SPALATIN
19th January 2005, 11:08 AM
Theologia Crucis additions in blue
Why did Martin Luther want to revolt and break away from the Roman Catholic Church?
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In truth, Martin Luther did not want to revolt and break away from the Roman Catholic Church. As a Doctor of Theology, Professor of Holy Scripture, parish priest and Augustinian Monk, he was very deep into the church, and as he studied Holy Writ, he began discovering discrepancies between them and some of the doctrines of the Church, especially he saw some abuses taking place especially in around Germany.
Pope Leo X, a member of the Medici family and son of the Mayor of Florence (Lorenzo the Great), had risen to the Papacy in 1513. The Medici family was a formidable family in Europe during the middle ages. Many Popes came from this family, as did Kings and Queens.
Pope Leo X was continuing a project begun by Pope Julius II to have the Basilica of St. Peter’s rebuilt to replace the old one, given by Emperor Constantine, that was falling apart.
At the same, Albert of Brandenburg (of the Hohenzollern family) had assumed two bishoprics at an early age, and wanted the archbishopric of Mainz. To get this position, he knew he would have to pay the Pope a handsome sum, and the diocese there was low on funds, due to the two previous archbishops dying in a short span. To raise funds, Albert borrowed money from the Fuggers, and in turn, the Pope allowed Albert to issue indulgences in his territories, with the fee of his see and half of the indulgence money going to the Pope, and the rest going to the Fuggers to repay the loan.
To fund this project Leo had special indulgences issued to be sold to fund the building of this basilica. Johan von Tetzel was commissioned to sell these indulgences and was a profound salesman in his techniques. His famous jingle was: “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.” It was reported that acquiring one of these indulgences could “absolve a man who had violated the Mother of God.”
These particular indulgences were not being sold in Electoral Saxony (where Wittenberg is), because they had to be approved by the local civil authorities, and Frederick the Wise had special indulgences already in his territory and did not want to allow competition. But, they were being sold in the adjacent territories to Saxony, and the people in Saxony received the news.
As Luther studied in taught the Scriptures, he began to have deep misgivings on the theology of indulgences, because he could find no reference or institution by Christ for them. Being a parish pastor, he was also deeply concerned for the care of his flock. Some in his parish had gone to acquire these indulgences, and he felt the theology of indulgences and purgatory needed to be discussed among theologians in Wittenberg.
"Legend says that Luther, upon finishing his 95 theses a.k.a Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (the famous “95 Theses”), took them to the Castle Church of Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, and nailed them to the door. Whether this was true or not we are not sure.
He also mailed a copy of the Theses to Albert, his ecclesiastical supervisor. This was a bold action to take against the Church, though Luther thought it would only serve as a matter of good debate among theologians out of concern for the flock.
The Theses were translated into German and published, and circulated among the laity, which was never Luther’s intention. This quickly made Luther one of the most famous monks in all Europe.
As Luther continued to learn, teach, and preach, he discovered that more and more of Roman Catholic Doctrine clearly contradicted the Holy Scriptures, and he felt it his duty as a Doctor of the Bible to correct these errors, because the Gospel of the free forgiveness of sins by God’s grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) for Christ’s sake (propter Christum) had been severely distorted over time, if not completely lost in many respects.
What he didn’t expect was the demand by the Roman Catholic hierarchy that he recant his position on the indulgences. He was excommunicated because he would not recant.
In 1521, A Diet was held in Worms, Germany. The Diet consisted of several clergy (including cardinals) and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. At the Diet, Luther was asked for the final time to recant his views on indulgences and other writings he had done since. His answer to the Diet is infamous. "Since your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason--I do not accept the authority of popes and councils for the have contradicted each other--my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me. Amen."
In the last 25 years of Luther’s life, he was instrumental in reforming the church into what is now called Lutheranism or the Lutheran Church. He preferred to call his movement “Evanelische”, or Evangelical, but the formerly derogatory term started by Roman Catholics later became a badge of honor, because it meant that a “Lutheran” was a Christian who trusts solely on Christ for their salvation.
Luther ultimately contributed three writings to the Lutheran Confessions, now included in the Book of Concord: the Small and Large Catechisms (1529) and the Smalcald Articles (1537).
