Martin Luther

As a Christian, Martin Luther’s work as a religious revolutionary is very familiar to me and important to my faith, since the denomination I am a part of stems from Luther’s actions and the resulting Protestant Reformation. His courageous decision to go up against the Roman Catholic Church and present his ideas had an enormous impact on not only German-speaking lands, but on the whole world. A small spark, starting with a humble monk embarking on a noble quest to right wrongs he saw in the Church fanned into a revolutionary flame. Somewhat unintentionally, Luther’s wake brought great cultural, political, and religious change.

Martin Luther, the man who started the Reformation source 

Since I am a Protestant, I agree with the necessity for reform within the Roman Catholic Church. By the 16^th century, the Church had become incredibly powerful and wealthy. Luther saw much corruption within the church and sought to make things right by removing what he saw to be unnecessary ritual and ceremony, invented by the Church, and returning to the scriptures. His teachings focused on the ordinary Christian and their personal faith, free from the clerical middleman. His new system of religion rapidly gained followers, resentful of the Church’s grievances. Though it divided the Church, this new Lutheranism brought unity among Germans. Luther also translated the Bible into the vernacular, which was spread quickly with the help of the newly invented printing press. This made the scriptures accessible and easily understandable to the common people and also promoted the development of a standard version of the German language.

The doors to Castle Church, Wittenberg, where Martin Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses. These were practices Luther felt were wrong in the Church. source

What started as a religious movement soon became much larger. Religious, social, and political tensions the Reformation caused created rifts in the Holy Roman Empire. Luther wrote at the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment, a time characterized by the questioning of traditional ideas and positions of authority. The people of Europe saw Luther almost single handedly stand up against one of the most powerful positions of authority at the time, the Roman Catholic Church. Freedom was a central theme in Luther’s teachings, and many liked the sound of that. Leaders of the fragmented German states saw freedom as independence from Rome and its financial drain. Communities could govern themselves without having to report back to the empire. Many peasants began uprisings, eager for social freedom. Luther, however, was horrified at the violence and extremism his teachings fueled.

Luther at the Diet of Worms by Anton von Werner. Luther presented his case before influential world leaders, including the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. This action inspired many to question authority and seek freedom. source 

I was shocked to learn how harsh he was against the peasants and Jews. His hate towards them, to me, does not line up with his character as a man of faith. It also seemed strange to me that he would completely abandon the ordinary person in the political and social realm after stressing their importance in the religious realm. He instead stressed the importance of obeying political authorities, (important for the peaceful coexistence of church and state) which I thought to be a bit hypocritical after standing up against the Church. But like it or not, Martin Luther’s decision to oppose the Church started revolutions that would completely change both German and European lands. (505)

Sources:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ni1gupkGAW0

http://historymedren.about.com/library/text/bltxtgermany10.htm