Luther, Martin

Luther, Martin (1483–1546). Founder of the German Reformation. In 1505 he entered an Augustinian monastery. Ordained priest in 1507, he was sent for further study at the newly founded University at Wittenberg, later to Erfurt. In 1512 he was made Doctor of Theology and was appointed professor of scripture at Wittenberg, a post he held for the rest of his life.

Deeply troubled concerning personal guilt, he became convinced concerning justification by faith alone, finding help in the study of the Bible, Augustine's anti-Pelagian writings, John Tauler's mysticism and the Theologia Germanica, as well as the sensitive counsel of his superior John Staupitz. In 1517, pastorally concerned about the propagation of the indulgence traffic by the Dominican preacher J. Tetzel, Luther protested in his famous ninety-five theses. In the inevitable controversy which followed their publication, Luther debated his views with Catholic opponents, and produced in 1520 some of his most influential writings, On Good Works, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, Address to the German Nobility, and The Freedom of a Christian. In the same year the papal bull, Exsurge Domine, censured his teaching as heretical, and the promulgation a few months later of Decet Romanum Pontificem declared him excommunicate. He returned to Wittenberg in 1522 in order to preach against the extreme views of Andrew Carlstadt.

In 1525 Luther married Catharine von Bora, a former nun. The Augsburg Confession (1530), mainly the more diplomatic work of Melanchthon, gave moderate expression to his leading ideas; and his prolific writings, on average a book a fortnight, circulated his teaching (addressed to circumstances, rather than being systematic) throughout Europe. His leading ideas were treasured by the Lutheran Churches who summarized Luther's essential message in their Book of Concord (1580). On major articles of faith (Trinity, Christology, atonement, etc.) Luther adhered to the classic credal tradition. The distinctive Lutheran emphasis is on the authority of scripture and soteriology. Because scripture is the word of God, it is the truth of God, in relation to which innovations of the Church (esp. of the papacy) must be judged defective. Sola scriptura (scripture alone) is the source of doctrine and practice. Through ‘faith alone’ (sola fide), a sinful person receives (but does not create, as though faith is a work of merit) all that Christ has done for the world. Justification through faith is thus a central Lutheran theme.