Church History

Why was Martin Luther successful?

Why did he succeed while others failed?
What was happening at that time? (indulgences, buying salvation) done
Who were others that failed?
Martin Luther History (monk, doctor of theology, ! theses) done
Who is "on Huss
"ohn Wycliffe
#$$% b& "ohn Wycliffe, the most important theologian in '(ford, the most important
university in )urope& He taught that we must rely altogether on the sufferings of
*hrist& +,eware of seeking to be -ustified in any other way than by His righteousness+
#$.# b& "ohn Huss, ,ohemian pre/reformer& He was greatly influenced by Wycliffe&
He re-ected indulgences and said *hrist is the head of the *hurch, not the pope
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Works of Martin Luther
Martin Luther
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Martin Luther was born on 10 November 1483 in Eisleben. Luther studied at the
University of Erfurt and in 150! be"an tea#hin" at the University of $ittenber"
and in 151% was made a do#tor of &heolo"y. 'n 1510 he visited (ome on behalf of
a number of )u"ustinian monasteries whi#h he was involved in! and was a**alled
by the #orru*tion he found there.
Luther be#ame in#reasin"ly an"ry about the #ler"y sellin" +indul"en#es+ ,
*romised remission from *unishments for sin! either for someone still livin" or for
one who had died and was believed to be in *ur"atory. -n 31 -#tober 151! he
*ublished his +.5 &heses+! atta#/in" *a*al abuses and the sale of indul"en#es.
Luther had #ome to believe that 0hristians are saved throu"h faith and not
throu"h their own efforts. &his turned him a"ainst many of the ma1or tea#hin"s of
the 0atholi# 0hur#h. 'n 151. ,15%0! he wrote a series of *am*hlets develo*in"
his ideas , +-n 0hristian Liberty+! +-n the 2reedom of a 0hristian Man+! +&o the
0hristian Nobility+ and +-n the 3abylonian 0a*tivity of the 0hur#h+. &han/s to the
*rintin" *ress! Luther+s +.5 &heses+ and his other writin"s s*read 4ui#/ly throu"h
Euro*e.
'n 5anuary 15%1! the 6o*e Leo 7 e8#ommuni#ated Luther. 9e was then
summoned to a**ear at the :iet of $orms! an assembly of the 9oly (oman
Em*ire. 9e refused to re#ant and Em*eror 0harles ; de#lared him an outlaw and
a hereti#. Luther went into hidin" at $artbur" 0astle. 'n 15%%! he returned to
$ittenber" and in 15%5 married <atharina von 3ora! a former nun! with whom he
had si8 #hildren.
Luther then be#ame involved in the #ontroversy surroundin" the 6easants $ar
=15%4 , 15%>?! the leaders of whi#h had used Luther+s ar"uments to 1ustify their
revolt. 9e re1e#ted their demands and u*held the ri"ht of the authorities to
su**ress the revolt! whi#h lost him many su**orters.
'n 1534! Luther *ublished a #om*lete translation of the bible into @erman!
underlinin" his belief that *eo*le should be able to read it in their own lan"ua"e.
&he translation #ontributed si"nifi#antly to the s*read and develo*ment of the
@erman lan"ua"e.
Luther+s influen#e s*read a#ross northern and eastern Euro*e and his fame made
$ittenber" an intelle#tual #entre. 'n his final years he wrote *olemi#s a"ainst the
5ews! the *a*a#y and the )naba*tists! a radi#al win" of the reformin" movement.
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