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But Luther had already left the trial before the verdict was rendered.  He hid at Wartburg Castle at Eisenach, where Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, protected him.  Luther took the pseudonym Junker Jorg (Nobleman George), grew a wide beard and dressed like a knight.  While in hiding he translated the New Testament from Greek into German in 1522.  (By 1534, Luther had translated all of the Old Testament from Hebrew to German also.)

But Luther had already left the trial before the verdict was rendered.  He hid at Wartburg Castle at Eisenach, where Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, protected him.  Luther took the pseudonym Junker Jorg (Nobleman George), grew a wide beard and dressed like a knight.  While in hiding he translated the New Testament from Greek into German in 1522.  (By 1534, Luther had translated all of the Old Testament from Hebrew to German also.)

Luther translated Romans 3:28 by adding an extra German word for "alone" (alleine or alleyn) after the phrase: "justified by faith":  "So halten wir nun dafür, daß der Mensch gerecht werde ohne des Gesetzes Werke, alleyn durch den Glauben."  Luther believed that man is justified (saved) by faith alone, and that salvation comes only from faith.  The Catholic Church (and [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]) taught that man is justified (saved) by faith, good works and confession to the Church authorities.

Luther translated Romans 3:28 by adding an extra German word for "alone" (alleine or alleyn) after the phrase: "justified by faith":  "So halten wir nun dafür, daß der Mensch gerecht werde ohne des Gesetzes Werke, alleyn durch den Glauben."  Luther believed that man is justified by faith alone, and that salvation comes only from faith.  The Catholic Church (and [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]) taught that man is justified by faith, good works and confession to the Church authorities.

A remarkable invention awaited Luther's German translation of the [[Bible]]:  in 1447 the German [[Johannes Gutenberg]] had already invented the printing press (with movable type).  This enabled Luther's translation to be printed for the public in September 1522.  The Christian world would never be the same again.  (The Gutenberg Bible (in Latin, not German), had been printed in 1455 and it is the oldest existing (extant) book in the West.)

A remarkable invention awaited Luther's German translation of the [[Bible]]:  in 1447 the German [[Johannes Gutenberg]] had already invented the movable-type printing press.  This enabled Luther's translation to be printed for the public in September 1522.  The Christian world would never be the same again.  (The Gutenberg Bible, which put the Latin Vulgate in book format, had been printed in 1455 and it is the oldest existing book in the West.)

Charles V did all he could to stop this knew Christian religion we now call Lutheranism.  In 1544, Charles V even sent armies against the German princes.  But the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 gave each German ruler the right to choose the religion for his state.  The princes in southern Germany selected Roman Catholicism, but the princes in northern Germany chose Lutheranism.  After World War II, when Germany split into West and East Germany, the West German part contained the predominantly Roman Catholic regions and the East German part consisted of the mostly Lutheran regions.

Charles V did all he could to stop this knew Christian religion we now call Lutheranism.  In 1544, Charles V even sent armies against the German princes.  But the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 gave each German ruler the right to choose the religion for his state.  The princes in southern Germany selected Roman Catholicism, but the princes in northern Germany chose Lutheranism.  After World War II, when Germany split into West and East Germany, the West German part contained the predominantly Roman Catholic regions and the East German part consisted of the mostly Lutheran regions.

Martin Luther continued to write, and taught at a German university for his financial support.  He wrote extremely harsh things about the pope and about Jewish people, even urging the destruction of their homes and the burning of synagogues and schools.  Historians debate today whether Luther's anti-Semitic (anti-Jewish) writings were responsible, directly or indirectly, for the Holocaust by the Germans in World War II.  Luther harshly criticized many peoples in addition to Jews; a pamphlet of his in 1545 was entitled "Against the Roman Papacy an Institution of the Devil," and he urged burning witches to death.  Some of Luther’s writings seem quite vulgar by today's standards.   

Martin Luther continued to write, and taught at a German university for his financial support.  He wrote extremely harsh things about the pope and about Jewish people, even urging the destruction of their homes and the burning of synagogues and schools.  Historians debate today whether Luther's anti-Semitic writings were responsible, directly or indirectly, for the Holocaust by the Germans in World War II.  Luther harshly criticized many peoples in addition to Jews; a pamphlet of his in 1545 was entitled "Against the Roman Papacy an Institution of the Devil," and he urged burning witches to death.  Some of Luther’s writings seem quite vulgar by today's standards.   

 

Lutheranism has only 70 million adherents today, which is only about 7% of the Catholic population.  But nearly all Christians, even Catholics, have sung a famous hymn written by Luther:  "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."  Moreover, hundreds of millions of Christians worldwide agree with Luther that justification is by faith alone.

Lutheranism has only 70 million adherents today, which is only about 7% of the Catholic population.  But nearly all Christians, including Catholics, have sung a famous hymn written by Luther:  "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."  Moreover, hundreds of millions of Christians worldwide agree with Luther that justification or salvation is by faith alone.

Luther passed away in February, 1546, having lived his latter years in poor health.

Luther passed away in February, 1546, having lived his latter years in poor health.