Luther

Martin Luther (1483–1546) was a German theologian, priest, and professor whose reformist ideas helped ignite the Protestant Reformation. He studied at the University of Erfurt and joined the Augustinian order; he later became a theology professor at the University of Wittenberg.

In 1517 he published the Ninety-Five Theses criticizing indulgences and inviting scholarly debate; this sparked widespread controversy and condemnation from church authorities. He was excommunicated in 1521 after the Diet of Worms, where he refused to recant his writings and beliefs and was declared an outlaw.

Luther translated the New Testament into German (1522) and the complete Bible by 1534; his translation contributed to standardizing the German language. His doctrine emphasized justification by faith alone, the primacy of Scripture over church tradition, and the idea that believers have direct access to God without mediation by the clergy. He retained two sacraments, baptism and the Eucharist, while rejecting the papal authority and the sale of indulgences. He also stressed the priesthood of all believers and contributed to the reform of worship and liturgy.

Worship reforms included the use of vernacular language in services and the development of catechetical materials such as the Small and Large Catechisms and treatises like On the Freedom of a Christian. Impact and legacy: his ideas led to the formation of Lutheran churches, influenced the course of Western Christianity, and helped promote education and vernacular literature. His work spread through the German states and into Scandinavia. Luther died in Eisleben in 1546.