martin luther; the catholic priest who became the first protestant preacher

Searching for the

Identity and Faith of

the Ulster Protestant

Standing in the Shadow of our

Greatest Heroic Leaders

Searching for the Identity and

Faith of the Ulster Protestant 1

Martin Luther


Faith of the Ulster Protestant

The Catholic

Priest who

became the First

Protestant

Preacher

2

Early Life

1483 – born in

Eisleben

1484 – family

moved to

Mansfeldt



A Medieval Childhood

Parent’s revered Saint Anne.

His Father owned three mines.

Brought up with strict discipline.

Fear of elves, gnomes, fairies and witches.

Important to keep on the “right side of

God”, through Masses, holy days ect...



Early Education

Attended schools at Mansfeld, Magdeburg

and Eisenach.

Excelled in his Latin studies.

His parents saw him as one who would

support them into old age.



The Dark Shadow of the Church

There was a dread of Hell, of Purgatory, of

the devil and his fiends.

Importance of being devoted to the

Church.

Martin’s sensitive nature caused him to

feel depressed from childhood in his

longing for spiritual peace.



The Law Student

Directed by his

Father.

Studying Theology

his depression

increased.

1502 – BA

1505 - MA



Erfurt Cathedral

7

An Amazing Discovery

The Old Library

Jerome’s Latin

Vulgate

Would return to

read the Bible

narrative.



Erfurt Cathedral

8

His Moment of Crisis

Caught in a

Thunderstorm

Vowed to St. Anne

that he would

become a Monk

July 1505



To the Monastery

Prepared a farewell

supper for his

friends.

Entered the

Augustinian

Monastery Erfurt.

17th August 1505



The Anger of His Father

“How can a son do right disobeying the

counsel of his parents?”

“Take care lest you be imposed upon by an

illusion of the devil.”



Dressed in white robes

Prayer – Seven times daily, lasting 45 mins

First session – Between 1am and 2am

“Be thou our advocate. Sweet Virgin Mary,

pray for us, Thou holy Mother of God.”



Ordination

Selected for

Ordination as a

Priest.

At his first Mass he

struck with terror.



“We offer unto thee, the living,

the true, the eternal God.”

“At these words I was utterly stupefied and terror-

stricken. I thought to myself, “With what tongue

shall I address such majesty, seeing that all men

ought to tremble in the presence of an even earthly

prince? Who am I, that I should lift up mine eyes to

the divine majesty?....For I am dust and ashes and

full of sin and I am speaking to the living, eternal

and the true God.”



Han’s Luther’s Reaction



Martin was carried limp from the altar.

He called his experience “Anfectung”.

A supernatural trial caused either by God or the Devil.

His Father, who came to watch Martin’s first Mass.

Saw this as confirmation Martin had done wrong in disobeying his parents.

“God grant it was not an apparition of the Devil.”

15



Search for Peace in a Cell

Fasted for 3 days at a time.

Slept without blankets.

“If I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, fasting, and other work”

16



A Truth Not Yet Discovered

“For by grace are ye saved

through faith and that not

of yourselves it is the gift

of God, not of works lest

any man should boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

17



A Providential Meeting

Johann von Staupitz was the head of the German Augustinians.

Staupitz encouraged Luther to look more to God’s grace and mercy rather than His wrath.

He was baffled by Luther’s spiritual agonies.

He recognised Brother Martin’s earnestness and gifts.

He encouraged him to apply for the post of Doctor of Theology at the new University in Wittenberg”

“Physician cure thyself by curing others”

“If it had not been for Dr Staupitz I should

have sunk in hell.”

18



Wittenberg

A small town of 2,000 people.

Described as a “stinking sand dune.”

The elector was Frederick the Wise.”

He was determined to establish a new university to rival Leipzig.

Luther arrived at this town in 1511.

19



The Light Begins to Shine

“My God, my God

why hast thou

forsaken me”

Psalm 22:1

“The Just shall

live by faith”

Romans 1:17

“This passage from Paul became a gate to

heaven...I found myself reborn”

20



On A Pilgrimage to Rome

He was sent on a pilgrimage to the “Holy City”.

He visited as many churches, received as many masses and said as many prayers as were possible.

He was shocked by the irreverence of the Italian Priests.

He was filled with doubts when climbing what is allegedly Pilate’s staircase hoping to release his Grandfather from Purgatory.

He would later claim that Rome is fit to be built over Hell.

“I went to Rome with

onions and returned

with garlic”

21



Studying and Preaching

1513 – The Book of Psalms

1515 – Paul’s Epistle to the Romans

1516 – Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians

22



The Ministry of Luther

Listen, Faith in Christ takes away from you all trust in your own wisdom,

righteousness, and strength; it teaches you that if Christ had not died for you, and not thus saved you, neither you nor

any other other creature would have been able to do it….Nothing remains to you but Jesus Christ – Christ alone, - Christ all sufficient for your soul…

23



Indulgences and Relics

Frederick the Wise’s collection of relics.

A Strand of Jesus beard, a thorn from the crown, a tooth of St. Jerome ect..!!

1509 – 5005 particles.

