Changes

Under Catholic doctrine the souls of the deceased enter “purgatory” for a process of purification before reaching Heaven.  Prayers are typically offered for the benefit of the souls of the deceased, quite often relatives.  “Indulgences” are the lessening of the punishment (purification) of someone after they die.  A person typically seeks an indulgence for a dear relative or friend who has passed away.

Under Catholic doctrine the souls of the deceased enter “purgatory” for a process of purification before reaching Heaven.  Prayers are typically offered for the benefit of the souls of the deceased, quite often relatives.  “Indulgences” are the lessening of the punishment (purification) of someone after they die.  A person typically seeks an indulgence for a dear relative or friend who has passed away.

In fund-raising to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica, church officials offered indulgences in exchange for donations.  No one in Rome seemed to mind, but Martin Luther in Germany objected.  He nailed 95 objections or “Theses” to a church door in the German part of Europe in 1517, inviting debate on how the pope was offering indulgences.  Here are two of Luther’s "theses" or objections:

In fundraising to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica, church officials offered indulgences in exchange for donations.  No one in Rome seemed to mind, but Martin Luther in Germany objected.  He nailed 95 objections or “Theses” to a church door in the German part of Europe in 1517, inviting debate on how the pope was offering indulgences.  Here are two of Luther’s "theses" or objections:

:Thesis 82:  “Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial.”   

:Thesis 82:  “Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial.”   

There was a political element to Germany breaking away from Rome.  German nobles did not like the flow of money to Rome, and they backed Martin Luther in order to cut off the donations by Germans to support Rome.  

There was a political element to Germany breaking away from Rome.  German nobles did not like the flow of money to Rome, and they backed Martin Luther in order to cut off the donations by Germans to support Rome.  

In 1520, Pope Leo X announced the papal bull Exsurge Domine, which required Luther to withdraw 41 of his 95 Theses or be excommunicated.  Luther refused and was then excommunicated (kicked out) by the Catholic Church.

In 1520, Pope Leo X announced the papal bull (formal proclamation) Exsurge Domine, which required Luther to withdraw 41 of his 95 Theses or be excommunicated.  Luther refused and was then excommunicated (kicked out) by the Catholic Church.

It was then up to German authorities to take any legal action against Luther.  The 21-year-old Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ordered Luther to stand trial before an assembly (a “Diet”) of estates of the Holy Roman Empire that met in Worms, a small town in what is now Germany.  This famous assembly is therefore known as the “Diet of Worms.”  The verdict (the “Edict of Worms”) was “guilty”.  Luther was declared an outlaw who should be arrested.   

It was then up to German authorities to take any legal action against Luther.  The 21-year-old Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ordered Luther to stand trial before an assembly (a “Diet”) of estates of the Holy Roman Empire that met in Worms, a small town in what is now Germany.  This famous assembly is therefore known as the “Diet of Worms.”  The verdict (the “Edict of Worms”) was “guilty”.  Luther was declared an outlaw who should be arrested.   

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 ''and good works''.

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 ''and good works''.

A remarkable invention awaited Luther’s German translation of the Bible.  Previously, 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.  Previously, 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 original Gutenberg Bible was in Latin, not German, and had already been printed in 1455; it is the oldest existing (extant) book in the West.)

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V tried to stop this new Christian religion of 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 own 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.

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V tried to stop this new Christian religion of 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 own 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.  Luther was in poor health for several years before he died, in 1546.

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.  Luther was in poor health for several years before he died, in 1546.

Today Lutheranism has only 70 million adherents, 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.

Today Lutheranism has about 70 million adherents, 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.

===The Schism in England===

===The Schism in England===