Martin Luther's Impact On Christianity

Martin Luther. Who is he you ask? Good afternoon ladies, I am here today to inform you of how the actions of a single man greatly shaped the doctrines of Christianity. Commonly known as the “Father of Protestantism”, Martin Luther was born November 10th 1483 and grew to become a theologian, university professor, German monk and a church reformer. Throughout his life he developed ideas on God, man’s relationship with God and the path to achieving salvation that people had not heard of before. This in turn led to the formation of a religion which embodied its core Christian beliefs whilst adapting the characteristics of Christianity to its modern context. A living religion. One which allowed adherents the choice of practicing their religion within …show more content…
His affect on religion as an institution began with his writing of Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, also known as the 95 Theses. The year was 1517 when Luther decided to point out the indulgences which he believed misinformed adherents on crucial aspects associated with God’s plan in redeeming humanity. Luther nailed a copy of his Theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany and sent a copy to the Archbishop Albert Albrecht, asking him to put a stop to the sale of indulgences, an act which Luther showed his great disapproval of. Within two weeks of Luther’s courageous act numerous copies of his 95 Theses were broadcast throughout Germany and later throughout Europe. This aided in giving voice to Martin Luther’s opinions on the acts of the Church although ending with his excommunication. The 95 Theses were passionately approved by some humanists but were rejected by parts of the Roman Church. Luther later wrote a letter explaining that through his 95 Theses he wanted only to address an issue of abuse, the indulgences, and was not in any way striving to disrupt the papacy. The 95 Theses were viewed with surprise. A single man taking on the teachings and practices of the Church was almost unheard of. Through the 95 Theses people were able to begin shaping their view of Christianity. A view which in many instances differed from that of the Church. The Theses allowed for the formation …show more content…
Through challenging the Church’s corruption in the doctrine of indulgences and the authority of the pope Luther led the Reformation in 1517. Luther gained support on his objections and attitudes against the church from many Germans and moved on to form what is known today as Protestantism. Protestantism changed the way that traditional Christian worship was carried out. A ‘Priesthood of all believers’ was created and congregational singing was introduced into Church life. Through introducing these new concepts Martin Luther pulled apart the rules of nunneries and monasteries that had been in place for years. Priests no longer were forced to remain celibate and were permitted to marry, have children and immerse themselves in the community. Priests were no longer kept living in secluded areas away from the eyes of the general public but began to have more relations with the community. This resulted in allowing the community to join with each other more easily and a greater level of efficiency in taking care of the sick and poor was created. The Bible was established to be the sole authority of all Christian faith and practice, replacing the position of the Church. Protestantism allowed people to create a meaningful relationship with God, a relationship which can stay present and relevant through changing contexts. Protestantism is a