Martin Luther

The Context

• 1453 - the end of the Eastern Roman Empire.

• 1456 - Gutenberg produced the first printed Bible.

• 1479 - start of the Spanish Inquisition

Luther's Life

• 10 November 1483 - Luther was born in Eisleben, Saxony, to Hans Luder and Margarethe Lindermann.

• 1502-05 - Luther gained a liberal arts degree then a Masters degree.

• 1501 - Luther studies law at the University or Erfurt.

• 1505 - Luther, caught in a thunderstorm, vows to become a monk if St Anne will save him.

• July 17, 1505 - Luther abandons his legal studies to become  a monk in the monastery of Erfurt and joins the Augustinian order.

• May 2, 1507 - Luther celebrates his first mass.

• 1508 - Luther begins studying theology at the University of Wittenberg.

• 1510 - Luther walks about 1600 kilometres to Rome but is disgusted by the decadence of the city.

• 1512 - Luther received his doctorate and became a Doctor of Theology (Professor of Biblical Studies) at Wittenberg University. He begins publishing his writings on religion

• 1517 - Luther preaches against the selling of indulgences at Wittenberg.

• October 31, 1517 - Luther nailed his "95 Theses" to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg and mails then to Albert of Brandenburg, the Archbishop of Mainz. This is considered to be the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

• 1518 - Luther becomes convinced that salvation is received by divine grace, not in response to people's good works.

• November 9, 1518 - the Pope issued a document about indulgences but Luther declared that the Pope was not the only person who could explain the Bible.

• 1518 - Luther is charged with heresy in Rome.

• 1519 - The Leipzig Debate - Luther debated Johann Eck, denying papal supremacy and arguing that scripture alone is the basis for Christian faith and doctrine (Sola Scriptura)

• 1520 - the Pope wrote a document ordering Luther to recant. Luther publicly burned it.

• 1521 - Pope Leo X issued a bull (Decet Romanum Pontificem) excommunicating Martin Luther.

• 1521 - having been declared a wanted man who should be captured and burned to death, Luther was protected by Frederick the Wise in Wartburg Castle. While there he went by the name of Junker Jorg (Squire George) and he translated the New Testament from Greek into German.

• April 17, 1521 - Luther was summonsed to appear before Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, at the Diet of Worms, on charges of heresy. He acknowledged his writings but refused to recant saying that he must be true to scripture.

• 1522 - Luther finished the translation of the New Testament into German, at Wartburg.

• 1522 - Luther returned to Wittenberg. He advocated various social and religious reforms including education for all. He encouraged people to write music and hymns for church services.

• 1524 - Luther relinquished his religious habit.

• 1524 - Peasants revolt in Germany demanding reforms based on the writings of Luther and others.

• June 13, 1525 - Luther married Katarina von Bora, an ex-nun whom he had helped rescue. Katarina gave birth to 6 children.

• 1525 - Luther held the first German Mass (considered the first Protestant church service).

• 1529 - The Marburg Colloquy. Luther debated Ulrigh Zwingli on the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

• 1530 - The Diet of Augsburg. Lutheran princes plus two imperial free cities presented the Confessio Augustana on Lutheran theology to Charles V but he refused it.

• 1530 - Confessio Augustana was edited by Luther's friend and associate Philipp Melanchthon and published. It contained 28 articles describing Lutheran beliefs and practices. It became their cornerstone of faith.

• 1533 - Klug's songbook was published. It contained Luther's best known hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

• 1537 - Luther presented the Schmalkaldic Articles to a meeting of the Schmalkaldic League rulers and theologians in Schmalkalden, Germany. It contained his articles of faith, a stricter Protestant confession and a summary of Lutheran doctrine. 

• 1540s - Luther's health deteriorated.

• February 18, 1546 - Martin Luther died in Eisleben, Germany. His body was carried to Lutherstandt Wittenberg where he was buried in the Castle Church.

Luther's legacy

Luther's legacy is immeasurable. He changed the history of the world.