There were various theologies of the sacrament of Holy Communion that were being debated during the Reformation. Among reformers there were conflicting views on transubstantiation, consubstantiation, infant baptism and Christ’s importance of being in communion overall. Some reformers and reformation events that appealed believers more than others were Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and the Council of Trent.
Martin Luther was a German priest who rebelled against authorities of the Roman Catholic Church and initiated the start of the reformation. He rejected some of the traditional practices although he believed that the church was essential to the Christian doctrine. He was very big on communion with God. He believed that people of God were a part of a community of belief and being honest and just in that community made you equally seen to God. Through and in the church we receive sacraments that give us the Word of God. Luther felt that for a sacrament to be true, it had to come from Christ and be a sign of the promise of the gospel. He concluded that baptism and communion were the only two sacraments (Gonzalez, pg. 53)
For Luther, baptism was a sign of one’s death and resurrection with Christ. To complete this act one has to possess the gift of faith from God. With this faith you are a believer and baptized to become a member of the body of Christ. This baptism begins a person’s life as a Christian and lasts a life time. A person could be possibly more able to resist the devil because of the strength of God in the baptism. Luther disagreed with infant baptism because he that you couldn’t just be born into a religion.
Luther’s belief of the bread and the wine involved in the receiving of communion was seen as consub...
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References
GonzaÌlez, J. L. (1984). Luther's Theology, Ullrich Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation, John Calvin . The story of Christianity (pp. 47-56, 57-65, 77-86). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
Lusk, R. (n.d.). Theologia » Calvin on Baptism, Penance, & Absolution. House of Horne. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.hornes.org/theologia/rich-lusk/calvin-on-baptism-penance-absolution
Mason, M. W. (n.d.). Calvin on the Lord's Supper. The Theologian. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.theologian.org.uk/doctrine/calvinonthelordssupper.html
Placher, W. C. (1988). Council of Trent. Readings in the history of Christian theology (pp. 43-47). Philadelphia, Pa.: Westminster Press.
Waterworth, J. (n.d.). CT13. History Department, Hanover College. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct13.html
On the issue of communion, Luther, Zwingli and the Roman Catholics greatly differed on their views. The Roman Catholics had the most extreme view, then the Lutherans and then the followers of Zwingli. The Roman Catholics believed that when taking communion, there was an actual conversion of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood. This was known as transubstantiation. Since the blood and wine turned into Christ’s body and blood this meant that Christ was being sacrificed over and over again. Luther and Zwingli strongly disagree with transubstantiation and continual sacrifice, yet they still differ in much smaller areas. Luther believed that even though the bread and the blood did not turn into Christ’s physical body; Christ’s body was mystically in the bread and the wine. During many debates against Zwingli, Luther would back up this point with a verse from Matthew 26:26 which says, "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."" So, even though Luther did not believe in the practice of transubstantiation, he still believed that Christ's body (in some mystical way) was in the bread and the wine. Zwingli, one of Luther’s rivals, believed that the bread neither transformed nor had Christ's mystical being in it, but instead, communion was just a reminder and representation of Christ’s sacrifice. This is shown by looking ...
In 1517, Martin Luther wrote what would lead to the Protestant Reformation, the 95 theses (Pavao). Luther's theses is composed of ninety- five statements about the Roman Catholic Church that he didn't agree with, by posting his theses on the doors of the cathedral at Wittenberg he was looking to engage in debate with fellow theologians (Pavao). In a matter of weeks Germans that agreed with him about Church practices were printing and spreading his theses. The following will be a discussion of the 95 theses and some of the ideas presented that give an idea of the problems in the Church of his time.
The Pagan Servitude of the Church – Composed in 1520, this work by Luther is one of his most important contributions to Christian history and theology. In the Pagan Servitude of the Church, Luther addresses critical issues that surround the seven sacraments that the Roman Catholic Church practices, but for this session, only the sacrament of the Eucharist is covered. Luther does not start gently, as he immediately contradicts the norm by advocating for the administration of both elements of the Lord’s Supper to the laity. His argument brings to light opposing comments from other theologians and leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, but Luther overcomes them all with a simple redirection to Scripture. He uses a combination of his interpretation of Scripture from the Gospels and Paul’s epistles along with logic and common sense to declare that the laity should have the right and privilege to partake in both the bread and the wine elements.
