What do you know about Martin Luther? Have you ever heard
of him? Who was he?
Some people referred to him as "the monk that shook
the world". He and others were the leading lights in
the Protestant Reformation - the beginnings of our faith and
beliefs.
But there are many people who know little about Martin Luther.
He was born in November 1483 in Saxony in Germany and when
he was young his father, who was poor but industrious and
honest, hoped that his son would become a lawyer.
However, through the patronage of a local lady who saw him
singing in the street to raise money, Martin Luther ended
up going to university at the age of 18. When he was studying
at a place called Erfurt, Martin Luther had a religious experience
and decided to become a monk.
It was the start of an amazing spiritual and cultural journey.
One of the major milestones would come many years later, when
Luther questioned the selling of 'indulgences' by the Church
of the day. The German monk was concerned at the corruption
he had seen in the Church during a visit to Rome, and he felt
that indulgences were merely another corrupt element. The
Church 'franchised' the sale of 'indulgences' - which purported
to wash away people's sins - to individuals, who then passed
some of the monies they collected from the gullible to the
Church.
In 1517, Pope Leo X declared a 'Jubilee Indulgence' and Luther
was moved to declare against the whole business.
In a now famous action, he nailed his thesis on indulgences
and other issues onto the door of the church at Wittenberg
on October 31 that year. This was a sure way of getting people
to read and discuss the matter, since the church doors were
a sort of public noticeboard of their day. Martin Luther argued
that no one could take away sins other than God. His writing
on the matter is known in history as the 95 Thesis.
This was only the start of big trouble for Luther. The Church
was very angry and there was danger to his life. But some
of the German princes stood up for the monk against the Church,
and the sparks that had been lit fanned the flames of the
Protestant Cause in Europe.
Luther said: "My conscience is wrapped in the Word of
God and it is neither safe nor honest to act against one's
conscience. God help me! Amen."
He was excommunicated from the Church of Rome and had to
go into hiding for a time, so grave was the threat against
him. While in hiding he translated the New Testament into
German and later would translate the Old Testament as well.
His efforts were greatly assisted with the invention of the
printing press, which helped to spread ideas across Europe,
where men with open minds could debate and consider them.
It was also the means of bringing the Bible to hundreds of
thousands of people, who previously had not been able to see
it translated into their own languages.
So, the term Open Bible had a number of meanings when associated
with that period. It was open because it was now more accessible
in translation and through mass printing methods. It was also
open because men like Martin Luther took a stand to have freedom
of thought and expression.
Martin Luther, the monk who shook the world, produced ideas
which set Europe alight. Those flames of freedom of thought
and conscience are still burning today. Martin Luther's legacy
remains in many ways. The great American Civil Rights leader
Martin Luther King bore the name of the great Christian and
Protestant leader from the 16th century.
But the greatest example of all comes from the fact that
because of men like Luther and others, we have our Protestant
faith.
So, who was Martin Luther?
He was the monk who shook the world.
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