Premium Essay

Martin Luther and the Ninety Five Theses

In:

Submitted By beckera
Words 2900
Pages 12
Martin Luther and the Ninety Five Theses

Outline

I. Introduction
II. Who was Martin Luther?
III. Martin Luther Calls for Reformation
IV. A Short synopsis of the Ninety Five Theses
V. Result of the Theses
VI. Sources Consulted Introduction
Martin Luther was the first person to translate and publish the Bible in the commonly-spoken dialect of the German people. Luther's hymns sparked the development of congregational singing in Christianity. His marriage, on June 13, 1525, to Katharina von Bora, a former nun, began the tradition of clerical marriage within several Christian traditions.
Martin Luther was one of the most influential and compelling figures of Church history. Some of the most fundamental tenets of the Catholic Church were called into question by Luther, and lead to the greatest religious revolt in Church history, now known as the Protestant Reformation.

Who Was Martin Luther? Martin Luther was born to Hans and Margaretta Luther on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany. He was baptized on the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, for whom he was named. Martin’s childhood was one of abuse and uncompromising cruelty, “His father once beat him so mercilessly that he ran away from home …His mother, "on account of an insignificant nut, beat me till the blood flowed, and it was this harshness and severity of the life I led with them that forced me subsequently to run away to a monastery and become a monk."
His father owned and worked a copper mine in the nearby town of Mansfeld. Having come from peasantry, his father was determined to see his son rise up to civil service and bring honor to the family. To achieve this goal, Hans sent Martin Luther to schools in Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach.
In 1501, when he was seventeen years old, Martin Luther entered the University of Erfurt, where he

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Gke Task 2

...The Two Most Significant Social or Political Changes by Martin Luther Nefertiti Aziz GKE TASK 2A Western Governors University There are many great reformers of history like Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Benazir Bhutto but I chose to write my essay on Martin Luther who in my opinion one of the greatest reformers of all time . Without even planning to Martin Luther would become one of the great reformers of Christianity and alter the course of Christianity and Western past forever. To me the two most significant social or political changes that occurred as a result of the actions of Martin Luther was the writing of the “Ninety-Nine Theses” with led to the protestant reformation and the translation of the bible in Germany Born to father Hans and mother Margaretta in Eisleben, Germany, in 1483, Martin Luther was one of a family of ten. Although Martin was born in Eisleben his father Hans a prominent business moved his family to Mansfeld and from there Martin went on to become one of the most significant figures in history. In his younger year Martin Luther spent his time as monk and scholar but in 1517 Martin Luther produced a document condemning the Catholic Church's unethical customs of retailing “pleasures” to pardon wickedness. His “Ninety-Five Theses”, which promoted two central beliefs, the first belief is that the Bible is the fundamental religious authority and the second was that individuals may grasp...

Words: 814 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Reformation

...basically freed people of sins and bought salvation after death. Although many people bought these indulgences and followed the words of the Pope, Martin Luther was not one of these people. Martin Luther was a very dedicated and educated monk who taught at the University of Wittenberg. His deep concern for the church led him to write the Ninety- Five These which simply stated ninety- five points of debate against the actions of the Catholic Church at the time. He posted these arguments in Latin on the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517 with the intention of keeping the issues within the hands of the church officials and holding a lively debate with his colleagues. Martin Luther had no idea at the time that this piece of writing would end up being the catalyst to the entire Protestant Reformation. This is due to the fact that although the Ninety- Five These is written about indulgencies, it provides overall commentary about the true fairness and power of the church along with what should be done by the church. One of the main points made within the Ninety- Five These is the worthlessness of indulgencies. Indulgencies promised people salvation and forgiveness of sin if bought but, Luther heavily emphasizes in the beginning of his ninety- five points that the church or the pope is in no position to offer such things. Luther states on his sixth point, “The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring and showing that it has been remitted by God; or, to be sure, by...

Words: 1122 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Wgu Task 2 Gke

...Change Part A Martin Luther was a monk who lived in Wittenberg, Germany. The two most significant changes that he made were challenging Church policies and he sparked the Protestant Reformation, a religious movement. Both of these changes are political and social changes. Luther wrote the “Ninety-Five Theses”, in the Ninety-Five Theses” he listed the reasons why he believed the church was corrupted due to their abuse of power. Luther posted his “Ninety-Five Theses” all around the city and on the church. His “Ninety-Five Theses” reached people and the pope as well. Through this act Luther gained many followers, but he was eventually excommunicated from the church and declared an outlaw. Being excommunicated meant that you would be cut out from contact with the church. If you were declared and outlaw this meant that it was against the law to do any service for Luther. Despite Luther being declared an outlaw, his teachings and ideas lived on. Luther’s work rapidly spread because he was able to use the movable type printing press to create copies of his “Ninety-Five Theses”. As Luther’s “95 Theses” spread, more people began questioning the power of the Church and questioned its policies. This lead to the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant reformation was a time where people decided to stop following church policies and norms. Nuns left their monasteries and convicts. They decided to part from the church and live their lives. (Derek, 2007) Part B Martin Luther King Jr. was an...

