Martin Luther (1483-1546) by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Oil on wood, 1529. 37 x 27 cm. (Photo by Imagno)
School period
College/University
Gallery of Martin Luther
Nordhäuser Str. 63, 99089 Erfurt, Germany
Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt, one of the most distinguished universities in Germany at that time. He received a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts in 1502, and a master's degree three years later.
Career
Gallery of Martin Luther
1520
Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546), a leading figure in the Reformation. (Photo by Stock Montage)
Gallery of Martin Luther
1517
The engraving shows German theologian Martin Luther (1483-1546) as he nails the "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" (or the 95 Theses) to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, October 31, 1517. (Photo by Stock Montage)
Gallery of Martin Luther
1521
Martin Luther (1483-1546) as "Junker Joerg," disguised as a country squire in his hideout on Wartburg castle, 1521/1522, where he translated the New Testament into German. Oil on copper beech. 40,5 x 32,5 cm. Museum der Bildenden Kuenste, Leipzig, Germany. By Lucas Cranach the Elder. (Photo by Imagno)
Gallery of Martin Luther
Antique print of Martin Luther in his study at Wartburg Castle in Eisenach (lithograph), 1882. (Photo by GraphicaArtis)
The engraving shows German theologian Martin Luther (1483-1546) as he nails the "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" (or the 95 Theses) to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, October 31, 1517. (Photo by Stock Montage)
Martin Luther (1483-1546) as "Junker Joerg," disguised as a country squire in his hideout on Wartburg castle, 1521/1522, where he translated the New Testament into German. Oil on copper beech. 40,5 x 32,5 cm. Museum der Bildenden Kuenste, Leipzig, Germany. By Lucas Cranach the Elder. (Photo by Imagno)
Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt, one of the most distinguished universities in Germany at that time. He received a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts in 1502, and a master's degree three years later.
(This book demonstrates that range and provides entry poin...)
This book demonstrates that range and provides entry points, for non-specialists and specialists alike, into the thought and life of the epoch-defining, fascinating, and controversial Martin Luther. With attention to the breadth of his literary output, it draws from his letters, sermons, popular writings, and formal theological works. This breadth allows readers to encounter Luther the man: the sinner and the saint, the public activist and the private counselor, the theologian, and the pastor. These writings possess a practical, accessible arc, as Luther does not write only for specialists and church officials, but he applies his chief insights to the "real-life" issues that faced his rather wide variety of audiences.
(Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the church...)
Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1517. In the three years that followed, Luther clarified and defended his position in numerous writings. Chief among these are the three treatises written in 1520. In these writings, Luther tried to frame his ideas in terms that would be comprehensible not only to the clergy but to people from a wide range of backgrounds. To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation is an attack on the corruption of the church and the abuses of its authority, bringing to light many of the underlying reasons for the Reformation. The second treatise, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, contains Luther's sharp criticism of the sacramental system of the Catholic church. The Freedom of a Christian gives a concise presentation of Luther's position on the doctrine of justification by faith.
Martin Luther was a German priest who was a major figure in the Protestant Reformation. A professor of theology and a former monk, he is credited to have started the Protestant Reformation in 16th-century Europe which changed the course of Western civilization.
Background
Martin Luther was born to Hans and Margarette Luther on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Saxony, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was baptized as a Catholic. His father was a leaseholder of copper mines and smelters, while his mother was a hard-working woman. He had several siblings and was closest to his brother Jacob.
Education
Martin's father harbored great ambitions for Martin and wanted him to become a lawyer. He ensured that the young boy received a good education and sent him to a Latin school in Mansfeld in 1488.
Martin received thorough training in the Latin language and also learned the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, and morning and evening prayers.
He moved to a school operated by the Brethren of the Common Life, a lay monastic order, in 1497. Then he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, one of the most distinguished universities in Germany at that time.
He received a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts in 1502, and a master's degree three years later. He was deeply influenced by the works of Aristotle and William of Ockham during his student days.
In July 1505, Luther had a life-changing experience that set him on a new course to becoming a monk. Caught in a horrific thunderstorm where he feared for his life, Luther cried out to St. Anne, the patron saint of miners, "Save me, St. Anne, and I'll become a monk!" The storm subsided and he was saved.
Most historians believe this was not a spontaneous act, but an idea already formulated in Luther's mind. The decision to become a monk was difficult and greatly disappointed his father, but he felt he must keep a promise. Luther was also driven by fears of hell and God's wrath, and felt that life in a monastery would help him find salvation.
