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[ Early Years ] [ His Teachings ] [ 95 Theses ] [ Reforms ] [ Diet of Worms ] [ Later Years ] [ His Seal ]
On
October 31, 1517 Luther nailed critique of indulgences,
known as the 95 Theses,
to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg,
Germany.
The
three basic ideas of the
95 Theses
were to
protest
against the abuse of
papal authority,
challenge
to the Pope (if
he controls Purgatory, why not empty it
for free?), and
denial of the "extra
merit"
theory behind indulgences. The "true
treasury" of
the church is the
GOSPEL-the proclamation of God's
mercy.
The
95 Theses, originally is Latin, were
translated into German and widely
circulated. Many Germans secretly
agreed with Luther and greeted his ideas
enthusiastically.
 The Reaction from Rome
The
Church ordered Luther to appear in Rome to answer charges of heresy. But Luther's Prince, Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony, intervened to insist that
Luther's hearing be held on German soil. The Diet of Augsburg
Examined
by the papal representative, Cardinal
Cajetan, Luther refused to recant his
views. Fearing that he might be taken in chains to Rome, he fled from Augsburg. Debate
with Eck
Because
Luther's Prince Frederick was in favor with the Pope, Luther was temporarily
safe and free to debate his ideas publicly with the scholar, John Eck. Luther argued that the papacy was of human, not Divine origin. He quickly became a national figure. Luther Excommunicated
Reform
ideas spread. The Pope's
answer was to issue a Bull (papal order)
threatening Luther with
excommunication unless he recanted.
Luther
publicly BURNED the Bull, and
was excommunicated in January, 1521.
He was
38 years old. Several
years after the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church
experienced a "Counter-Reformation" movement. Many of the
changes advocated by Luther were incorporated, but he had been too deep for
reunification. Today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the
Roman Catholic Church are in close
conversation about theology and
ministry.
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