Words: 606 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Paper 1

...PAPER 1 – MARTIN LUTHER PRESENTED TO PROFESSOR MARK NICKENS FOR CHHI 302 – DO1 BY REV. JOSEPH T. WHITAKER, III LU23755920 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA NOVEMBER 6, 2014 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 BIOGRAPHY------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAIN THEOLOGICAL POINTS------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAJOR EVENTS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIGNIFICANT WRITINGS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONCLUSION----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BIBLIOGRAPHY-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Introduction It has often been stated and thought that Martin Luther was the founder and originator of the Protestant Reformation. Was Martin Luther the founder of the Protestant Reformation? The historical record reveals...

Words: 1554 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Martin Luther's Influence On The Roman Catholic Church

...Martin Luther changed the course of history by opposing the Roman Catholic Church, and forming the first Protestant Church, the Lutheran Church. He protested against the injustices the Catholic clergy and the pope were making against the poor believers of Europe. Without Martin Luther, the Protestant Church, with its estimated 800 million members, would not exist. Martin Luther was born on November 10th, 1483, in Eisleben, in the Holy Roman Empire. He was born to Hans and Margarethe Luther. He was a German, who became a priest, hymn-writer, and founder of the Lutheran Church. Hans Luther wanted Martin to have a successful life and be a lawyer, so he enrolled him in schools in Mansfield, Magdeburg, and Eisenach. Martin also enrolled at...

Words: 646 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Martin Luther

...SEMINARY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMPUS ILLUSTRATION #1: MARTIN LUTHER A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT PRESENTED TO DR. CHRIS CHUN IN PARTIAL FULLFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CHURCH HISTORY ll: REFORMATION TO THE PRESENT, L1111-21 BY Rodney Odom BOX # 125 BREA, CA January 23, 2016 Subject/Theme Possibilities: Courage, Faith, Transformation, Testimony, Leadership Text of the Illustration: Martin Luther became one of the most influential figures in Christian history when he began the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. He called into question some of the basic tenets of Roman Catholicism. Martin Luther nailed a sheet of paper with 95 theses on the university’s chapel door. His followers soon split from the Roman Catholic Church to begin the Protestant tradition. 5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven. Historical Context of the Illustration: In 1517, Pope Leo X announced a new round of indulgences to help build St. Peter’s Basilica. On October 31, 1517, an angry Martin Luther nailed a sheet of paper with 95 theses on the university’s...

Words: 363 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Derp

...Many agree that Martin Luther’s protests against indulgences were the catalysts of the German Reformation in 1525. However, why was Luther so adamantly opposed to Indulgences? And even so, how did his grievances against the pope spark the German Reformation? Luther’s belief in “justification by faith alone” and his production the ninety-five theses sparked the German Reformation. Luther opposed Indulgences because of his belief of “justification by faith alone”. After a few years of insight into this topic, Luther concluded that “the righteousness that God demands did not result from charitable acts and religious ceremonies but was given full measure to any and all who believe in and trust Jesus Christ as their perfect righteousness satisfying to God.” (KOT 320) He argued that it was unbiblical to think of work as contributions to salvation, something only a deity such as God himself could bestow upon a person. Luther taught good works were expected, even if they did not contribute to eternal salvation. Those who believed in Christ possessed God’s perfect righteousness and would therefore perform good deeds throughout their lives. Luther’s teachings showed that one needed only to believe in Christ instead of paying Indulgences in order to reach eternal salvation. (KOT 330-322) Luther’s belief against Indulgences sparked the Reformation through the writing of the ninety-five theses. The ninety-five theses were an attack on the practice of Indulgences. Theses twenty-one states...

Words: 418 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Uuihhk Hjkjh

...Historical Terms and Concepts to Know *Who, what, where, why, when, how, so what? Martin Luther Henry VIII Council of Trent Thirty Years’ War Protestant Siege of Vienna Glorious Revolution Peter I St. Petersburg Ninety-Five Theses missionary Society of Jesus Treaty of Westphalia Charles V Spanish Inquisition Louis XIV Versailles Catherine II balance of power Adam Smith VOC Ptolemaic universe Newton John Locke capitalism joint-stock companies putting-out system Copernican universe deism Discussion Questions Examine the centralizing efforts in countries like France, Spain, and England. How and in what ways were they successful? Why was the Holy Roman Empire not as successful as other European states in centralizing power? Examine the idea behind the balance of power. How did this concept play itself out in Europe? How was this balance of power different from the political patterns in the rest of the world? Examine the career of Martin Luther. What were the foundations of his Reformation? What legacy did he leave Europe? Why did earlier reformers not have the same impact? Examine the rise of capitalist thought and...

Words: 516 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Martin Luther And The Reformation

...The reformation was a historical event that happened around the 15th century, it’s based on the re-formation of the church. Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther released the ninety-five these statement on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg (“ German reformation, 3 ”). Martin Luther like his father and grandfather, he was a slave, he was also the oldest of ten children. The reformation has ended near the late 1900s. When he was younger, he was sent to a boarding school, but on his journey back he was supposed “kidnapped”. In the early 21st century, relations have been good throughout the catholic church and mainstream Protestantism. The story of the Protestantism is a bloody and violent time for both sides. The Reformation is...

