My History project

ALTernative · #1 11-04-2007

This is just incase I forget my history project tomorrow

What was Martin Luther’s impact on Christianity? Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany. His parents were Hans and Margarethe Luder, who were very important members of their society. He also had a few brothers and sisters as well.

His father had always wanted Martin Luther to become a lawyer. He sent Luther to different educational schools in hopes he would become one. He then went to the University of Erfurt where he studied philosophy. He gave up being a lawyer and entered a monastery. A popular story goes that he decided to join the monastery during a lightning storm when he promised God he would join.

Martin Luther studied the Bible while at the monastery. He later became ordained as a priest and began teaching theology, or the study of biblical doctrine, at Wittenberg.
However, while teaching theology, Luther studied the New Testament and began to question Catholic Church teachings. One of which was how a person was saved. Luther began to argue that a person was saved by grace through faith alone, while at the time, the Church said that a person went to heaven on their works. This belief would later cause problems between Luther and the Catholic Church.

In Martin Luther’s Vermischte Deutsche Schriften, Martin Luther states “``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either. Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God.”

During this time, the Pope was building a new Cathedral called St. Peter’s Basillica. In order to pay for it, the pope authorized the selling of indulgences, which were believed to be ways to get people out of purgatory. He sent Johann Tetzel to Germany to gather money by selling these indulgences. Martin Luther did not agree with this Church practice. So he wrote his 95 theses on disputing the selling of indulgences. Then he nailed these theses on the door of a church in Wittenburg, This effectively started the biggest reformation of Christianity in history.

Martin Luther argued in his theses that no act by man could absolve ones sins. Number 75 of his 95 theses says “To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness.”

With the use of the new printing press, Martin Luther’s 95 theses rapidly spread through Germany and Europe. Many people read about his arguments against Church teachings. Many Germans in particular fell away from the church and started following Luther. These people protested the Catholic Church and came to be known as Protestants, starting a major riff in Christianity that would separate Catholic teachings from reformation teachings.

Martin Luther’s teachings were considered heresy by the Catholic Church. At the Diet of Worms, Luther was excommunicated and had to be taken in to refuge to evade being killed or arrested. He later spent time in Wartburg Castle, writing on theology, and most importantly, translating the Bible into German as well as writing on Christian teachings and writing prefaces to different Biblical book that outlined different points in each book.

While in exile, he formed new ideas about Christianity that would be the basis for the new Protestant reformation doctrine. For one thing, he wrote against the practice of confession to a priest. Also at this time, a group of Christians known as the Anabaptists were forming in Germany. Luther preached against this group as radicals who used violence. This separated Lutheranism from more radical teachings at the time in Germany.

Martin Luther started or popularized many practices that are common in Christianity today. He would write about his views on scripture, and also outlined different doctrines that were considered unbiblical that were held by other denominations. (Luther) He also set out to outline his own church’s beliefs in print.

Perhaps one of Martin Luther’s biggest contributions both inside and out of the Christian world was his translating of the Bible into the German language. This had a very profound affect on the German language. This caused the Bible to be translated into other languages as well and caused the Bible to no longer be able to be read by just clergy and the rich. It also furthered the German language as well as helping common people educationally by helping to increase literacy. (Philip Schaff)

Another impact Luther had on Christianity was on church procession. There were key differences in the way Luther had his church services done over the way the Catholic Church had its services done. In Lutheranism, greater emphasis is placed on the liturgy, or teachings, than the communion. Also, the beliefs of the Eucharist are different in both denominations. In the Catholic Church, it is believed that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus. However in Lutheranism, it is believed that Jesus is present while the communion is given.

Martin Luther had led the way for other Reformation leaders such as John Calvin and Zwingli, whom Luther debated many times. He also set the way for different denominations. Thanks to Luther, different views of the Bible and Christianity have sprung up and ordinary people have been able to form their own opinions concerning scripture.

Greenvalv · #2 11-04-2007

This a presentation or something?

ALTernative · #3 11-06-2007

Yeah, I already turned it in

Steven · #4 11-09-2007

You call that a project? A project should at least be 20 pages.

ALTernative · #5 11-15-2007

Knights started training around the age of seven, and they usually worked their way up to where they are fourteen, and become squires and start training under another knight. Samurai would also start at an early age, and depending on the wealth of the family, they would either be trained by their family, or be sent to a school to train. Knights used swords, axes, and lances and mostly fought on horseback. Some Samurai fought on horseback, but most fought on their feet. They used katanas and sometimes bows and arrows to fight. A knight’s honor was based on chivalry and told them how to live. This involved being loyal to their lord and king. The Samurai code of Bushido required the Samurai to have the utmost loyalty to their leader, going so far as kill themselves to show their loyalty, It also stressed martial arts and fighting techniques.