Mg mark yenter biography of martin luther the reformer

The story of the Reformation and the fight against Catholic authority was founded upon the actions of Martin Luther.

HISTORY OF PROTESTANTISiL. CHAPTER.

By the end of the 15th century , many people in Europe were questioning the authority of the Catholic Church. This included theologians and philosophers as well as Godly Christians and people from all walks of life. It was a dangerous endeavor, as those who spoke out against the Church risked being labeled as heretics and could be excommunicated for their words and behavior.

The total grasp of the Catholic Church in Western Europe seemed unassailable. That was until a charismatic young man named Martin Luther challenged the status quo. Armed with his charm, his wits, and the power of the newly invented printing press, Martin Luther began a revolution that took hold and changed the demographics of Europe forever.

His father, Hans Luder, was from a middle-class background and was prominent in his local community of Eisleben, County of Mansfeld, in the Holy Roman Empire. It is unknown exactly how many brothers and sisters he had, but he had at least one brother, Jacob, whom Martin was close to. Martin was the eldest son. He dropped out of law school almost immediately after enrolling and took to studying philosophy.

His interest in philosophy, however, was short-lived as he grew suspicious of the limitations of reason. He strongly believed that logic and reason could not lead one to God, which he viewed as of prime importance. To him, the only way to discover God was through revelation, and for that, the scripture became the most important thing to study.

On July 2, , he was traveling via horseback when he was struck by a bolt of lightning.