martin luther and Birth of Protestantism :: essays research papers

Thesis statement Martin Luther was responsible for the break-up of the Catholic church serviceMartin Luther was a representative during the 16th century of a desire widespread of the novelty and reform of the Catholic Church. He launched the Protestant reform a protraction of the medieval religious search.From the Middle ages, the church faced many problems such as the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism that hurt the prestige of the church. Most of the clergy lived in great luxury while most race were poor and they set an immoral example. The clergy had low education and many of them didnt attend their offices. Martin Luther had witnessed this himself, In 1510 he visited Rome and was shocked to find rottenness on high ecclesiastical places During Luthers early life he faced a severe inner crisis. When he sinned he looked for solacement in confession and followed the penance, the fasting, prayer and observances that the church directed him. But, he set no peace of mind and worried about his salvation. But read St. Pauls letters he came to believe that salvation came though faith in Christ. Faith is a free gift, he discovered, it cannot be earned. His studies led him to a conclusion that, Christ was the only mediator amidst God and a man and that forgiveness of sin and salvation ar given by gods grace alone (Martin Luther, 01). Historians oppose that, this approach to theology led to a clash between Luther and the Church officials, precipitating the dramatic events of Reformation.To construct Saint Peters Basilica, Archbishop Albert borrowed money from the Fuggers (wealthy banking family). To net income for this loan Pope Leo X gave permission to Archbishop Albert to sell unwisenesss in Germany. An indulgence is a way to reconcile with God, by confessing your sins to a non-Christian priest and perform a penance. By the later Middle Ages people believed that indulgence removed all their sins and ensured entry to heaven. The selling of indulge nce troubled Luther, he thought people were ignorant to believe that they didnt have to aby after they bought an indulgence. Martin Luther was a friar very devoted to the Church entirely after analyzing all these aspects he decided to do something about it. On October 31, 1517 he attached to the door of Wittenberg Castle a list of 95 theses or propositions on indulgences. These theses criticized papal policies and were objections about he church cat on hold for discussion.