1. Martin Luther and the Beginning of the Reformation
E.Q. 2: Who was Martin Luther and what role did he play in the Reformation?
Martin Luther and the Beginning of the Reformation

2. Why did Luther question Church practices?
Troubled by the idea that salvation was attainable through “good works”
Interpreted St. Paul to mean that path to salvation was by faith alone (justification by faith)
Believed forgiveness of sins could come only from God’s mercy
Angered by Tetzel’s sale of indulgences

3. What was his early life like?
Son of middle-class German parents
Studied law at first
Near disaster (almost hit by lightning) caused him to become a Catholic monk

4. How did his criticisms expand into an effort to form a new church?
Wrote 95 Theses to start debate on Church abuses
Published books and pamphlets questioning Church’s teachings
Ideas for reform led to a new church:
Congregations choose their own ministers
Worship of saints and holy days considered sinful
Services in German rather than Latin
Clergy allowed to marry
Simplified services
Respect for all vocations
* 7. Salvation by faith alone

5. Why did his reforms create widespread revolt in Germany?
Peasants, believing “everyone was equal under God”, revolted against their lords: Peasant Rebellion
German princes, who resented being controlled by pope, seized Church lands
Peace of Augsburg forced many to move in order to worship freely

6. Vocabulary Terms (E.Q.2)
Martin Luther = German monk who broke with the Catholic Church in 1520 and began the Reformation
Pope Leo X = Pope at time of Reformation; excommunicates Luther in 1521 (Diet of Worms-Trial, Edict of Worms is the Excommunication)
Johan Tetzel = monk who ruthlessly sells indulgences in Saxony, thus angering Luther
Charles V = Holy Roman Emperor during Luther’s time; strongly Catholic, he tries to get Luther to stop criticizing the Church

7. Vocabulary
The Ninety-Five Theses = Luther’s list of complaints about the Church’s abuses; posted on church door of Wittenberg, 1521
The Peasants’ Rebellion = 1524 uprising where peasants misunderstood Luther’s call for religious equality to mean social equality. Led to death of thousands.
Diet of Worms = trial held in Worms for Luther to recant his actions; Luther refuses and is excommunicated

8. Vocabulary Edict of Worms = Luther to be excommunicated
Peace of Augsburg, 1555 = allowed all German princes to choose the religion for their principality
Justification by Faith = Luther’s theory that one attains salvation through faith alone (implies that the Church or good works cannot earn one salvation)