Life of Martin Luther :: essays research papers

The Life of Martin LutherMartin Luther lived in a period that had a wide spread desire for reformation of the rescueran Churhc and played the federal agency in the development of Protestantism. Luther was born atEislebenin Saxony. Since his father was a miner, it was a great distress on him to send Martin toschool and then to the University of Erfurt. That is where he gain his masters degree at theyoung age of twenty-one(Erikson, 39). Although his father wished him to study law, Martin,after being terribly frightened in a thunderstorm, vowed to cause a Friar. He entered themonastery of the Augustinian friars at Erfurt and was ordained a priest(Erikson, 167). Heeventually earned a doctorate of theology. He grew disburbed by the growing abouve ofindulgences. The cetrificate granted by the people in return for the payment of a fee to thechurch. It stated that the sould of a dead relative or a friend of the purchaser would permit his timein purgatory reduced by many years or cancelle d together. Also the person had to by anindulgence. This would allow them to receive their earthborn penance, since no one knows thatGods ultimate punishment allow be. The Catholic Church faith now has a doctrine to back the iii principles of indulgences(Neil 18) (Underwood 345). the principles of indulgences first onethat God mericful, but he also just. Next, Chrust and hte saints, through their inifnite virtue,established a treasury of merits on which the church, through its special relationship with Christand the saints, can draw. Third, the Church has the authority to grant sinners the spiritual benefitsof those meirts(Underwood, 345). Luther idea spread began writing the Ninty-five Theses orarguments against indulgences. That he began posting them on the Wittenberg where hepreached. He cherished the public to know that he was debating against important issue. TheTheses stated the simple folk believed that when they have bought the indulgence they havesecured their salvation. They also, believed that if the money jingles in the box, souls aredelievered from pungatory and all the sins will be foreign through a letter of indulgence(Neil, 21). Luther fears that urging people to seek escape from divine punishment through indulgences wouldlead them away from unfeigned sorrow for their sins and into a dangerous sense of falsesecurity(Judith,21). Luther defined Protestantism as a theological issues. At first was tosalvation. The Catholic called salvation as achieve through faith and good works. He said thatsalvation by the faith.