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Luther

Martin Luther
Martin Luther in 1529 by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Martin Luther in 1529 by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Activity (s) Monk
Birth 10 November 1483
Eisleben
Deaths 18 February 1546 (62 years)
Eisleben
Writing language Latin and German
Movement (s) Protestant Reformation
Lutheranism
Genre (s) Test
Sermon
Lampoon

Martin Luther, born 10 November 1483 in Eisleben ( Holy Roman Empire ) German , theologian , university professor, father of Protestantism , , , and church reformer whose ideas exerted a great influence on the Protestant Reformation , which changed the course of Western civilization .

He challenged papal authority holding the Bible for the only legitimate source of religious authority . According to Luther, the salvation of the soul is a free gift of God received by repentance and sincere faith in authentic Jesus Christ as the Messiah , without intercession of the Church possible.

He received 3 January 1521, the bull Romanum decet pontificem it meant his excommunication. Following the numerous theological debates of the higher clergy, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Spain , Charles V , summoned in 1521 Martin Luther before the Diet of Worms ( Rhineland-Palatinate , Germany). A safe conduct was granted so he can get there safely.

Faced with the emperor, he again refused to comply with the requirements of the church, he proclaimed, including:

"Your Serene Majesty and your lordships asked me a simple answer. Here it is plainly and without artifice. At least we do not convince me of my error by certificates of Scripture or by evident reasons - because I believe neither the Pope nor the councils alone, since it is obvious they are often wrong and contradicted - I am bound by the texts of Scripture that I quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God, I neither can nor want to retract anything, since it is neither safe nor fair to act against his own conscience. So here I am on this day. I can not do otherwise. God help me. "

He was ostracized from the empire but allowed the castle of his friend the Elector of Saxony Frederick III the Wise , at Wartburg , where he composed his most famous texts and more distributed through, inter alia, the printing with movable type and alloy of Johannes Gutenberg.

His translation of the Bible into German , the vernacular , the people approached the Holy Scriptures and was a crucial cultural impact, allowing the wide dissemination of a standard German language and giving general guidelines on the art of translation . She had such a large influence on the English translation known as the Bible of King Jacques .

At first, Luther had little regard for the Books of Esther , in the Epistle to the Hebrews , the Epistle of Jacques , the Epistle of Jude and the Book of the Apocalypse. He called the Epistle of Jacques' an epistle of straw ", he found that these little books pointed to Christ and His saving work. He also had harsh words against the Book of the Apocalypse, saying he could not "in any way feel that the Holy Spirit was able to produce this book." - Martin Luther Q & A was questioned apostolicity books of the Hebrews, Jacques, Jude, and Apocalypse recalling that their canonicity was not universally accepted in the early Church (they are Antilegomena). However, Luther did not withdraw its editions of the Scriptures. His views on some of these books changed years later.

Luther chose to place the Apocryphal books between the Old and New Testament. These books are added to the canonical books are in the Greek Septuagint but not in the Masoretic Hebrew texts. Luther's translation largely left to the care of Philip Melanchthon and Justus Jonas. These books were not included in the contents of his edition of the Old Testament of 1523, and they attributed the well-known as "Apocrypha: These books are regarded as inferior to the Scriptures, but they are useful and good read "in the version of 1534.

Part of her positions on Jews were revived and used by the Nazis . For this reason, and the revolutionary aspects of his theology, his legacy continues to attract and aroused many controversies , .

Summary

/ / Youth

Born in Eisleben ( Thuringia ) on 10 November 1483 , son of Hans and Margaret Luther Zidler. His father, a peasant origin, became minor in a copper mine in the area of Mansfield and received the status of citizen and a magistrate. Luther followed his early education at Mansfeld, in Magdeburg and Eisenach. In 1501, at age seventeen, he entered the University of Erfurt , where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1502 and MA in 1505. He then intended to study law , as his father wished.

The Monk

According to Martin Luther, he would be doomed to life monastic in Erfurt ( Saxony , Germany) from the beginnings of July 1505. Indeed, he explains that he requested St. Anne during a thunderstorm where he feared for his life: "Sainte Anne, save me and I'll monk! . His father tries to oppose this decision because he is hostile to the clergy: "The Master of Arts will become an idler," he said about his son .

It is indeed accepted as of 17 July 1505 at the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt , where he immediately tries to search the asceticism : mortification , fasting, vigils, the promise of salvation while remaining firmly convinced there never succeed. At the same time, he continued to study theology and soon began to teach: ordained priest in 1507 , he was appointed to teach philosophy in the convent of Erfurt. Doctorate in theology in 1512 , he later held the chair of biblical teaching at Wittenberg , the town where he will from 1514 also preacher of the church. Teaching, preaching and personal research, then, are three essential activities of Luther.

