Martin Luther Today

During a time in European history when religious dogma was strongly upheld, a man named Martin Luther challenged the longstanding traditions of the Catholic faith. He did this by, in 1517, nailing his 95 thesis to the door of Wittenberg Church, forever changing the face of Christianity through his outward opposition to the established papal states, and the role he played in influencing others to challenge the status quo.

Martin Luther, a German monk, objected vehemently to the types of corruption in the church. Among these being the selling of indulgences, simony, and pluralism. Now famously referred to as his 95 thesis, Luther took the time to write a list of complaints which outlined the misdeeds of the Catholic church. The pope at the time, Pope Leo X, excommunicated Luther from the church in 1521 at the Diet of Worms, technically severing all ties with Luther and the Catholic church, and by association, with God Himself. This was a big deal at the time because the only thing that most people had was their faith in God. The fact that Luther had stood up to the pope and the Holy Roman Empire made it possible for there to be the number of existing factions within the Christian faith. Luthers' excommunication legitimized his cause which made it easier for others to pose a challenge as well.

Luther played a large role in influencing others to question the legitimacy of the dogma their society had followed since ancient times. By being among the first to question the moral errors and the inconsistencies of their teachings, Luther opened the door for a reform within the Christian faith. Luther prompted men like John Calvin to form their own religions based on their interpretation of the bible. As well men like King Henry VIII who, in his pursuit of the illegal action of a divorce, separated the entire country of England from the vice of the Holy Roman Empire, giving us the Anglican church of today.

Today we can see the many factions