Martin Luther

Martin Luther began his ecclesiastical career as an Augustinian Monk in the Roman Catholic Church. Luther was initially loyal to the papacy, and even after many theological conflicts, he attempted to bring about his reconciliation with the Church. But this was a paradox because in his later years, he waged a continual battle with the papacy. Luther was to become a professor at Wittenberg where, in 1957, he posted his critique of the Roman Catholic Church's teachings and practices. This is otherwise known as The Ninety-Five Theses, which is usually considered to be the original document of the Reformation. Basically, this document was an indictment of the venality of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly the widespread practice of selling indulgences in association with the sacrament of penance.

Martin Luther's beliefs on the matter were that after confession, absolution relied upon the sinner's faith and God's Divine Grace rather than the intervention of a priest. Luther felt his suggested reforms could be implemented within Catholicism, though. If this had taken place, the Protestant Reformation would probably not of ever seen the light of day--nor would it have been necessary. But the theological practices being what they were in the Roman Church, there was little chance at that time for any great variations to occur within its folds. The Church of Rome was thoroughly monolithic and was not about to change (Tillich 227).

Luther shattered the theological restraints and distortions of the Roman Catholic religion. This accomplishment amounts to the establishment of another religion known as Protestantism, a faith that was generated from the Reformation, with its advocates such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Knox. However, Luther stood out as one of the Reformation titans in a most unique manner (Bainton 107). Because the principal sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church is the Holy Eucharist of Holy Communion, the fact that he was tampering with it could not help but be looked upon by the Roman clergy with great dismay. He generated the Protestant belief that this sacrament is a commemoration through which clergy and communicants raise their spirits by