DAY 35- 4/4/17- DAY 35- REFORMERS TO KNOW-
MARTIN LUTHER
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (1 Chr. 17:16)
Calvin and the Reformed Protestant leaders called Martin Luther “the Apostle of the Reformation.” Most of them had deep respect for Luther, even if Luther disagreed with some of their thinking, because he broke the glass ceiling of sacerdotalism in the church.
Luther was born 11/10/1483 in Eisleben Saxony (Southeast Germany) the son of Hans and Margarette Luther. Hans was a successful miner but wanted his son to be a lawyer and Luther studied to be one earning an MA at the University in Erfurt. In 1505 Luther was caught in a terrible thunderstorm and he cried out, “Save me St. Anne and I will become a monk.” Most think Luther was headed toward the monastery anyway in his efforts to save himself from God’s wrath and hell. At the monastery Luther was constantly doing acts of penance for perceived sins and continually confessing to the abbot in true anxiety for his soul. At 27 he went to Rome for a church conference but came away more disillusioned by the immorality and power he saw. He went to the University in Wittenburg, received his doctorate and became a professor there. 1513-1515 Luther’s thinking changed. He read in Romans, “The just shall live by faith” and realized that salvation did not depend on his actions as much as on putting his faith in what Christ had already done. On October 31, 1517 he nailed his 95 these to the Wittenburg church door as a means to try to stop indulgences for forgiveness and to reform the church of Rome. In October 1518 Luther was called before Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg to recant his 95 theses but he did not. Luther was excommunicated in January 1521 for saying that the Pope did not have the exclusive right to interpret scripture. He was summoned before the secular authorities (Emperor Charles V) at the Diet of Worms where he still refused to recant. His famous statement at Worms was “My conscience is captive to the Word of God… Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me, Amen.” On May 8, 1521 Luther’s writings were banned and he was declared a heretic. This made him a condemned man threatened with death. Friends whisked him away to a castle in Wartburg where he spent months translating the Bible into German. In 1522 Luther began organizing the Lutheran church from his followers and with the protection of some German princes. In 1524 a Peasants Rebellion broke out. At first Luther seemed to side with the peasants (his father was considered a peasant), but in the end he saw this rebellion as wrong and encouraged the defeat of the peasants. In 1525 he married Katharina Von Bora and together they had six children. He remained as professor in Wittenburg dying February 18, 1546 at the age of 62. Philip of Hesse called Luther and Zwingli together October 1-4, 1529 to work out an agreement between the Protestant states. The Lutherans and Reformed could agree on 14 of 15 points- but the last one (in what sense Christ is present at the Lord’s Super) separated them. Initially Luther refused to call the Reformed Christians but later he softened his stance and came up with the Marburg Articles that pointed to the fourteen theological agreements. Luther also believe the body of Christ was ubiquitous (available everywhere) and thus could be present in the elements- whereas reformed thinking spoke of the body of Christ ascended into heaven. Luther got in trouble along with Melanchthon and Bucer for advising Philip of Hesse to not divorce his wife but to marry again (using as justification the polygamy of the Old Testament). Luther is often criticized for his attitude toward the Jews and Muslims. Luther refused to call for a holy war against the Turks, but did encourage a secular war against them. Luther also criticized the Annabaptists for their aversion against all authority, adult baptism and pacifism, and the antinomians who thought the law did not apply to them. Luther was the closest thing to a prophet of the Reformation. Luther was also known for writing many hymns including one we still sing, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Like David and others in the Old and New Testaments we can learn from his faults as well as his good qualities.
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (1 Chr. 17:16)
Calvin and the Reformed Protestant leaders called Martin Luther “the Apostle of the Reformation.” Most of them had deep respect for Luther, even if Luther disagreed with some of their thinking, because he broke the glass ceiling of sacerdotalism in the church.
Luther was born 11/10/1483 in Eisleben Saxony (Southeast Germany) the son of Hans and Margarette Luther. Hans was a successful miner but wanted his son to be a lawyer and Luther studied to be one earning an MA at the University in Erfurt. In 1505 Luther was caught in a terrible thunderstorm and he cried out, “Save me St. Anne and I will become a monk.” Most think Luther was headed toward the monastery anyway in his efforts to save himself from God’s wrath and hell. At the monastery Luther was constantly doing acts of penance for perceived sins and continually confessing to the abbot in true anxiety for his soul. At 27 he went to Rome for a church conference but came away more disillusioned by the immorality and power he saw. He went to the University in Wittenburg, received his doctorate and became a professor there. 1513-1515 Luther’s thinking changed. He read in Romans, “The just shall live by faith” and realized that salvation did not depend on his actions as much as on putting his faith in what Christ had already done. On October 31, 1517 he nailed his 95 these to the Wittenburg church door as a means to try to stop indulgences for forgiveness and to reform the church of Rome. In October 1518 Luther was called before Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg to recant his 95 theses but he did not. Luther was excommunicated in January 1521 for saying that the Pope did not have the exclusive right to interpret scripture. He was summoned before the secular authorities (Emperor Charles V) at the Diet of Worms where he still refused to recant. His famous statement at Worms was “My conscience is captive to the Word of God… Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me, Amen.” On May 8, 1521 Luther’s writings were banned and he was declared a heretic. This made him a condemned man threatened with death. Friends whisked him away to a castle in Wartburg where he spent months translating the Bible into German. In 1522 Luther began organizing the Lutheran church from his followers and with the protection of some German princes. In 1524 a Peasants Rebellion broke out. At first Luther seemed to side with the peasants (his father was considered a peasant), but in the end he saw this rebellion as wrong and encouraged the defeat of the peasants. In 1525 he married Katharina Von Bora and together they had six children. He remained as professor in Wittenburg dying February 18, 1546 at the age of 62. Philip of Hesse called Luther and Zwingli together October 1-4, 1529 to work out an agreement between the Protestant states. The Lutherans and Reformed could agree on 14 of 15 points- but the last one (in what sense Christ is present at the Lord’s Super) separated them. Initially Luther refused to call the Reformed Christians but later he softened his stance and came up with the Marburg Articles that pointed to the fourteen theological agreements. Luther also believe the body of Christ was ubiquitous (available everywhere) and thus could be present in the elements- whereas reformed thinking spoke of the body of Christ ascended into heaven. Luther got in trouble along with Melanchthon and Bucer for advising Philip of Hesse to not divorce his wife but to marry again (using as justification the polygamy of the Old Testament). Luther is often criticized for his attitude toward the Jews and Muslims. Luther refused to call for a holy war against the Turks, but did encourage a secular war against them. Luther also criticized the Annabaptists for their aversion against all authority, adult baptism and pacifism, and the antinomians who thought the law did not apply to them. Luther was the closest thing to a prophet of the Reformation. Luther was also known for writing many hymns including one we still sing, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Like David and others in the Old and New Testaments we can learn from his faults as well as his good qualities.
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