Those who paid and viewed on

All Saints day were guaranteed

a reduction of 1,443 years in

Purgatory

24



The Priest Speaks Out

1516 – 31st October

Luther stated that sins can only be remitted through Faith.

Frederick was unhappy.

He was hoping to build a bridge over the Elbe with the money!

25



A Monument to the Reformation

Leo 10th required money to complete St. Peter’s and Albert of Mentz needed to repay his debts.

Indulgences offered

Complete remission of sin.

Emancipation of loved one’s from Purgatory.

26



Tetzel

Frederick banned him from Saxony.

Came to a town across the river with a gold cross and the papal insignia

As soon as the coin in

the coffer rings

The soul from

purgatory springs

If God permit I will

put a hole in his

drum

27



Reformation Day 1517

Nailed 95 arguments to the Castle Church door.

“Papal indulgences do not remove guilt”

“These persons are damned who think that letters of indulgence make them fit for heaven”

28



Reformation Day 1517

I entered into this

controversy without any

definite plan, without

knowledge or inclination;

I was taken quite

unawares, and I call God

The searcher of human

hearts to witness

29



From the Door to the Printers

As a result of an enthusiastic printer Luther’s views were known throughout Germany.

They struck a cord with ordinary people disillusioned with the Papacy.

Albert of Mainz informed the Pope of the Luther’s views.

30



The Papal Perception

31



The Counter-Attack

October 1518 - Augsburg

July 1519 – Leipzig Debate

October 1520 – The Papal Bull

April 1521 – The Diet of Worms

32



Augsburg

October 1518 – Augsburg

Interviewed by Cardinal Cajetan

Asked to recant not debate

“I teach nothing save

what is in Scripture”

“Now I must die, what a

disgrace I will be to my

parents” 33



Leipzig – July 1519

Formidable Catholic Theologian

Lasted for 18 days

Accused of being a Hussite

Afterwards, “We are all Hussites without even knowing it.”

John Eck

34



Luther’s Biblical Theology

“The Babylonian Captivity”

Sacraments reduced to two

The Mass reduced to the Lord’s Supper

The validity of the Priesthood was therefore undermined

35



The Papal Bull – June 1520

41errors in his books

“We can no longer suffer the serpent to creep through the fields of the Lord”

Recant or be excommunicated.

Luther’s books burnt

36



Luther’s Response

October – Bull reached Luther

December – burnt the document

His books were burnt publicly

Throughout Germany the bull was being torn down and destroyed

I feel much freer now I

am certain that the

Pope is Antichrist

37



Frederick’s Protection

Question of punishment by the state.

Frederick insisted trial must be in Germany.

The Emperor invited Luther to a hearing at Worms

38



Before the Diet of Worms

I can and Will not retract, for it is neither

safe nor wise to do anything contrary to

conscience. HERE I STAND. I CAN

DO NO OTHER. MAY GOD HELP ME.

39



Four out of Six Electors Signed the

Edict denouncing Luther a Heretic

40



The Rescue Kidnapped by armed

soldiers

Servants of Frederick

Taken to the Wartburg

Disguised as Junker

George

Translated the New

Testament

One Year

41



In Luther’s Absence

Melanchthon, Carlstadt, Zwilling.

Priests and Monks Married.

Masses discontinued.

Idols removed.

Confessions abolished.

2,000 attended the first Protestant

Communion.

42



A Social Revolution

Wittenberg first city ordinance of

the Reformation.

Begging banned.

Poor supported by a common fund.

Prostitution outlawed.

43



The Return to Wittenberg

Disturbed by acts of violence

Brought new direction

Found himself the leader of a

new movement and Government

44



Luther takes a Wife

He married Catherine Von Bora, an escaped Nun, 1525.

His colleague, Philip Melanchthon, said that prior to this happy occasion Luther neither made his bed nor changed it for one year and that it was mildewed with his perspiration!

45



The Battle For Freedom

1st Diet of Spires

1526

Freedoms guaranteed until a meeting of the General Council which governed the Empire

46



The Battle For Freedom

2nd Diet of Spires

1529

Electors of Germany asked to repeal the Edicts of 1526

47



What Would This Involve?

Luther’s Execution.

The destruction of the Lutheran Faith everywhere.

A new era of terrible persecution.

48



The Protest

“We cannot consent to its repeal…this would be to deny our Lord Jesus Christ…if you do not yield to our request we protest before God…”

4 Electors and 14 cities signed the Protest.

49



The Battle for Freedom

Augsburg 1530

The Emperor was under pressure to settle the religious question.

The Protestant Electors were determined to confess their Faith

50



Augsburg Confession

13 Articles of Faith

Justification By Faith

2 Sacraments only

51



The Importance of

Augsburg “13 years before a solitary monk is

…nailing his..95 theses to the church

door…now princes and free cities

…nails this scroll to the throne of

Charles 5th.”

52



His Remaining Years

Translated the Whole Bible.

Wrote Catechisms for teaching youth.

Wrote on social and political issues.

Established what became known as the Lutheran Church.

53

His Remaining Years



Wrote many hymns.

Instituted simpler worship

Focused on the Bible

Died - 1546

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