Transcript Martin Luther: Reluctant Rebel

Test Your Knowledge
Martin’s parents were named?
Adolf and Frieda
Rolf and Frederica
Joseph and Marie
Hans and Margarethe
Test Your Knowledge
Martin’s parents were named?
√
Adolf and Frieda
Rolf and Frederica
Joseph and Marie
Hans and Margarethe
Martin’s parents
Hans and
Margarethe
originally lived
in Möhra, now
in central
Germany.
Satellite view of Möhra
Möhra, Germany, the Luther ancestral home
Luder not Luther?
At Erfurt University Martin
signed his name “Martinus
Ludher ex Mansfeld.”
At Wittenberg in 1517 he
signed his name Martinus
Luder.
The Luther name
In 1517 (the year he posted
the 95 Theses) Martin
changed his family name
from Luder to Luther.
Why?
The Luther name
Luder had negative meanings in
German: hussy or devil.
 Luther is based on the Greek
“eleutheros” (“free”), a sign of
his new-found understanding of
God’s grace.
Test Your Knowledge
Martin was born
November 10, 1483 in...
Fürth, Bavaria
Eisleben, Thuringia
Tecklenburg, Westphalia
Pilsen, Bohemia
Test Your Knowledge
Martin was born
November 10, 1483 in...
√
Fürth, Bavaria
Eisleben, Thuringia
Tecklenburg, Westphalia
Pilsen, Bohemia
Eisleben town square
House (restored)
in Eisleben where
Martin was born
Test Your Knowledge
Martin was baptized November 11,
the feast day of what saint, after
whom he was named?
St. Martin of Wattenbürg
St. Martin the Pius
St. Martin of Tours
St. Martin of Bratislava
Test Your Knowledge
Martin was baptized November 11,
the feast day of what saint, after
whom he was named?
√
St. Martin of Wattenbürg
St. Martin the Pius
St. Martin of Tours
St. Martin of Bratislava
Martin was baptized at the
Church of St. Peter and St. Paul near his birthplace
Hans, Margarethe and Martin
Martin had a
hard youth,
without
happy
memories,
and was
brought up
under stern
discipline.
Not a Loving God
As a child, the name Christ made
young Martin cringe:
“From early childhood I turned pale
and trembled whenever I heard the
name of Christ, for I was taught to
look upon him as a stern and wrathful
judge.”
Martin was
six months
old the family
to moved to
Mansfeld.
Hans hoped
to make a
living in the
copper mines.
Luder/Luther home in Mansfeld
Elementary School Days
1491 (age 7)-1501 (age 17)
Hans Luther did whatever
was necessary to have Martin
become a lawyer and sent
him to Latin schools in
Mansfeld, Magdeburg and
Eisenach.
Entrance to Eisenach’s Old Town
1498 to 1501
Half-timber
house in
Eisenach once
owned by the
Cotta family
where Luther
lived.
Martin Luther called Eisenach "my beloved city.”
He developed a love for music and art, and he
learned to play the lute.
1501-1505 Attended Erfurt University; 1505 entered
law school in accordance with his father’s wishes.
Test Your Knowledge
According to legend, Luther vowed
to become a monk when he nearly
died…
after a severe beating by thieves
of bubonic plague
during a violent lightning storm
when he lost control of his horse
Test Your Knowledge
According to legend, Luther vowed
to become a monk when he nearly
died…
after a severe beating by thieves
of bubonic plague
√
during a violent lightning storm
when he lost control of his horse
Near-Death Experience
July 2, 1505 (age 21) While
returning to Erfurt University after
visiting his parents in Mansfeld…
Martin was nearly struck by lightning.
Afraid he was going to die, he called
out, “Save me, St. Anne and I will
become a monk!”
The Tortured Soul
July 17, 1505
Martin entered
the Augustinian
Monastery in
Erfurt
Monkery
1506 (age 23) The decision
to enter the monastery was
a difficult one. Martin knew
that he would disappoint his
parents, but he also knew
that he must keep a promise
to God.
Martin’s only goal as a monk was
to earn his way into heaven.
“I kept the rule of
my order so strictly
… if ever a monk
got to heaven by his
monkery, it was I.”
Luther fasted
and beat
himself. He
confessed
and sought
forgiveness for
the slightest
error.
Luther the Priest
April 4, 1507 (age
23) Martin ordained
priest in Erfurt's
Mariendom (St.
Mary’s Church).
Test Your Knowledge
1511 (age 27) After a long journey
to Rome Martin was assigned to the
post of biblical lecturer at the
university in…
Leipzig
Heidelburg
Marburg
Wittenberg
Test Your Knowledge
1511 (age 27) After a long journey
to Rome Martin was assigned to the
post of biblical lecturer at the
university in…
√
Leipzig
Heidelburg
Marburg
Wittenberg
Modern Wittenberg on the Elbe River
In Martin’s time, a mile long, with
a population of about 2,000.
Today, Lutherstadt Wittenberg
has population of some 50,000
Described as “a poor, insignificant town, with
little, old, ugly wooden houses” Its inhabitants
were “beyond measure drunken, rude and
given to reveling.”
Aerial view
of Lutherstadt
Wittenberg, with
the Castle Church
in the foreground
Wittenberg's Marketplatz and towers
of the 14th century Stadtkirche.
Wittenberg from the Castle Church
All Saints’ Church - the
Schlosskirche (“castle
church”). Built in 1509.
Wittenberg University opened
October 18, 1502; called
Leucorea, Greek translation of
Wittenberg (leukos
white; oros mountain).
1509 (age 25)
Martin earned
Bachelor’s degree
in theology.
