Essay about Martin Luthers Impact on the Catholic Church

Introduction Martin Luther was a Monk, Priest and Theologian born in late 1483 in the German town of Eisleben. His father owned a copper mine and had always wished for his son to go into civil service. When Luther was seventeen he arrived at the University of Erfurt. By 1502, Luther had already received his bachelor’s degree and by 1505 he had a Master’s degree. The same year, while returning to University, he was caught in a tremendous thunderstorm. A lightening bolt struck near him and terrified, he cried out, Help, St. Anne! Ill become a monk!†. Luther lived, and keeping to his promise, he dropped out of university and entered the monastery. Religious issues the person responded to. Martin Luther responded to the†¦show more content†¦Despite his situation, he continued to he preach his philosophies and as a result, converted many people from Catholicism to what was now commonly referred to as Protestant. This is known as the Protestant Reformation. Important Social and Political Issues of the Time Social In the 1400s, Europe had been left in devastation from the aftermath of the black plague. This had left Europe in major religious, social and economic upheavals. Orphans, theft, intoxication, prostitution, brutality and misuse of powerful by important figures were very common. Education was unavailable to anyone without enough money to pay for it, creating an extremely large gap and social division between the classes. Church services and the bible were spoken and written in Latin, resulting in the majority of the common people being unable to understand the true meaning behind the words. As People were unable to read the bible, the only way to connect with God was through church services. Priests and Monks had several different jobs and often refused to help peasants when they asked for it, generating mistrust between the clergy and lay people. Political Just 30 years before Luther was born, Gutenberg invented the printing press, generating an ability to mass-produce information and documents. Countries such as Spain and Portugal were still in a race to secure more land. The Italian Renaissance had spanned three centuriesShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther And The Catholic1550 Words   |  7 Pagestransformation, but Martin Luther is one of the more significant figures. This paper is about how Martin Luther, a catholic German Monk, played a substantial role in influencing the religion of that time and initiated the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther affected the Catholic Church, which was the major religion in Europe at the time, with his deep-seated beliefs on indulgences and how you can find your own salvation without aid of the Catholic Church or the Pope. After Martin Luther was triedRead MoreThe Reform of the Roman Catholic Church in Europe Essay930 Words   |  4 Pagesof the Roman Catholic Church. 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Born in 1483 in Eisleben, Martin Luther was a German Monk who started one of the greatest religious revolutions in the history of the Western world. Before discussing the impact of his revolution on the modern world, we must first establish some background information about the man and the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther lived a tough childhood where he did not enjoy the customary joys thatRead MoreDifferent Impacts on Religion1067 Words   |  5 Pageshundred and fifty years apart, both Louis XIV Edict of Fontainebleau and Luther’s Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation had an immense impact on religion. Martin Luther’s document would pave the way for the Protestant Reformation, while Louis XIV would revoke all the freedoms that the Huguenots enjoyed in a Catholic France with the Edict of Nantes. This essay will compare and contrast these distinctions and their impact on religion. 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