Reformation in Germany (Martin Luther)

There were more than 350 independent political states in Germany. Nearly one sixth of Germany was occupied ecclesiastical states. The heads of these states were the archbishops, abbots and bishops. The Germane churches were devoted to Rome. The church in Germany was hugely rich. The national sentiments were also strong in Germany and it needed only a leader capable of organizing the people. Martin Luther was that man who stood for a reformation.

Martin Luther and Reformation:

His Early life: He was born on November 10, 1483 at Eisleben. He spent his childhood in Mansfield, a mining town. His father was a miner. He attended school there till the age of 14. His home was rocky, where discipline was severe. At home, he was taught creed (faith, doctrine), the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and some simple hymns. Discipline was severe even at school, and religion was compulsory. Through the severe discipline at school and home, he learned a feeling of religious uncertainty and fear. God as not presented to him as a loving father, but a terrifying. Christ as not a merciful Savior, but severe judge.

His Education & Conversion: Luther received a sound primary and secondary education at Mansfield, Magdeburg, and Eisleben. In 1501, at the age of 17, he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1502 and a master's degree in 1505. He then intended to study law, as his father wished. In the summer of 1505, however, he suddenly abandoned his studies, sold his books, and entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. The decision surprised his friends and appalled his father. In the monastery he observed the rules imposed on a novice, but did not find the peace in God he had expected. Nevertheless, Luther made his profession as a monk in the fall of 1506, and his superiors selected him for the priesthood. Ordained in 1507, he approached his first celebration of the mass with awe.

In November 1510, on behalf of seven Augustinian monasteries, he made a visit to Rome, where he performed the religious duties customary for a pious visitor and was shocked by the worldliness of the Roman clergy. Soon after resuming his duties in Erfurt, he was reassigned to Wittenberg and asked to study for the degree of doctor of theology. In 1512 he received his doctorate and took over the chair of biblical theology, which he held until his death.

Luther was active as a preacher, teacher, and administrator. Sometime during his study of the New Testament in preparation for his lectures, he came to believe that Christians are saved not through their own efforts, but by the gift of God’s grace, which they accept in faith. Luther’s Religious Struggle in the Monastery: There were five factors distinguished in his religious struggle in the monastery. 1) He entered into the monastery to gain divine approval, and to please God. 2) This led him to the problem of sin and he discovered that even this good works was tainted with sin. 3) He found out that he could not fulfil the theology of Ockham and Gabriel, viz., that you must do good and after that God will give you grace. 4) Then he turned to another theology of Ockham that is predestination. 5) After three years in the monastery he still did not find Rom.1:17, “the just shall live by faith.”

Luther’s religious convictions: 1) Man is justified or saved by faith in Christ without the merits of good works. 2) Every Christian has a direct access to God through faith in Jesus Christ. And there is the general priesthood of all believers. 3) The bible is the sole moral authority for faith and life. 4) God asserts his actual and full presence in the Holy Spirit. The Bible cannot be understood by human speculation. 5) Religion is not based on a legal contract between God and men, but on God’s gift of grace, or God’s love to the sinner. This grace is free for all. But Luther had as yet no thought of separation from the Church of Rome.

Luther’s 95 Theses: In September 1517, he published his 95 theses, for the purpose of improving the curriculum and the methods of study at the University of Wittenberg. But the birthday of the reformation was October 31, 1517, when he nailed his 95 theses against the sale of indulgences to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. Pope Julius started the building of the magnificent church of St. Peter in 1506, but the work was interrupted and stopped lack of funds. Pope Leo X tried to raise the necessary funds for the completion of the church building. So, he proclaimed a general sale of indulgences. England, Spain and France refused. The chief salesman was John Tetzel. If people bought these indulgences a) they were promised participation in the treasury of the merits of the saints; b) they would relieve the sufferings of the poor souls in the purgatory; c) full and perfect remission of all their past sins would be received. Tetzel set up his trade a few miles away from Wittenberg. Luther could not tolerate seeing many people buying indulgences. So, he nailed his 95 theses against the sale of indulgences to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. On the same day he sent a copy of the 95 theses and a letter to Archbishop Albert.The leading points of his theses are: 1) Repentance is not an outward act, but an attitude of the mind. 2) The church’s true treasury is God’s forgiving grace. 3) Every repentant Christian has an attitude of the mind. 2) The church’s true treasury is God’s forgiving grace. 3) Every repentant Christian has the right to full remission of sins without any letter from the pope. 4) Christians should seek discipline and not try to avoid it. Reaction to those theses was much more violent than Luther expected. Germany on the whole keenly supported Luther, some theologians attacked him and Tetzel made a complaint to Rome. On 1518 April, Luther appeared before the general and won many of them to his own position. On January 28, 1521, Charles V opened his first Diet at Worms. Frederick demanded that Luther be given a fair hearing at this Diet. So, on his way to Worms, Luther was reminded of the fate of Hus, but Luther replied, “Huss has been burned, but not the truth with him. I will go on, though, as many devils were aiming at me as their tiles on the roof. April 18, 1521, Luther he gave a well-prepared speech. There he said “I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor honest to act against one’s conscience. God helps me, Amen.” The emperor and the Diet put him under the ban of the empire on May 26, 1521. Luther’s powerful friend, the Elector Frederick had taken him secretly to the castle in Wartburg. There he lived nearly a year in hiding, meanwhile he made his famous translation of the New Testament into German and also issued more violent attacks on the papacy. While Luther was in Wartburg, men of more extreme views took the leadership in Wittenberg. They taught that all images should be destroyed, there should be no pictures in the church and no organs, and that all priests should marry. Then more people attacked infant baptism.When the peasants’ revolt broke out in 1525, Luther condemned it and he lost their support for reform movement. In 1529, the Diet of Spier, made a strong order that religion must not be changed and all the monastic bishops and orders must be restored to their full powers and rights. The Lutheran minority in the Diet entered a protest against this decision. And from this incident comes the word Protestants. Luther died in 1546.