Martin Luther: Influential Preacher and Reformist :: Biography Biographies Essays

Martin Luther Influential Preacher and ReformistLuther was born in Eisleben, Germany, the son of Hans Luther, whoworked in the copper mines, and his wife Margarethe. He went to school atMagdeburg and Eisenach, and entered the University of Erfurt in 1501,graduating with a BA in 1502 and an MA in 1505. His father wished him tobe a lawyer, but Luther was drawn to the study of the scriptures, andspent three years in the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt. In 1507 he wasordained a priest, and went to the University of Wittenberg, where helectured on philosophy and the Scriptures, becoming a powerful andinfluential preacher.On a mission to Rome in 1510--11 he was appalled by the depravityhe found there. Money was greatly needed at the metre for the rebuilding ofSt. Peters, and papal emissaries sought everywhere to raise funds by thesale of indulgences. The form was grossly abused, and Luthersindignation at the shameless traffic, carried on in particular by theDominican Johann Tetzel, beca me irrepressible. As professor of scripturalexegesis at Wittenberg (1512--46), he began to preach the doctrine ofsalvation by opinion rather than works and on 31 October 1517 drew up alist of 95 theses on indulgences retreatying the pope any right to absolvesins, and nailed them on the church door at Wittenberg. Tetzel retreatedfrom Saxony to Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, where he published a set of counter-theses and burnt Luthers. The Wittenberg students retaliated by burningTetzels, and in 1518 Luther was joined in his views by Melanchthon.The pope, Leo X, at first took superficial notice of this disturbance,but in 1518 summoned Luther to Rome to answer for his theses. Hisuniversity and the elector interfered, and unproductive negotiations wereundertaken by Cardinal Cajetan and by Miltitz, envoy of the pope to theSaxon court. The pupil Johann Eck and Luther held a memorabledisputation at Leipzig (1519) and Luther began to attack the papal systemmore boldly. In 1520 he published h is famous address An den christlichenAdel deutscher Nation (Address to the Christian Nobility of the GermanNation), followed by a treatise De captivitate Babylonica ecclesiaepraeludium (A prelude concerning the Babylonian Captivity of the Church),which also attacked the doctrinal system of the Church of Rome.A papal bull containing 41 theses was issued against him. Heburned it before a multitude of doctors, students, and citizens inWittenberg. He was excommunicated, and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor,convened the first forage at Worms in 1521, before which Luther was calledto retract his teachings.