Why did Martin Luther want to revolt and break away from the Roman Catholic Church?
***********************************************************************
In truth, Martin Luther did not want to revolt and break away from the Roman Catholic Church. As a Doctor of Theology, Professor of Holy Scripture, parish priest and Augustinian Monk, he was very deep into the church, and as he studied Holy Writ, he began discovering discrepancies between them and some of the doctrines of the Church, especially he saw some abuses taking place especially in around Germany.
Pope Leo X, a member of the Medici family and son of the Mayor of Florence (Lorenzo the Great), had risen to the Papacy in 1513. The Medici family was a formidable family in Europe during the middle ages. Many Popes came from this family, as did Kings and Queens.
Pope Leo X was continuing a project begun by Pope Julius II to have the Basilica of St. Peter’s rebuilt to replace the old one, given by Emperor Constantine, that was falling apart.
At the same, Albert of Brandenburg (of the Hohenzollern family) had assumed two bishoprics at an early age, and wanted the archbishopric of Mainz. To get this position, he knew he would have to pay the Pope a handsome sum, and the diocese there was low on funds, due to the two previous archbishops dying in a short span. To raise funds, Albert borrowed money from the Fuggers, and in turn, the Pope allowed Albert to issue indulgences in his territories, with the fee of his see and half of the indulgence money going to the Pope, and the rest going to the Fuggers to repay the loan.
To fund this project Leo had special indulgences issued to be sold to fund the building of this basilica. Johan von Tetzel was commissioned to sell these indulgences and was a profound salesman in his techniques. His famous jingle was: “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.” It was reported that acquiring one of these indulgences could “absolve a man who had violated the Mother of God.”
These particular indulgences were not being sold in Electoral Saxony (where Wittenberg is), because they had to be approved by the local civil authorities, and Frederick the Wise had special indulgences already in his territory and did not want to allow competition. But, they were being sold in the adjacent territories to Saxony, and the people in Saxony received the news.
As Luther studied in taught the Scriptures, he began to have deep misgivings on the theology of indulgences, because he could find no reference or institution by Christ for them. Being a parish pastor, he was also deeply concerned for the care of his flock. Some in his parish had gone to acquire these indulgences, and he felt the theology of indulgences and purgatory needed to be discussed among theologians in Wittenberg.
"Legend says that Luther, upon finishing his 95 theses a.k.a Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (the famous “95 Theses”), took them to the Castle Church of Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, and nailed them to the door. Whether this was true or not we are not sure.
He also mailed a copy of the Theses to Albert, his ecclesiastical supervisor. This was a bold action to take against the Church, though Luther thought it would only serve as a matter of good debate among theologians out of concern for the flock.
The Theses were translated into German and published, and circulated among the laity, which was never Luther’s intention. This quickly made Luther one of the most famous monks in all Europe.
As Luther continued to learn, teach, and preach, he discovered that more and more of Roman Catholic Doctrine clearly contradicted the Holy Scriptures, and he felt it his duty as a Doctor of the Bible to correct these errors, because the Gospel of the free forgiveness of sins by God’s grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) for Christ’s sake (propter Christum) had been severely distorted over time, if not completely lost in many respects.
What he didn’t expect was the demand by the Roman Catholic hierarchy that he recant his position on the indulgences. He was excommunicated because he would not recant.
In 1521, A Diet was held in Worms, Germany. The Diet consisted of several clergy (including cardinals) and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. At the Diet, Luther was asked for the final time to recant his views on indulgences and other writings he had done since. His answer to the Diet is infamous. "Since your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason--I do not accept the authority of popes and councils for the have contradicted each other--my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me. Amen."
In the last 25 years of Luther’s life, he was instrumental in reforming the church into what is now called Lutheranism or the Lutheran Church. He preferred to call his movement “Evanelische”, or Evangelical, but the formerly derogatory term started by Roman Catholics later became a badge of honor, because it meant that a “Lutheran” was a Christian who trusts solely on Christ for their salvation.
Luther ultimately contributed three writings to the Lutheran Confessions, now included in the Book of Concord: the Small and Large Catechisms (1529) and the Smalcald Articles (1537).