a man and that forgiveness of sin and salvation are given by god’s grace alone” (Martin Luther, 01). Historians agree that, “this approach to theology led to a clash between Luther and the Church officials, precipitating the dramatic events of Reformation”.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Lutheranism And Calvinism

    409 Words  | 1 Pages

    Many Catholic churches were practicing the wrong things. Luther wrote the ninety-five theses to share how he felt about the Catholic churches. This was one of the things that caused the Protestant Reformation. People who joined this religion were known as “Lutherans.” They would used popular items, such as pamphlets, to spread the message of Lutheranism. Luther taught that you just needed faith in God and Jesus alone. Lutherans baptized people to clean them of their sins and to have everlasting life. Lutheranism is one of the largest today.

    Read More

  • Martin Luther Influence

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... without the need for good works and definitely not by paying money to the Catholic Church. In Luther’s view one only needs to believe in Christ and his works to be justified. Christ is just and his works are perfect and Christ is the object of our faith. As long as Christ is present in our lives and we put our faith in him and simple believe the promises that come with the gospel, God imputes righteousness to sinners, righteousness that we sinners do not deserve (Peters 2005).

    Read More

  • Reasons for the Reformation in England

    1967 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Reformation in Europe was created by Martin Luther. He loved the Roman Catholic Church but wanted it to change for the better.

    Read More

  • The Teachings And Contributions Of Martin Luther And The Protestant Reformation

    986 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Pope issued a papal bull that said that Luther’s writings were heresy and thereby excommunicated him out of the Catholic Church. Luther did not recant so he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Later, he was called to defend his beliefs at the Diet of Worms. At the Diet of Worms, he said “Here I stand. God help me. I can do no other.” After he defied the Diet, he was declared an outlaw and heretic. This quote signified that Luther was asking help from God because he was frustrated that no one in the council thought what he was saying was true. Since he was a lawyer before he became a priest, he asked many questions searching for the truth of the righteousness of God. Throughout his life, Luther always debated with others about why they believe what they believe. He suffered for these questions in ways such as excommunication, as said earlier, and always being on the run. He had a great impact on Christians because he taught us to always question incorrect authority and not be misguided into their beliefs. Luther said, “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.” This quote goes along with his Diet of Worms and how he refused to recant. He knew what he was saying was glorifying God, even if others could not see it. He was standing up for what he believed in, which teaches us to do the same. He was ultimately kicked out of the church for not renouncing his

    Read More

More about Lutheranism

Open Document