At the beginning of the sixteenth century church theologian, Martin Luther, wrote the 95 Theses questioning the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. In this essay I will discuss: the practices of the Roman Catholic Church Martin Luther wanted to reform, what Martin’s specific criticism of the pope was, and the current practices Pope Francis I is interested in refining in the Roman Catholic Church today.
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.
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...
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”.
Kittelson effectively composed the book and created the biography to be an interesting look into the life of Martin Luther. His successful usage of primary source documents and information compounded with his personal literary explanation of Luther’s journey toward reformation and peace with God. Kittelson’s book is not without humor either, he includes direct quotes and dialogue between Luther and Zwingli debating the Lord’s Supper. The insults and demonstrative behavior show Luther as he was, a reformer, who wished to convince others of the power of the gospel. This engaging study is both informative and engaging. Luther the Reformer is a good biography for anyone interested in Martin Luther’s life and interested in learning more about why his journey impacted not only the Roman church then, but the entirety of the Christian Church to this
...the church. In conclusion, because of the Reformation, churches have greatly changed, and are continuing to change to this day.
"EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 & 2." EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.
Luther, Martin. The Large Catechism, in The Book of Concord. Edited by Robert Kolb and
As each detail of the Protestant reformation is further examined and the interconnected theological perspectives and practices are considered, they represent a crucial aspect of the movement as a whole. Almost acting as building block for one another, each individual movements represents a piece that is essential for the practices of Protest Christianity to transcend. As Luther introduces the ninety five theses to the Catholic Church, he sparks a change. Even though the aims and intricate aspects of each do not inline, the tenacity is affluent in each. Because they each required an ability to clash against the established traditions of Christianity to establish for themselves the connection between the practice of Christianity and the actual Word of God.
The Protestant Reformation during the sixteenth century established a schism between Christian beliefs that lead to the emergence of divergent interpretations of the Bible. Through this transformation the Papacy was prosecuted for its unrelenting and restricted renditions of the gospel that was seen to oppress the populace and corrupt the true meaning of God’s Word. Though there were individuals such as Desiderius Erasmus who greatly criticized the Catholic Church yet remained loyal there were others who broke away entirely. With the increasing dissatisfaction across Europe factions began to be founded providing elucidation on the “truthful” interpretations of the Bible. Two various factions were known as Lutheranism after German priest Martin Luther and Calvinism after John Calvin a French theologian. These new ideologies shared a basic belief system in reference of humanity’s position with God and their place on earth. However, there was also various interpretations of the bible amongst the newly formed Protestant groups. In response of the emerging Protestant groups the Catholic Church established counter agencies in the pursuit of reconverting Protestants and the conversion of Pagans such as the Mayans and Aztecs. The various views expressed through the primary documents explored in this analysis demonstrate the conflicting and complex nature of religion and humanity and how individuals attempt to reconcile the two in their truest forms.
The Reformation in Germany, which made a major impact on world history, was started by Martin Luther when, on a quest for his own personal salvation, became disillusioned with the Roman Catholic Church and began to speak out about his beliefs. This essay will describe and account for the progress of the Reformation in Germany to c. AD 1535 by outlining Luther’s life to 1517, the conflict that followed his Ninety-Five Theses, and the disputes of 1518 – 1520. Luther’s trial before the Diet of Worms and the support of the Protestant Princes will also be accounted for. Furthermore, Luther’s Bible, which helped greatly in the spread of the German Reformation, will be described. This essay will help give an understanding of the importance and lasting effect of the Reformation in Germany.
Martin Luther was well depicted in Luther, in the movie Luther’s character cared about what God wanted him to do. He wanted to follow the plan God had for him, and spent all of his time in confession. In the movie, they show Luther confessing in a cellar more than once a day as he was asking for forgiveness from God. After a while at the monastery, Martin was sent to teach theology at the University of Wittenberg. During Luther’s