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The Lutheran Religion

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The Lutheran Religion
The Lutheran Religion by Cynthia Mead
Instructor: Natalie Eades
HUM 130

The core beliefs and practices of Lutheranism can be traced back to a German monk named Martin Luther. He is known as the “Father of Reformation”. Martin Luther was born November tenth 1493, and died February eighteenth 1546 at the age of sixty three. He was a Christian theologian and an Augustinian monk. His teachings inspired the Protestant Reformation. He influenced the belief of Protestant and other Christian religions. He was born to Hans and Margaretha Luder in Eisleben, Germany. He was baptized on the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, after who he was named. Luther’s call to the church to return to the teachings of the Bible ended in the formation of new traditions within Christianity and the Counter-Reformation in the Roman Catholic Church, culminating at the Council of Trent. His translation of the Bible led to developing a standard version of the German language. His hymns helped the development of congregational singing in Christianity. He married Katrina von Bora, a former nun on June thirteenth 1525. This began the tradition of clerical marriage within several Christian religions. On Halloween of 1517, Luther changed the course of history. He nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg church. He accused the Roman Catholic Church of heresy upon heresy. Many people believe that this act was the starting point of the Protestant Reformation. Although others had already put their life’s work and their lives at stake for the same cause of truth. John Wycliffe, John Huss, Thomas Linacre, and John Colet had already begun the construction of Reform that Luther built upon. Luther’s action was in great part a response to the selling of indulgences by Johann Tetzel, a Dominican Priest. Luther’s charges also directly challenged the position of the clergy in regard to



References: Fairchild, M. (Unknown, Unknown Unknown). Lutheran Church Beliefs and Practices. Retrieved February 10, 2011, from About.com: http://christianity.about.com/od/denominations/a/lutheran.htm Luther, M. (2011). The 95 Theses. Retrieved 2 15, 2011, from Spurgeon: http://www.spurgeon.org/-phil/history/95theses.htm Unknown. (1997-2008). English Bible History Martin Luther. Retrieved February 10, 2011, from GreatSite.com: http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/martin-luther.html Wiki. (2010). Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 16, 2011, from Wilipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism

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