Mircea gradu biography of martin luther

Martin Luther

Great German reformer
Date of Birth: 10.11.1483
Country: Germany

Content:
  1. Biography of Martin Luther
  2. Teaching Career and Reformation
  3. Indulgences and Controversy
  4. The Diet of Worms and Excommunication
  5. Contributions and Legacy

Biography of Martin Luther

Early Life and Education

Martin Luther, the great German reformer, felt a strong inner need for true righteousness, which he could not achieve through penances, monasticism, or sacrifices. He studied at the University of Erfurt and in 1505, he received a master's degree in arts. At the insistence of his father, he began to pursue a career as a lawyer. However, while walking from Mansfeld to Erfurt, he was caught in a thunderstorm that made him fall to the ground. He exclaimed, "Saint Anne, help me, and I will become a monk." Luther later regretted this vow but felt bound to it. He joined the order of monks and began to live an ascetic life to please God.

Teaching Career and Reformation

In 1507, Luther was ordained as a priest and started working as a teacher of theology, advancing his position as a scholar. In 1508, he became a teacher at the University of Wittenberg. On October 19, 1512, Luther received a doctorate in theology and soon after, he succeeded Staupitz as a professor of biblical theology. Luther's strong desire for true righteousness, which he could not achieve through penances, monasticism, or sacrifices, led him to reflect on a passage from the Epistle to the Romans. This revelation deeply influenced his teachings, and he became increasingly critical of Catholic theology based on Aristotelian principles.

Indulgences and Controversy

In 1515, Luther became a priest in the town church of Wittenberg. After much prayer, he posted ninety-five academic theses on the power of indulgences on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This sparked a dispute, and Rome accused Luther of heresy. His main opponent was Johann Eck, who accused Luther of heretical hostility towards the Pope.

The Diet of Worms and Excommunication

At the Diet of Worms, Luther was summoned to answer the charges of heresy. From the defendant's bench, Luther delivered his famous defense speech. He was immediately excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Luther's friends escorted him to a safe place, Wartburg Castle, preventing the execution of the Edict of Worms.

Contributions and Legacy

In 1529, Luther compiled the "Large Catechism" and the "Small Catechism", which reflected his understanding of the Christian Gospel and laid the foundation for Lutheranism for many generations. His commentaries on the books of Genesis and Galatians became widely known. Luther dedicated twenty years to translating the New Testament into German. In his later years, Luther suffered from an illness related to digestion. Luther's mind was exceptionally productive, and he firmly established three greatest truths of the New Testament in Europe, which had been buried under rituals and dead formalism for centuries.