Events that Changed History: Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

In the 18th lecture in the series Events that Changed History, we learned about Martin Luther and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

The lecture series is held every Tuesday at noon at the Heritage Museum of Big Spring, 510 S. Scurry St.

Luther was born in 1843 in the Holy Roman Empire. He learned Latin and Greek as a child, and he became a priest in 1507. In 1508, he began to teach theology and was awarded a Doctorate in Theology in 1512.

Luther was asked to teach a course on the Letters of Paul in 1517. He studied Erasmus' Greek New Testament, who was the topic of last week's lecture. He began to see discrepancies between the Vulgate Bible and the original teachings of Paul, most important was Paul's assertion that man is saved through faith alone, by not works, good deeds or charity.

It was during this time that many in Europe started to question taxed imposed by the church. If Paul believed

faith alone is what brought salvation, why did the church have to tax everyone, peasants and nobility alike? In 1517, Luther wrote a letter to the bishop protesting these “indulgences”.

Luther's writings began to circulate in Europe, reaching France, England and Italy as early as 1519. Students gathered to hear him speak. Three of Luther's best known works were published in 1520. New ideas were spreading around Europe. The church most definitely did not agree with Luther's teachings, and in 1521, Luther was excommunicated.

As the Reformation spread, of course some strayed from Luther's original teachings, some of them not to Luther's liking. Puritans banned music and fancy clothes because these were not found in the Bible.

But, the idea that faith alone is the key to salvation is still what drives many religions today.

Contact Staff Writer Anna Gutierrez at 432-263-7331 ext. 232, or by email at citydesk@bigspringherald.com