Towards Reform

Some trace the reforming ideas of Luther to his stay in Rome in one thousand five hundred ten - one thousand five hundred and eleven for the affairs of his order. This is apparently not the case, and ecclesiastical abuses of the time did not seem to have moved beyond measure. More important is his work on the Epistles of Paul and his obsession with hello. Luther comes to say that man must accept his sinfulness and that he is necessarily imperfect before God , which does not penance. However, trying to solve the problem of sin through indulgences , usually paid in cash, for it is a practice incompatible with piety and a way too easy to evade the real issues.

His conflict with the papacy broke out in 1517 , about the indulgence decreed by Pope Leo X for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica , a masterpiece of architectural and artistic indulgence supported in Germany by the Archbishop Albrecht Mainz. On October 31 , Luther wrote to the archbishop asking him not to endorse the indulgence attached to his letter and the 95 theses intended to question the doctrine of indulgences. As stated by his contemporary Philip Melanchthon , on 31 October 1517 he had plastered on the doors of the chapel of the castle of Wittenberg his 95 theses condemning severely the sale of indulgences that practiced the Catholic Church , and harder still practices higher clergy - mainly from the papacy. These 95 Theses, also known as the Wittenberg Theses are printed at the end of the year. He rebelled against the imposition of dogmas such as that of Purgatory. Therefore, this controversy between theologians (ie academics) becomes a matter of public policy. Luther was denounced at Rome by Archbishop Albrecht. Pope Leo X (family Medici ) ordered him to withdraw from the Papal Bull Exsurge Domine , but Luther publicly burned and broke with Rome in 1521. A year later began a lengthy trial against him leading to his excommunication.

Implementing Reform

Faced with Martin Luther, Rome chose confrontation, ignoring the enemy and his fighting spirit, and probably also the political situation in Germany. The trial leading to his excommunication, far from strengthening Catholicism, has only accelerated the process of reform.

Excommunication

In October 1518 , Martin Luther was summoned to Augsburg , where Cardinal Cajetan , papal nuncio is responsible for obtaining his withdrawal. Not a chance. Luther even worsens his case in July of next year (controversy with Johann Eck - Disputation of Leipzig - which is the organizer of the Counter-Reformation in the Empire), by questioning the infallibility of the councils. In June 1520 , Rome publishes the bubble Exsurge Domine threatening him with excommunication, while his books were burned. Luther responds with the same violence, burning Dec. 10 at the time the papal bull and canon law. The excommunication , now inevitable, is issued on 3 January 1521 (bull Romanum decet Pontificem ). It remains to be Luther under the ban of the Holy Roman Empire , which can be used after approval of the States of the Empire. Before the Diet of Worms convened in April 1521 , Luther again refused to recant, claiming to be convinced by the testimony of Scripture and consider themselves under the authority of the Bible rather than that of the hierarchy Ecclesiastical. The Edict of Worms decides to Martin Luther and his followers under the ban of the Empire.

Political support

One can hardly imagine a mendicant monk, even a doctorate in theology and supported by a large number of humanists and pastors, struggling alone against both the all-powerful Roman Church and against Charles V , the largest sovereign of Europe , and personally very saddened by the deviations of the Reformation. Certainly, Charles has other concerns - it must fight against the Turkish invasion of much of its territories in the east. Luther was outlawed by the Empire - which means that anyone can be killed with impunity. But it has yet further broad popular support, various support policies, such that the Landgrave of Hesse and especially that of the Elector of Saxony Frederick III the Wise (1463-1525).

Immediately after conviction, Frederick extract the castle of Altenstein , where he was at Burghard II Hund von Wenkheim , and puts it away in the castle of Wartburg. He remained there until 6 March 1522 under the pseudonym of Sir George. It is here that Luther began his translation of the Bible , first that of the New Testament. Tradition has it that he left a trace of his passage: one day the Devil came again to torment him, preventing him from working, he threw his inkwell against the devil, which caused a stain on the wall ... still visible today. After less than two years of hiding, he returned on his own at Wittenberg , he would never leave little now, and where it will not be really worried.

The Reformation spread through the neighboring principalities, fashioning a kind of German unity that Charles Quint can not fight, he is mired in its wars against France.

At the Diet of Speyer (April 1529 ), the ruler tries to take things well in hand, but he faces six princes and fourteen cities protested to appeal to a council if Charles V wants to return to the edict of Worms. The Diet of Augsburg ( 1530 ), in which Melanchthon reads the Augsburg Confession , confirms the strength of the Protestant princes, who make up the league Smalkade in 1531.

Critics of Martin Luther himself often complains of this support of the princes, accusing him of having set up a religion that is not really one of the people. They accuse him especially his behavior during the Peasants' War ( 1 524 - in 1525 ), revolt caused by poverty but also related to religious issues and concerns close to its own (several leaders of the movement were Anabaptists ). In April 1525 , in very harsh terms, Luther advocates a ruthless suppression of the rebellion - there will be over 100 000 deaths. Indeed, for Luther to rebel against his sovereign is rebelling against God himself, God gave certain "privilege" to govern, even if those turn out wrong or bad, God did not could be wrong. This is divine punishment for having placed at the head of a sovereign people cruel. And that punishment is deserved because, again, God can not err.

Development of Protestantism

Main article: Protestantism.

