Happy 542nd Birthday to Martin Luther
(November 10, 1483-February 18, 1546), former Augustinian Friar, theological doctorate, and founding Reformer of the Protestant Christian movement.
His challenge to the Roman Catholic Churches practice of selling Indulgences in exchange for God’s salvation. His nailing of Ninety-Five Theses (collection of poignant questions on the contradictions of doctrine in the Catholic faith) on the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, began the rebellion of Catholic dominance and Christian reformist revolution in Europe.
The rebellion that Luther began produced all Protestant denominations worldwide.
Luther’s theses are engraved into the door of All Saints’ Church, Wittenberg; the Latin inscription above informs the reader that the original door was destroyed by a fire, and that in 1857, King Frederick William IV of Prussia ordered that a replacement be made.
His sharp intellect and expert knowledge in theology and biblical scholarship made him a powerful and charismatic religious debater, and his challenge to Catholicism was extremely dangerous.
After refusing to renounce his challenge to the roman catholic doctrine, Luther was excommunicated and named a heretic by Pope Leo X in 1521, and later that year was declared an outlaw for his defiance at the Diet of Worms trial by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
Normally he would have been tortured and burned at the stake but was protected by sympathizer Prince Frederick III Elector of Saxony who kept Luther safe in his province.
Luther was the first to utilize the new printing press to get his religious ideas, interpretations and objections out to the public, and was the most read and popular author of the Age.
This caused Luther and his theology to have a great influence on the populace. He earned the love of every day people, making his German translation of the Holy Bible a best seller.
However it was Luther’s doctrine of Sola Fide, ‘by Faith Alone’ that changed Christianity forever. Luther taught that man cannot achieve salvation by doing good works, but only through faith is humankind given God’s loving Grace.
This makes practicing the religion not marking off a scorecard of holy points trying to qualify to get into heaven, but centers on one’s love of God and strength of belief that secures God’s acceptance.
Such Grace then naturally gives man the spirit to help his fellow man out of love as Jesus commanded, not as qualifying checkmark on the scorecard. This concept went against the Catholic ideal and created a new Protestant viewpoint on Christian theology that’s been adapted widely and become the cornerstone theology in all Protestant denominations, including his own Lutheran Church.
Though it must be said that Martin Luther was far from a Saint. He had a stubborn forthright attitude that offered no compromise, a horribly nasty temper with a sharp, insulting tongue would be the envy of any modern internet troll, and his later years writings on blatant antisemitism, open Islamophobia, and condemnation of Anabaptists were deplorable and without excuse.
However, he does stand as a model for his doctrine. To Luther all humankind is imperfect and sinful by nature, and only by God’s Grace of meeting us halfway can secure salvation from our sins and biases.
Martin Luther in his dual nature of a man of faith who had many prejudices and flaws proves this point.
So Happy Birthday and thank you, Dr Luther. Your stubborn, outspoken bravery changed the world. May God show you the Grace you so actively sought.
