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The inspiration of Luther
Martin Luther's contribution to reformation
Essay on life and works of Martin Luther
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Introduction
Martian Luther was born to a German family in 1483. His father was born a peasant, but raised to own a Coppermine. Because of this he was determined to see Martin Luther go into the civil services. By the time he was 19 he had earned his first bachelors degree, and planed to continue with a masters in law. However in 1505 there was a terrible storm, and lightening bolt struck near him. Upon this he cried out “Help, St. Anne! I’ll become a monk”. Because of how religious everyone was during that time, if a person promised something to a saint or god, they had to keep it, or otherwise they would go to hell.
When he was a monk, Brother Martin dedicated his life to please God, and serve others by praying for them. However, the more he prayed for god, and worked in his name, the more aware he became of his sinfulness. Because of this, Johann von Staupitz, his superior decided that he needed something to distract Luther. Staupitz ordered him to pursue an academic career and so he began to teach theology. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies.
With this new education Luther was able to understand that the salvation is a gift of god’s grace, received by faith and trust in god’s promise to forgive sins.
Issues of the time
Religious
During Martin Luther’s time as a Monk, The Catholic Church began to sell Indulgences. Indulgences are the reconciliation of one’s sin against the church, securing a place in heaven. However, Luther realised that the way to salvation was not by having indulgences, and promises from the church, but what you do yourself. Luther was so outraged with these ideas that the church was creating that he wrote a theses also known as the 95 theses, and put i...
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...Religion and the Church - Life in Germany During the Middle Ages - Medieval Germany - History - Germany - Europe." Countries Quest. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. .
"Religion and the Church - Life in Germany During the Middle Ages - Medieval Germany - History - Germany - Europe." Countries Quest. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. .
"Religion and the Church - Life in Germany During the Middle Ages - Medieval Germany - History - Germany - Europe." Countries Quest. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. .
That when it comes to economic power, and religious faith, the political make up of late-medieval Germany ensures the continued wealth of the nobility and clergy, and provides both with greater opportunity to interact with the “powerful” or “divine” realm. The most poignant example of this is in Peasant Fires in chapter five during The Feast of Corpus Christi. This celebration and feast was the clergy and nobility’s way of affirming control over the peasantry. Wunderli validates this claim by calling The Feast of Corpus Christi as an “especially appropriate day for the assertion of hierarchical authority.”(Wunderli) The hierarchy carries out this assertion through the parade procession where the peasantry is “physically put in their place” at the back (bottom) of the parade as the procession, which was ordered in reference to one’s level of rank and wealth, which placed the political and religious hierarchies at the forefront.(Wunderli) This action of affirmation on a day of religious importance and celebration bred tensions and inspired disrespect that would put the peasants on the path to
Hagen W (2012). ‘German History in Modern Times: Four Lives of the Nation’. Published by Cambridge University Press (13 Feb 2012)
The Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants, in Hans Hillerbrand (ed.), The Protestant Reformation (1968), pp. 95 (Henceforth Twelve Articles)
Reading the book “The Trial of Tempel Anneke” raises interesting questions, and details the clashing of anxieties that took place within Early Modern German communities, both in economic and religious justification. Some central questions posed by myself is proposed below.
Lynch, Joseph H. The Medieval church: A Brief History. New York: Longman Group UK Limited, 1992.
He was the man that formed the base of the Protestant Reformation. Luther knew he had to take action on this convictions immediately. So on behalf of the rebellion against indulgences and other Catholic doctrine, Luther created a “ Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” or more commonly known as “The 95 Theses.” The 95 Theses were a list of topics to discuss and propose the idea of indulgences. Or as some people would say to protest the sale of the indulgences of the Roman Catholic Church. The main seller of these indulgences was a man named John Tetzel who had promised the Christians that by paying they were “instantly” saved from sin. Legend says that on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther’s 95 Theses were nailed onto the doors of the Wittenberg Castle Church. Luther knew that this revolt was not violent, but was only intended to educate
A 16th-century movement in Western Europe that aimed at reforming some doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches. The world of the late medieval Roman Catholic Church from which the 16th-century reformers emerged was a complex one. Over the centuries, the church, particularly in the office of the papacy, had become deeply involved in the political life of Western Europe. The resulting intrigues and political manipulations, combined with the church’s increasing power and wealth, contributed to the bankrupting of the church as a spiritual force.
St. Boniface, originally named Winfrith, was an extremely studious man, a converted monk, priest, missionary and finally martyr. Born in 672, near Exeter, England, St. Boniface at an early age developed a desire to follow the path of God and live a monastic life. Through non-stop prayer and religious practices, he tuned his mind and body to reach beyond the obstacles and enticements of everyday life at his young adult age. He was a major influence on society during his life and affected the lives and history of Germany permanently. Often called the “Apostle of Germany”, St. Boniface was a strong believer in the principles of the Church and truly wanted to open any pagan believers minds to the knowledgeable and rewarding path of the Christian life.
Theological Context." Reformation & Renaissance Review: Journal of The Society For Reformation Studies 7, no. 2/3: 337-346. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 24, 2014).
The political organization and religion aspects during the 16th century influenced Protestant Reformation to occur in Germany. Martin Luther’s writings reflect on his views and perspectives of German politics and religion at the time. Martin Luther’s ideas in the Letter to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation and The Statement of Grievances mentions Martin Luther’s thoughts about how corrupt the church is, why the corruption in the church needs to end, and what Martin Luther’s ideas are to change the way of the church.
Fulbrook, Mary. A Concise History of Germany. 2nd ed. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.
Berghahn Books. 2000 Germany and the Germans. After the Unification of the. New Revised Edition. John Ardagh.
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).
Luther started his education at a Latin school in Mansfield. There he received training in the Latin language and learned about the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and morning and evening prayers. In 1497 Luther was sent to a school in Magdeburg run by the Brethren of the Common Life, a lay monastic group whose focus on personal piety had a lasting influence on him. In 1501 he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, the best University of the time in Germany. Luther took course in the liberal arts and received the baccalaureate degree in 1502. He obtained his master’s degree three years later. Since Luther graduated from the arts faculty he could chose to pursue graduate work in one of the three disciplines law, medicine, or theology. Due...
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969. Kitchen, Martin. A History of Modern Germany: 1800-2000. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Sprout, Otto.