Martin Luther (1483-1546)

### Education

Received his early education at the Latin school in Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach. He then entered the University of Erfurt in 1501, where he studied philosophy and received his Bachelor's degree in 1503.

### Occupation

Priest, monk, theologian, professor, and church reformer

### Family

Father: Hans Luther
Mother: Margarethe Lindemann

Siblings: eight siblings. Their names were Johannes (Hans) Ernst Luther, Elisabeth Luther II, and six others.

Children: Had six children. One of their daughters, Elisabeth, was born in 1527 but died before she was a year old.

### Best Known For

Being the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation

## About

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymn writer, professor, and Augustinian friar who was the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. He was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Saxony, and died on February 18, 1546, in Eisleben. Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507 and began the study of theology at the University of Erfurt. He came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, in particular, he disputed the view on indulgences. Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517. Luther's theology was based on the Bible and not on dogmas. Referring to Paul's Epistle to the Romans, he claimed that salvation is given through God's grace and not through deeds. It was adopted by Lutheran Churches and also by the other Reformed Churches, in principle. Tormented by God's justice who punished the sinner, Luther realized that man was justified (made just) by faith, which is God-given. Such was the revelation Luther described in The Tower Experience, of which no one knows the date (between 1512 and 1519) or the place where it was written. Luther's theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism. He began the Protestant Reformation with the publication of his Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517. Through his words and actions, Luther precipitated a movement that transformed Western Christianity and the world.

## Early Life and Education

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, to Margaret and Hans Luder. His father was a relatively successful miner and smelter, and his mother was a woman of prayer. Luther was the eldest of a number of children, and his father saw to it that he was well-educated, so he could become a lawyer and move up the social hierarchy to a more comfortable position. Luther began his education at a Latin school in Mansfeld in the spring of 1488, where he received a thorough training in the Latin language and learned by rote the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and morning and evening prayers. In 1501, he entered the University of Erfurt when he was 17.

## Career

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymn writer, professor, and Augustinian friar who became the central figure of the Protestant Reformation. He was a composer of commentaries on Scripture, theology, and ecclesiastical abuses, a hymnologist, and a preacher. Luther began the Protestant Reformation with the publication of his Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517, in which he attacked the Church’s sale of indulgences. He advocated a theology that rested on God’s gracious activity in salvation, and he believed that salvation is given through God's grace and not through deeds. Luther's views on religion and the Church led to the formation of the Lutheran Church.

## Personal life

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was born to peasant stock on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben in the Holy Roman Empire, in what is today Eastern Germany. He was a German priest, monk, and theologian who became the central figure of the religious and cultural movement known as the Protestant Reformation. Luther entered St. Augustine's Monastery on July 17, 1505, much to his father's displeasure, after dropping out of law school. He was terrified of death and credited Saint Anne with saving his life that day of the storm. On June 13, 1525, Luther married Catherine Bora, a former nun, who bore him six children. During the last years of his life, he attacked the Turks, the Papists, and the Jews.

## Relationships

Martin Luther (1483-1546) married Katharina von Bora, a former nun, in 1525, and they had six children together. Luther's relationship with Katharina is considered to be one of mutual love and respect.

## Controversies

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was involved in several controversies during his lifetime. One of the most famous controversies was over indulgences, which he attacked in his Ninety-five Theses. This led to a conflict with the Church, which threatened to excommunicate him. Luther refused to back down and was eventually excommunicated. Another controversy was Luther's views on the sacraments, which were different from the traditional Catholic views. He also had conflicts with other reformers, such as Ulrich Zwingli, over the interpretation of the Bible. In addition, Luther's views on the Jews were controversial, and he wrote several anti-Semitic tracts. These controversies contributed to the religious and cultural movement known as the Protestant Reformation, which Luther became the central figure of.

## Awards and legacy

Martin Luther's legacy is significant, as he is considered the central figure of the Protestant Reformation. His Ninety-five Theses, which disputed the view on indulgences and proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences, led to the eventual break with Rome over indulgences and grace. Luther's teachings inspired the Protestant movement, and his advocacy of a theology that rested on God’s gracious activity in salvation and his belief that salvation is given through God's grace and not through deeds, led to the formation of the Lutheran Church. Luther's legacy also includes his writings, such as his translation of the Bible into German, which helped to standardize the German language.

## Litigation

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was involved in litigation with the Church due to his views on religion and the Church. Luther's Ninety-five Theses disputed the view on indulgences and proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences. He believed in a discontinuity between God and the Church, and advocated a theology that rested on God’s gracious activity in salvation. In 1520, the papal bull Exsurge Domine was issued threatening excommunication, which Luther publicly burned in Wittenberg that December. Luther refused to back down, and in 1521, he refused to recant his views, delivering his famous speech which included the lines: “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God”.

## Quotes

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a prolific writer and theologian, and many of his quotes are still widely known and studied today. One of his most famous quotes is “Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen,” which he spoke at the Diet of Worms in 1521 when he was asked to recant his teachings. Another well-known quote is “Peace if possible, truth at all costs,” which he wrote in a letter to Melanchthon in 1529. Luther also wrote, “I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess”. His writings, including his Ninety-five Theses, have had a profound impact on Christianity and Western civilization.