Biography of Martin Luther, Research Paper Example

Martin Luther is one of the Western worlds most notable and important historical figures. He is credited for sparking the Protestant Reformation with his “The 95 Theses,” and in turn changing the entire religious landscape of the time. In his writings and lectures, Luther also charged the cause for Scripture translation, citing that all people should have access to the Bible because the direct study of the Bible is the true path to salvation (“Martin Luther”). Luther has been repeatedly named a “most influential person” of the past millennium, and his legacy remains one of extraordinary significance (Marty xii).

Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eislben, Germany (then known as Saxony) to parents of middle-class (Marty 1). His father was a successful businessman and copper miner who was also a town council representative (Marty 1). Luther’s childhood was marked by a strict upbringing enforced by both of his parents which sometimes resulted in harsh punishment (Marty 1-2). Luther was sent to Latin schools in early childhood, seven years after his Baptism (Marty 2). At this point, his family was residing in Mansfield. Luther went through three different Latin schools during this time, of which he described as “purgatory and hell” (Marty 2). During his time at a school in Madgeburg, 13-year-old Luther began to grow an “interest in monastic life” and his teachings there were “focused on personal piety” (“Martin Luther”). However, his father removed him from the school in Madgburg because he intended his son to become a lawyer, and this is when Luther was sent to a school in Eisenach (“Martin Luther”). At the school in Eisenach is where Luther remained in “purgatory and hell” until 1501, before he enrolled in university (“Martin Luther”).

Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt, which was at the time Germany’s “premier university” (“Martin Luther”). In four years, Luther received a Master’s degree after studying the typical curriculum of the time—which included philosophy, astronomy, geology and arithmetic (“Martin Luther”). It was not long after he graduated from the University of Erfurt that Luther entered an Augustinian monastery (“Martin Luther History”). How he decided to join the monastery was because of an intriguing event that happened in his life—Luther was “caught in a violent thunderstorm” in which he was almost struck by lightening, and saw this as a sign from God (“Martin Luther”). Thus, Luther chose to join the Augustinian order of monks, which were known for “prizing scholarship” and, evidenced by their name, “honored and studied the fifth century scholar and bishop St. Augustine” (Marty 7-8). This was, of course, against his father’s wishes, and he would later find himself faced with his father’s statements of “have you not heard that you are to honor father and mother” (Marty 11-12).

While still in the monastery, living the life of a monk, Luther was able to continue his studies at both the University of Erfurt as well as the University of Wittenberg (“Martin Luther”). In 1507, Luther was ordained and also began teaching at the University of Wittenburg (“Martin Luther History”). Shortly after in 1512, Luther had been made a doctor of Theology, however, he had already began to see the deep corruption in which the Catholic church was embroiled (“Martin Luther History”). This was due to a trip he took to Rome back in 1510 on behalf of the monastery, and this is when Luther became “increasingly angry” with concern of the Catholic clergy’s corruption and dishonesty (“Martin Luther History”). Luther’s studies and steadfastness as a monk lead him to further disillusionment in the Church, and he began to “believe that Christians are saved through faith and not through their own effort,” which directly reflects the teachings of Augustine (“Martin Luther History”).  Through conducting lectures on the Scriptures, notably on the St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and the Psalms, Luther came to recognize the need of reform in the church (Bainton 47-55). Luther stressed the importance of the teachings of the Bible as opposed to the direct following of Church officials (“Martin Luther”).

At this point in time, texts became more widely available to scholars and doctors of theology, therefore greater access to the translated Bible and philosophical works of Augustine resulted in the questioning of the teachings of the Church (“Martin Luther”). Essentially, as it currently existed and operated, the more corrupt the Roman Catholic Church became, the more Luther’s anger toward the Church emerged (“Martin Luther”). The Church’s practice of “indulgences” was at the forefront of the corruption, as it basically served  only a purpose to “pay off” Church officials and to take advantage of the people (“Martin Luther History”). Luther was committed to  the ban of selling indulgences as well as in effort of reformation of the Church, and believed that “salvation could be reached through faith and divine grace only” (“Martin Luther”). This is when Luther began to draft his “Disputation  on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” or more popularly known as “The 95 Theses” (“Martin Luther History).

Luther’s “The 95 Theses” specifically targeted the abuses of the papacy, and as mentioned before, the practice of selling indulgences (“Martin Luther History”). Luther argued in his writings that “works of piety and charity are infinitely better than indulgences” and that this is what Christians should practice as they seek salvation (Bainton 71-72). As the popular and well-known telling of the story goes, Luther nailed “The 95 Theses” on the doors of the Wittenburg Castle church, however this has most likely been embellished through retelling of the story (“Martin Luther”). Eventually, “The 95 Theses” and Luther’s other writings were circulated throughout Germany and made their way to Rome and to all of Europe because of the increasing use and popularity of the printing press (“Martin Luther History”).His other writings included “On Christian Liberty,” “On the Freedom of a Christian Man,” “To the Christian Nobility” and “On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church” (“Martin Luther History”). These works also lead to Luther being called out by the Roman Catholic Church as being heretical. The pope ended up condemning his writings because they did not go along with the Church’s teachings after these series of commissions concluded and confirmed his heresy (Bainton 74-77). In 1520, Pope Leo X “issued a papal decree that concluded that Luther’s propositions were heretical and gave Luther 120 days to recant in Rome” (“Martin Luther”). Of course, Luther did not recant and did not ever plan to do so, therefore, on January 3, 1521, Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church by Pope Leo X (Bainton 74-79). At this point, Luther was also ordered to appear at the Diet of Worms, which is a Holy Roman Empire assembly. However, Luther still would not recant his writings, thus Charles V also declared him a heretic as well as an outlaw (Marty ). Luther had no choice but to go into hiding at Wartburg Castle until 1922, but soon thereafter he returned to Wittenberg where he would later marry Katharina von Bora. Von Bora was a former nun and their marriage took place in 1525, whereas they would also later have six children together (“Martin Luther”).

Luther still continued to get involved in controversy, however not always at this behest. In 1524, the leaders of the Peasants War of 1524-1526 used his teachings and writings as arguments to “justify their revolt,” however, Luther  did not want to be involved and rejected the revolt, giving support to the authorities who would suppress the revolt (“Martin Luther History”). This, in turn, lost Luther many of his supporters in despite of his successes and views on the Church authority. Almost a decade later, Luther finished his German-translated Bible, giving more people access in reading the teachings of the Bible for themselves. This is said to have greatly contributed to the continued development and rise of the German language. After his many successes and a life full of controversy, Luther died in Eisleben on February 18, 1546 (“Martin Luther”). His life’s work would be forever memorialized and remembered for its great importance in the changing of the way people practiced Christianity, and of course, for sparking the entire Protestant Reformation and giving greater access to the teachings of the Bible.

Works Cited

Bainton, Roland Herbert. Here I stand: A life of Martin Luther. Abingdon Press, 2013.

“Martin Luther and the 95 Theses.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.<http://www.history.com/topics/martin-luther-and-the-95-theses>.

“Martin Luther History.” BBC News. BBC, 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2015. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/luther_martin.shtml>.

Marty, Martin E. Martin Luther: A Life. Penguin, 2008.