Martin Luther A Development of His Theology
Martin Luther's development of his theology, Lutheranism, took many years of Biblical studies, monastic living and inner soul searching. Luther had been designated by his father to be a lawyer. He pursued this wish by attending the University of Erfurt, a university that was considered to be the best and a university in which religion played a dominant role. In 1505 he passed his Master's exam and received his degree of Law. Also in 1505 Luther had an intense spiritual experience; a bolt of lightning struck him down. In his fear, he pleaded with St. Anne to spare his life and in return he will devote his life to the monastery. It is here that I will explain how he developed his theology.In the fall of 1506 Luther entered the Augustinian Order as he had promised St. Anne, and was a monk for the next twenty or so years. While he was a monk, he became concerned with the impending question, "How can I be saved?" He was faithful in his obedience to his order, and performed the spiritual requirements with a reverence. As Luther stated, "If ever a monk came to heaven through monkery, it should have been I." But Luther thought of himself as unworthy in God's eyes. God was stern and to be feared, he was at the mercy of a
How could this God be the just God that is spoken of in the scriptures, when He set forth-impossible requirements for a human to achieve to attain salvation? He was deeply troubled in the fact that he went against his father's wishes for him to be a lawyer for he broke the fourth commandment: honor thy father and mother. Salvation isn't granted to a man because of his pilgrimages to relics, or paying for indulgences, or for his good works, salvation is granted by faith. Martin came into direct relation and union with Christ, as the one and only all-sufficient source of grace. Rome responded by calling Luther a heretic and that he should be immediately brought to Rome on the charges of heresy. Upon this revelation, Luther also came to the realization that the selling of indulgences was worthless. The Roman Catholic Church had become more about traditions, and materialistic matters, and not about the spiritual well being of the people. The meeting turned sour and sometimes violent. In Luther's search for inner-spirituality, another Augustinian Monk assisted him by telling him to look no further than the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for his salvation. The invention of the printing press made the ninety-five Theses a public affair. If an individual gave enough money, it is said that more souls are departed from purgatory. Cardinal Cajetan, the papal legate in Germany, offered to give Luther a "fatherly" hearing, requesting of Luther to retract his errors and to cease teaching them. The Roman Church won't accept his clear and simple explanation of salvation and the gospel. These theses were a rebuttal to the sale of indulgences. Tetzel stated that as soon as the coin was given, the soul departs from purgatory. As archbishop of Mainz he was also a German elector.
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