Initiator of a personal quest for theological, preferring the Augustinian at Scholastic , based on Scripture and the major figure of Christ, and an emphasis on salvation through faith, Martin Luther finds himself at the head a new church, he must hold fast to avoid overflow. In 1522 in Wittenberg , while he himself was detained at the castle of Wartburg , enthusiast Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt had deeply eradicated all of the mass sacrificial allusions, practiced communion under both species and led to despise the popular devotions and images. Luther did not ask for much: he said it was important to avoid hitting the low single persuasive speech was required.

Although naturally conservative, and not wishing to claim the name Lutheran, but that of Christian, Luther is condemned to evolve the new church, in a sense that increasingly alienate Roman traditions. We must also develop tools teaching , what will be done in 1529 with the Little Catechism , for use by the people, and the Large Catechism, intended for pastors. Meanwhile, many changes had already taken place: removal of most of the sacraments - are retained only the baptism and the Eucharist - abolition of monastic vows and celibacy of priests, pastors elected by local communities, mass in German ( 1526 ) etc..

While disapproving of the monks who had hastened to leave his own monastery in Wittenberg, Luther, after a critical reflection on monastic vows, married himself in 1525 with a former nun, Catherine Bora which will six children.

Luther and the prejudices of his time

The witch hunt and wizards existed across both Protestant and Roman Catholics of Central Europe, during and after the Reformation. Luther and later John Calvin , also supported it. They were based on the words of the Bible (Exodus 22:17) "you will not agree to let a witch live." Luther went so far as to talk about some of his sermons (one of 6 May 1526 WA 16, 551f. and also WA 3, 1179f, WA 29, 520F). In the 25 August 1538 , he said, "you must not have pity for witches, as for me I would burn them" (WA 22, 782 ff.). He believed that witchcraft was a sin to go against the second commandment.

On the other hand, after having preached openly a humanitarian and tolerant towards the Jews, he let himself go to the end of his life considerations Judeophobe.

Finally Martin Luther was aware of having too readily and too often abandoned in his polemical writings, a pamphleteer whose innate talent for insults, truculent, were not absent.

Recent years

Luther House in Wittenberg

Luther lived all his years at Wittenberg. It was affected by the gravel , and has experienced several periods of depression and anxiety ( 1527 , 1528 , 1537 , 1538 ), due to the death of her daughter Madeleine and the quarrels between Protestants. Considered by some as a cantankerous old man, he had lost none of his pugnacity. His main opponent was still the Pope , for which he had no words harsh enough. But he was also taken to the Jews , apparently guilty of not converting to the new religion, and he wanted to see the synagogues burned, homes destroyed and confiscated the money. The anti-Semitism of Luther has long been criticized, especially as the Nazis did not hesitate to claim to justify their crimes. Martin Luther died after confirming his faith, while he was at Eisleben , his hometown to resolve a dispute between the Counts of Mansfeld.

His theology

The theology of Luther can be expressed in four points:

The man is lost in sin

(Ro 3:23; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God) neither the flesh nor the spirit of man are free from the corruption of original sin. The major sin is selfishness according to Luther, that leads away from God and others. Especially early in his life, Luther believed that his generation was ready for the Last Judgement.

Renaissance man, he condemned the leak of the world in favor of an earthly life

It condemns the monastic life. With Dein ist dein Beruf Ruf (your vocation is your job) it suggests that the vocation of everyone not to seek God but to incarnate in the world.

The translation of Martin Luther's exhortation is tricky: in German, der Ruf means "call" (from the verb rufen call); Beruf is both "art" and "vocation." The pun would then mean "You are called to live a profession."

"Free me according to thy righteousness" (Psalm 31)

God welcomes the sinner who abandons him. The only possible link between God and men is the Faith. The proceedings are therefore not alone: it is useless to be charitable, generous, pious ... if you have not the Faith. It must first surrender to God to feel the Faith; acts will then themselves, and the Hi. Note that Lutheran theology is very thocentre (focusing on the Father), while the Catholicism of the era is primarily directed towards Christ intercessor.

The authority of the Gospel

The man has only one infallible guide to find the right path is the Word of God, Scripture which led him to Christ. God, the only being entirely free to give every person the ability to accept or reject the Word and Faith. Religion is a personal matter. Here we have a thought hinge between the pessimism of the Middle Ages and the "free-ism" of humanists. The man is empowered by the power of the Gospel to abandon his sin to find freedom in Christ.

Beliefs

Sleep souls

Luther translated some passages from the Bible according to his opinion on the sleep of souls.

Luther and music

Fan of music in all forms and composer of religious songs, he introduced into the Evangelical hymns to one or two votes, in the vernacular, sung by the congregation. Under the name of chorales, these hymns became the center of the Protestant liturgy, and their influence on the development of German music is felt for many years, if we consider the essential role they play in the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The most famous of his hymns, Ein 'feste Burg ( A Mighty Fortress is Our God "), remains popular among the Lutherans and other Protestants today .

Main works

Notes

Bibliography


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