THEME 2 - LUTHER'S EARLY CHALLENGE TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

How did Luther portray his childhood?

He projected himself as a man of the people, someone who came from very humble origins and who had endured deprivation, poverty and strict discipline

What was Luther’s childhood really like?

His father’s family were reasonably successful Thuringian farmers in Electoral Saxony

A year after Luther’s birth the family moved to Mansfield and his dad became a miner and later sat in the town council

His mother’s family were urban, professional and highly-educated. Lots of relatives were doctors, lawyers, mayors and more.

His mother was known to have possessed virtues of an honourable woman. She was also very religious

He had 6 brother and sisters and so that is why luxuries may have been few

What uni did Luther go to?

He went to the University of Erfurt at either 17 or 18 where he did a bachelors and masters degree of Liberal Arts. After that they could choose what to specialise in.

What did Luther do after his degree?

He started out doing a Law course, however 2 months in he stopped and became a monk

Why did Luther suddenly decide that he wanted to be a monk?

It was a very sudden thing, done reluctantly and in fear

There was a storm which he used to make an excuse to his father for his decision.

In reality he had a near death experience and had been experiencing acute depression for 6 months before his decision

What were the Augustinians?

They were an order of friars (Luther referred to himself as a monk) that worked in the community. It was a strict order that had already been reformed

What did his mentor Staupitz suggest to Luther when he was gaining ideas that trying harder had no effect?

Go back to uni and study Theology

What did Luther do after this?

He became a lecturer at Wittenberg University

There is little evidence that Luther mixed in humanist circles when he was studying theology, but what they said must have made an impact on him as he was already thinking about some of their ideas previously. When he became a lecturer he adopted their approach

What did the Rome trip make Luther feel in 1510-11?

Luther’s experience did not bring the spiritual relief he sought, and the trip may well have pushed him towards the Augustinian approach to salvation (when he was there he followed the Thomist approach).

What were some of Luther’s roles in Wittenberg?

Multiple roles in the Augustinian friary

Professor of Biblical Theology

What does sola scriptura mean?

This is one of Luther’s key beliefs. It means:

The scriptures were the sole source of authority on doctrine

What did Luther interoperate in St Paul’s?

That faith, and faith alone, was the key to salvation (sola fide, faith alone)

What was Tetzel’s marketing like when he reached Electoral Saxony?

More aggressive than ever and would urge people to imagine their parents their (guilt tripping them)

Who banned Tetzel from his territory and is important later?

Frederick the Wise

Why was Frederick angry?

Tetzel’s employer was Fredericks rival for influence in the empire

While the Pope’s indulgences were being sold, all others were suspended. This meant a loss of revenue for Frederick

Why did Luther not like the indulgences?

It was on the basis of his study of the scriptures. Now Tetzel’s proximity and outrageous promises, coupled with the flood of excited people, added angry fuel to his beliefs

What did Luther do in retaliation?

He wrote 95 Theses about indulgences and pinned to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on 31st October 1517

Why did Luther write the 95 theses?

He wasn’t planning on triggering a revolution, he simply wanted to provoke an academic debate, hoping to expose their flaws and end the traffic.Wha

What tells us that this was his intention?

He wrote them in Latin and so his intended audience was academic. Putting them on the doors is the equivalent of putting an invitation up on a notice board

What happened to the theses?

They were taken down without Luther’s knowledge and printed. Circulation was limited initially to Latin speaking audience only, but within weeks they were translated into German and mass-printed. News spread rapidly and widely

Why were these Theses immediately popular once they had been translated?

Their timing

Their tone

Their appeal for German nationalists, anti-papalists and the poor

Their authorship

Use of the printing press

What did Luther do, as well as the 95 Theses?

He sent a copy of them, with a covering letter, to his bishop and to Archbishop Albert of Mainz. The letter was polite, but had an edge

What did Albert and Rome do?

Albert did not reply but despatched it to Rome in December asking for action to be taken

Over the next 2 years 4 attempts were made to silence Luther:

1. through his own order, the Augustinians

2. through a meeting with the Pope’s representative, Cardinal Cajetan at Augsburg

3. through direct negotiation with Frederick the Wise, conducted by the papal chamberlain, Karl von Miltitz

4. through debate with Dr John Eck at Leipzig

What other problem did Leo X have?

He was bankrupt from war, assassination attempts and pull Christian Europe together to mount a crusade against the Ottoman Empire

What happened at the meeting with the Augustinian Order in 1518?

It was positive for Luther

Johann von Staupitz and Luther had known each other for many years and agreed to not talk about controversial issue and instead explain views about sin, freewill and grace.

He was given an opportunity to develop his ideas and also made converts

What happened after this meeting?

Leo was frustrated and ordered for Luther to be brought to Rome, where he would almost certainly have been executed.

Frederick the Wise intervened, and requested instead that Luther would be interviewed by Cardinal Cajetan in Augsburg. Because Fredericks vote was crucial in the next imperial election and so his role was crucial

What were Cajetan’s secret orders?

Demand that Luther recant in full and arrange to arrest him if he refuses. He was ordered not to enter into any sort of debate with Luther.