Martin+Luther

Martin Luther was born in November 10, 1483 and lived until the year 1519. His birthplace was in the Saxon town of Eisleben in Germany. His mother was Margarette Linderman and his father was Haris Luder, which was later changed to Luther. As a child he attended Luther attended Latin schools in Mansief and Eisenach. Martin Luther was a German monk, priest, and professor. His teachings were mostly about how salvation is reached. He also had a strong hate for the Jewish religion. As Luther entered his later years he suffered through several illnesses which lead to his death.

Martin Luther’s global impact is one of huge degree because he created the protestant branch of Christianity. This schism (known as the Protestant Reformation) resulted in new Christian beliefs. Prostantism includes denominations such as Lutheranism (founded by Luther himself in 1521), Baptists, Anglicanism, Evangelicalism, Pentecostal, Calvinism, and many more. Although Luther did not create the other Protestant denominations himself; his actions of challenging the Catholic Church gave others courage to interpret the bible in different ways. For instance there would be no Calvinism if its founder John Calvin hadn’t been given strength by Martin Luther to challenge the Catholic Church as well. Luther also made the bible available by translating it from Greek to German. This allowed people to read the Bible themselves and develop their own beliefs about Christianity; they didn’t have to rely on a religious leader’s word. Another effect Luther had on the world was limiting the power of the Catholic Church which was huge because the church had a huge influence on politics and science. When people started to break away from the church, political and scientific ideas could develop without politicians or scientists risking being excommunicated.

In 1517, Martin Luther changed a lot of views on religion when he posted 95 theses to the door of a church castle in Wittenberg. This Act led to the Reformation. These theses protested the rights and morality of selling indulgences which were pieces of paper people could buy which would grant them salvation or get them into heaven. After reading the bible martin Luther viewed god differently than the church, he saw a forgiving and merciful god opposed to a harsh, judging, merciless god that the church portrayed him as, He was also convinced that only faith could grant salvation. These realizations led Luther to question other beliefs that the church had including the authority of the pope and monasticism, which was the belief that priests couldn’t marry. Martin Luther’s new views on religion brought in many new followers some saw this new religion as an advantage to get support in their social rebellions against landlords. Led to the formation of a new religion, Lutheranism, this religion was the same and different from Catholicism in many small ways.

Because of Martin Luther and his efforts against the Catholic Church many new branches of Christianity. Most of which are still widely followed today in America as well as around the world. One of the biggest being Lutheranism has thousands of churches in America.





Works Cited "Correcting the Correction: Reformation Day 2005 (October 31) - Essay Posted 24 October 2005 - The Journey with Jesus." //Journey with Jesus//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. < @http://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20051024JJ.shtml >.

"First Lutheran Church, Waterbury, Connecticut." //First Lutheran Church, Waterbury, Connecticut//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. < @http://firstlutheranchurch-wtby.org/ >.

Marty, Martin. //Martin Luther//. New York City, USA: Penguin Lives, 2004. Print. Penguin Lives.

"Reformirana KrÅ¡Ä‡anska (kalvinska) Crkva / Reformed Christian Church in Croatia." //Reformirana KrÅ¡Ä‡anska (kalvinska) Crkva / Reformed Christian Church in Croatia//. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. < @http://www.rkczg.hr/oldweb/reformacija/osnovno.php >.