The Life of Martin Luther essays

The Life of Martin Luther essays Martin Luther lived in a period that had a wide spread desire for reformation of the Christan Churhc and played the role in the development of Protestantism. Luther was born at Eislebenin Saxony. Since his father was a miner, it was a great distress on him to send Martin to school and then to the University of Erfurt. That is where he earned his masters degree at the young age of twenty-one(Erikson, 39). Although his father wished him to study law, Martin, after being terribly frightened in a thunderstorm, vowed to become a Friar. He entered the monastery of the Augustinian friars at Erfurt and was ordained a priest(Erikson, 167). He eventually earned a doctorate of theology. He grew disburbed by the growing abouve of indulgences. The cetrificate granted by the people in return for the payment of a fee to the church. It stated that the sould of a dead relative or a friend of the purchaser would have his time in purgatory reduced by many years or cancelled together. Also the person had to by an indulgence. This would allow them to receive their earthly penance, since no one knows that Gods ultimate punishment will be. The Catholic Church faith now has a doctrine to back the three principles of indulgences(Neil 18) (Underwood 345). the principles of indulgences first one that 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 Christ and the saints, can draw. Third, the Church has the authority to grant sinners the spiritual benefits of those meirts(Underwood, 345). Luther idea spread began writing the Ninty-five Theses or arguments against indulgences. That he began posting them on the Wittenberg where he preached. He wanted the public to know that he was debating against important issue. The Theses stated the simple folk believe...