Martin’s handwritten margin
notes on his theology textbook
Herr Doktor Luther
October 1512 (age
28) Luther received
Doctorate in Theology.
Began series of biblical
lectures which forever
changed his thinking.
1513-1519?
A major turningpoint in his life
took place in his
study in the tower
of Augustinian
monastery…
While
preparing a
lecture on
Romans…
A Light in the Darkness
Romans 1:17 caught his eye…
“For in the gospel a
righteousness from God is
revealed, a righteousness that is
by faith … as it is written
[Habakkuk 2:4], ‘The righteous
will live by faith.’”
A Light in the Darkness
Reading further, he came to
Romans 3:22: “...This
righteousness from God
comes through faith in Jesus
Christ to all who believe.”
A Light in the Darkness
Martin read that passage many
times while preparing lectures.
But at that moment a light went
on. He saw that all he did to earn
salvation meant nothing.
A Light in the Darkness
A Light in the Darkness
A Light in the Darkness
The Light Dims
Martin wanted to tell others
about this rediscovered truth.
The church taught that souls
could be released from
purgatory (a place between
heaven and hell) by purchasing
certificates called indulgences.
The money from indulgence
sales was actually used to
build St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome and to pay off the
debts owed by Archbishop
Albrecht of Mainz.
Souls for Sale
Dominican Monk
Johannes Tetzel
sold indulgences to
gullible Germans
using a catchy
slogan: “As soon
as the coin in the
coffer rings, the
soul from
purgatory springs.”
Translation of indulgence sold by Tetzel: "By the
authority of all the saints, and in mercy towards
you, I absolve you from all sins and misdeeds
and remit all punishments for ten days."
Faith, Not Indulgences
Indulgences
violated Martin’s
new-found
insight that
sinners were
saved by faith.
Quiz: Test your knowledge
October 31, 1517 Martin nailed his
95 Theses to…
the side of the Emperor’s carriage at Regensburg
the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg
the wall of the Imperial Palace at Prague
the notice board at the University of Heidelberg
Quiz: Test your knowledge
October 31, 1517 Martin nailed his
95 Theses to…
the side of the Emperor’s carriage at Regensburg
√
the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg
the wall of the Imperial Palace at Prague
the notice board at the University of Heidelberg
The Castle Church
The Theses Doors
Original
wooden
doors
where
Martin
posted his
theses
were
destroyed
in 1760.
The Theses Doors
To commemorate
the 375th
anniversary of
Martin’s birth,
they were
replaced with
bronze doors
with the Latin
text of the 95
Theses.
Theses 21
“Indulgence
preachers are in
error who say
that a man is
absolved from
every penalty
and saved
by papal
indulgences.”
Theses 27
“There is no
divine authority
for preaching
that the soul flies
out of purgatory
immediately after
the money clinks
in the bottom of
the chest.”
Theses 32
“Those who
believe that they
can be certain of
their salvation
because they have
indulgence letters
will be eternally
damned, together
with their
teachers.”
On Angels Wings
Luther only
wanted to
debate others on
indulgences and
papal abuses.
But printers
translated the
theses into
German and
published them.
On Angels Wings
In two weeks
they spread
throughout
Germany.
Wings of Angels
On Angel’s Wings
It was one of the
first events in
history affected by
a new technology:
the printing press
with moveable
type, invented by
Johannes
Gutenberg
around 1439.
Working Gutenberg press replica at
Houston’s Museum of Printing History
Test your knowledge
Luther was summoned to explain
his views at a meeting or “Diet” of
the Holy Roman Empire at what city
on the Rhine River?
Speyer
Berlin
Worms
Frankfurt
Test your knowledge
Luther was summoned to explain
his views at a meeting or “Diet” of
the Holy Roman Empire at what city
on the Rhine River?
√
Speyer
Berlin
Worms
Frankfurt
At the Diet of Worms Martin was told to
admit he was wrong for criticizing the
papacy and the sale of indulgences.
“Unless I am convinced
from Scriptures that I
am in error, I cannot
and I will not admit
that I was wrong.”
“Kidnapped”
While returning
home from Worms
Luther was
“kidnapped” and
taken to Wartburg
castle overlooking
Eisenach. Many
believed he had
been killed.
My Patmos
Martin hid 11 months at
Wartburg Castle. He
called it “my Patmos.”
Junker Jörg
Luther assumed the
identity Junker Jörg
(Knight George). “…I
am letting my hair and
beard grow. You
would be hard put to
recognize me ... I live
in Christian liberty,
free from all the laws
of that tyrant…”
My Patmos
Martin was
provided a
room to
continue
his studies
and
writing.
Luther wrote over 40 letters to
friends, colleagues and others.
Luther believed that people
came to faith by reading
and understanding the
Bible.
At Wartburg Martin completed a first draft
of his German New Testament so that all
could read the word of God for themselves.
Martin translated the New Testament
from the original Greek rather than
Jerome’s Latin Vulgate.
Martin and Katie
June 13, 1525
Luther married
former nun
Katharina von Bora.
Together they
raised six children.
The Morning Star
Luther called Katharina the
“morning star of Wittenberg.”
She rose at 4 a.m. to manage
their home. She bred and sold
cattle and ran a brewery to
provide for their family, the
students who boarded with
them and visitors seeking
audiences with Luther.
1527 Luther wrote “Ein Feste Berg ist Unser Gott”
(“A Mighty Fortress is our God”), based on Psalm 46
Handwritten manuscript signed ‘Martinus Luther.’
1529 Ein Feste Berg ist Unser Gott” (“A Mighty
Fortress is Our God”) published.
1520
1525
1533
1540
1529
1546 (death)