Martin Luther

Who was Martin Luther and where was he born?

He was born in Saxony, Germany in 1483 and became a monk and professor

What belief did Luther form while studying the Bible?

He believed people got into heaven through faith alone, not good works

What happened when John Tetzel sold indulgences in Wittenberg?

Luther protested and wrote the 95 Theses in 1517

What were the 95 Theses?

A list of arguments against Church abuses

How were the 95 Theses spread?

They were translated into German and spread by the printing press

How did the Pope respond to Luther?

Pope Leo X sent John Eck to debate him

Pope Leo X told him to recant; when Luther refused, he was issue a papal bull excommunicated

What happened at the Diet of Worms in 1521?

Luther refused to back down and was declared an outlaw (edict of worms)

Why are they called Protestants?

They protested the decision to outlaw Luther

Where did Luther go into hiding and what did he do?

He hid in Wartburg Castle and translated the Bible into German

Who did Luther marry?

Catherine von Bora, a former nun, and they had six kids

When did Luther die?

In 1546

What was "Justification by Faith Alone"?

The belief that only faith in God—not good works—leads to heaven

What did Luther say about the Bible?

It’s the only source of guidance for Christians

What language did Luther believe Mass should be in?

The vernacular , not Latin

How many sacraments did Luther accept?

Two: Baptism and Communion

What is Consubstantiation?

The bread and wine are symbols of Jesus, not his actual body and blood

What did Luther think about Church leadership?

No need for bishops—rulers should choose the religion in their area

What did Luther believe about priests?

He believed they should be allowed to marry

What change did Luther make to the language of Mass?

He replaced Latin with the local language so everyone could understand it

What did Luther do with the Bible?

He translated it into German so ordinary people could read it

How did Luther change the number of sacraments?

He reduced them from seven to two: Baptism and Communion

What did Luther do about indulgences?

He completely rejected the selling of indulgences

What change did Luther make about clergy?

He allowed priests to marry

Who did Luther believe should control religion in a region?

The local ruler , not the Pope

What did Luther say about Church hierarchy?

He got rid of bishops and said Christians didn’t need a Church structure to follow God