The first few years of monastic life were difficult for Luther, as he did not find the religious enlightenment he was seeking. A mentor told him to focus his life exclusively on Jesus Christ and this would later provide him with the guidance he sought. At age 27, Luther was given the opportunity to be a delegate to a Catholic church conference in Rome. He came away more disillusioned, and very discouraged by the immorality and corruption he witnessed there among the Catholic priests.
Upon his return to Germany, he enrolled in the University of Wittenberg in an attempt to suppress his spiritual turmoil. He excelled in his studies and received a doctorate, becoming a professor of theology at the university (known today as Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg). Through his studies of scripture, Luther finally gained religious enlightenment. Beginning in 1513, while preparing lectures, Luther read the first line of Psalm 22, which Christ wailed in his cry for mercy on the cross, a cry similar to Luther's own disillusionment with God and religion.
Two years later, while preparing a lecture on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, he read, "The just will live by faith." He dwelled on this statement for some time. Finally, he realized the key to spiritual salvation was not to fear God or be enslaved by religious dogma but to believe that faith alone would bring salvation. This period marked a major change in his life and set in motion the Reformation.
On October 31, 1517, Luther, angry with Pope Leo X’s new round of indulgences to help build St. Peter's Basilica, nailed a sheet of paper with his 95 Theses on the University of Wittenberg's chapel door. Though Luther intended these to be discussion points, the 95 Theses laid out a devastating critique of the indulgences - good works, which often involved monetary donations, that popes could grant to the people to cancel out penance for sins - as corrupting people's faith. Luther also sent a copy to Archbishop Albert Albrecht of Mainz, calling on him to end the sale of indulgences. Aided by the printing press, copies of the 95 Theses spread throughout Germany within two weeks and throughout Europe within two months.
The Church eventually moved to stop the act of defiance. In October 1518, at a meeting with Cardinal Thomas Cajetan in Augsburg, Luther was ordered to recant his 95 Theses by the authority of the pope. Luther said he would not recant unless scripture proved him wrong. He went further, stating he didn't consider that the papacy had the authority to interpret scripture. The meeting ended in a shouting match and initiated his ultimate excommunication from the Church.
Following the publication of his 95 Theses, Luther continued to lecture and write in Wittenberg. In June and July of 1519 Luther publicly declared that the Bible did not give the pope the exclusive right to interpret scripture, which was a direct attack on the authority of the papacy. Finally, in 1520, the pope had had enough and on June 15 issued an ultimatum threatening Luther with excommunication.
On December 10, 1520, Luther publicly burned the letter. In January 1521, Luther was officially excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. In March 1521, Luther was summoned before the Diet of Worms, a general assembly of secular authorities. Again, Luther refused to recant his statements, demanding he be shown any scripture that would refute his position. There was none.
On May 8, 1521, the council released the Edict of Worms, banning Luther's writings and declaring him a "convicted heretic." This made him a condemned and wanted man. Friends helped him hide out at the Wartburg Castle.
While in seclusion, he translated the New Testament into the German language, to give ordinary people the opportunity to read God's word. Though still under threat of arrest, Luther returned to Wittenberg Castle Church, in Eisenach, in May 1522 to organize a new church, Lutheranism.
He gained many followers, and the Lutheran Church also received considerable support from German princes. When a peasant revolt began in 1524, Luther denounced the peasants and sided with the rulers, whom he depended on to keep his church growing. Thousands of peasants were killed, but the Lutheran Church grew over the years.
From 1533 to his death in 1546, Luther served as the dean of theology at the University of Wittenberg. During this time he suffered from many illnesses, including arthritis, heart problems, and digestive disorders. The physical pain and emotional strain of being a fugitive might have been reflected in his writings. Luther died following a stroke on February 18, 1546, at the age of 62 during a trip to his hometown of Eisleben. He was buried in All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, the city he had helped turn into an intellectual center.
The dominance of the Roman Catholic Church remained unchallenged for nearly 500 years. Then, in 1517, Martin Luther shook the Catholic Church to its very foundations. Luther was not a rebel. He wasn't trying to destroy the Catholic Church or even start his own religion. All Luther was trying to do was to stop the Church from engaging in some practices that he considered unchristian.
Luther's problem was with the Church's practice of selling indulgences. An indulgence is a remission of punishment for sins. One can think of an indulgence as a 'get out of hell free' card. The church had been in the practice of granting indulgences in exchange for good works and acts of piety for centuries, ever since Pope Urban II offered indulgences to Crusaders in 1095.