Words: 396 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Snow Storm Lawsuit

...Who was martin Luther King By bonnie bader Illustrated by Elizabeth wolf Growing up in the south was not easy for martin Luther king jr. he was born in 1929 when where black people treated differently from white people. Martin his and his dad’s name was Michael. When he was five his dad changed their names to martin. Martin gets a job in tow churches in Massachusetts and New York he wanted to become the minister. He got a letter from Dexter Avenue Baptist church which had no minister. He started his job as a pastor. There were 2 black students going to ride a bus to Washington D.C they were waiting on the white only spot and when they were about to go on the bus the tires got shot and a bomb went in the bus through the window and the kids ran away as fast as they can martin Luther king Jr. made a speech he said he wish someday people will say one day people will judge the kids for who they are not for their skin color. Congress agreed that people should be treated the same on July 1964 president Johnson signed the civil right act. In 1964 martin was awarded the noble peace prize. On April 3rd martin was enjoying the fresh air and a gun shot rang out and martin Luther king Jr. was dead. James earl ray was arrested for killing martin Luther king Jr. he was sentenced to ninety-nine year in prison Coretta carried on the martin’s dream until her death in 2006. Forty years later martin is still remembered for what he did. Marsel...

Words: 279 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Rennaisance Philosophy

...Renaissance I believe the Renaissance was started by a battle between beliefs, religious beliefs, by the Ninety-Five Theses being nailed to the Catholic Church. Martin Luther, the creator of the Ninety-Five Theses declared that the Pope was limited in his power and that the church was corrupt. He also challenged the existence of Purgatory. Since the Pope could declare any dead person no matter who they are be placed in Purgatory. The Pope should be limited in power because of the fact that he shouldn’t be able to pardon someone for their sins or penalties unless he himself has given those penalties. Martin Luther believed that the Popes power was too close to God’s power. Throughout the Renaissance there was this religious reform where people like Calvin, Martin Luther and Melanchthon. They broke ground with Theology by studying the Gods in a different way. This also caused discussion although heated between several groups and created furthered knowledge into the topic of god and worship. Art and Literature also fueled the Renaissance. People started reading more and art took on a more realistic quality. Even though art was becoming realistic it still had a connection to God and theology. Examples are the Madonna by Raphael, The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, and sculptures of saints by various artists. Art also took a huge humanist turn, showcasing the human form wherever you looked. In every Michelangelo painting everyone was buff, even baby Jesus...

Words: 1788 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

An Analytical Essay Of Martin Luther's Early Life

...On February 18, 1546, 472 years ago Martin Luther, a great person had died on his way to his hometown Eisleben in Germany. Luther was a successful and significant man to society, his belief in God is what made him who he was. On November 10, 1483 Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany. He moved around as a kid where he started school at the age of seven in Manfeld, then at fourteen he moved to Magdeburg to continue his education. Then, he went back to Eisleben in 1498 and went to a school to study grammar, rhetoric and logic. He continued on with his education and in 1501, he entered the university of Eufrat. Later on, earning a Master of Arts degree in grammar, logic, rhetoric and metaphysics. Luther loved his parents very dearly, Hans and Margarette Luther were...

Words: 680 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Annotated Bibliography: The Luther Legacy

...AnneMarie Franklin-Campbell World History October 9, 2014 The Luther Legacy: Assignment One The article titled The Luther Legacy by Derek Wilson was about the life, mission and impact Martin Luther made throughout Europe in the sixteenth century. Luther was a German monk who left the priesthood and publicly challenged the church with his Ninety-Five Theses. Luther also translated the Bible, the Old and the New Testament into German, which made it more accessible. He wrote letters to the cities throughout Germany to establish schools and to let girls attend. Luther had a great impact on political, social, intellectual, and religious of the Protestant Reformation. He set up a foundation for the way we live today. Luther challenged the Roman...

Words: 530 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Council Of Trent

...In period 2 There was a total of around 59 prelates. 13 German bishops were represented, including the personal presence of the influential appointed archbishops of Mainz, Cologne, and Trier. Period 3 was significant for the appearance of a deputation of 8 theologians ,13 bishops and 3 abbots from France and for the swell in recognition of the teachings from John Calvin. Approximately 270 bishops in all attended during this period, the vast superiority of Italians (187) and 31 Spanish and 26 French were also represented, and bishops from unnamed Catholic lands attended too. The final decree was signed by 255 procurators and prelates, this was the highest recorded attendance of the whole council. Altogether, the council sat for a total of five years and one...

Words: 1943 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Martin Luther Influence

...World 29 October 2015 Despite making his historical mark before the Enlightenment, Martin Luther exemplified its [the enlightenment’s] ideals in criticizing the Catholic Church. The Enlightenment was a period of time which provided inspiration for intellectual, philosophical, and social movements to spread. A number of radical thinkers emerged and started to question the common practices posed by kings and rulers that they believed to be corrupt. As a result, the common people started to become curious and wanted to obtain objective truth about the whole of reality. One of these great minds that persuaded others to question the higher leaders was Martin Luther. Martin Luther was a man of great...

Words: 675 - Pages: 3