Luther questioned whether the church had the authority to grant such indulgences. He believed that the only true path to salvation lay through faithfulness to Christ and his teachings, not through adherence to the ideologies and dogmas of the Catholic Church. Yet Luther probably would not have made a fuss if it weren't for the fact that these "get out of hell free" cards weren't actually free.
Earlier that year, in 1517, Pope Leo X had made an unconventional move. Leo wanted to rebuild St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, but he didn't want to spend his own considerable wealth to do so. This is not surprising, as Leo was a member of the wealthy Medici banking family, which dominated Florence. The man was more of a banker than a priest.
Leo's solution was to begin offering indulgences in exchange for donations to the Basilica's renovation. While these donations technically counted as pious works, Luther saw them as simple payment. To Luther's eyes, the Church was essentially selling salvation. He witnessed poor peasants giving up their life savings to buy an indulgence for a dead relative, in the hope of saving their loved ones from the tortures of purgatory. All the while the Church grew ever richer.
This was too much for Luther. Luther had read the Bible, something most people of his age could not do, since the only available translations of the Bible were in Latin and Greek. Luther saw nothing in the Bible that gave the Church the right to charge people for their salvation. The church was supposed to be a spiritual sanctuary, not a marketplace.
So, Luther set about writing 95 complaints with the Church's greedy behavior. These complaints are now called the 95 Theses. On October 3, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Church of Wittenberg and sent copies to the higher authorities of the Catholic Church.
The posting of the 95 Theses is considered by many the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. However, it is important to remember that Luther was not trying to undermine the Church. He was just trying to get them to stop making money off the business of salvation.
Luther's 95 Theses spread across Europe like wildfire. Within two months, they were being read in cities across the continent. The next year, they were translated into German and printed on a massive scale, further fueling the controversy. Luther suddenly found himself at the center of the greatest conflict of his age.
Politics
Some Luther's works contained strident and offensive language against several segments of society, particularly Jews, and, to a lesser degree, Muslims. Luther's anti-Semitism is on full display in his treatise, The Jews and Their Lies.
Views
Quotations:
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."
"We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone."
"If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write."
"So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!"
"I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer."
"This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified."
"The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest."
"My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary."
"True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue."
"Everything that is done in this world is done by hope."
"You have as much laughter as you have faith."
"Beer is made by men, wine by God."
"Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly."
"I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth."
"There never yet have been, nor are there now, too many good books."
"Let the wife make her husband glad to come home and let him make her sorry to see him leave."
"God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars."
"Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved."
"You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say."
"Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!"
"Whenever the devil harasses you, seek the company of men or drink more, or joke and talk nonsense, or do some other merry thing. Sometimes we must drink more, sport, recreate ourselves, and even sin a little to spite the devil, so that we leave him no place for troubling our consciences with trifles. We are conquered if we try too conscientiously not to sin at all. So when the devil says to you: do not drink, answer him: I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to."
"The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."
"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."
"There are two days in my calendar: This day and that Day."
Personality
The fact that Luther's protest, rather than others that preceded it, brought about the Reformation is probably due in large measure to his outsized personality. He was a charismatic man, and maniacally energetic. Above all, he was intransigent.
Physical Characteristics:
Luther suffered from ill health during his later years, plagued by several ailments like kidney stones, arthritis, heart problems, and digestive disorders.
Interests
Philosophers & Thinkers
Aristotle, William of Ockham
Connections
In 1525, Luther married Katharina von Bora, a former nun who had abandoned the convent and taken refuge in Wittenberg.
Born into a noble family that had fallen on hard times, at the age of five Katharina was sent to a convent. She and several other reform-minded nuns decided to escape the rigors of the cloistered life, and after smuggling out a letter pleading for help from the Lutherans, Luther organized a daring plot.
With the help of a fishmonger, Luther had the rebellious nuns hide in herring barrels that were secreted out of the convent after dark - an offense punishable by death. Luther ensured that all the women found employment or marriage prospects, except for the strong-willed Katharina, who refused all suitors except Luther himself.
The scandalous marriage of a disgraced monk to a disgraced nun may have somewhat tarnished the reform movement, but over the next several years, the couple prospered and had six children.
Katharina proved herself a more than a capable wife and ally, as she greatly increased their family's wealth by shrewdly investing in farms, orchards, and a brewery. She also converted a former monastery into a dormitory and meeting center for Reformation activists.
Luther later said of his marriage, "I have made the angels laugh and the devils weep." Unusual for its time, Luther in his will entrusted Katharina as his sole inheritor and guardian of their children.