Martin Luther

Martin Luther (1483-1546) - Christian theologian, initiator of the Reformation, leading translator of the Bible into German. One of the directions of Protestantism, Lutheranism, is named after him. One of the founders of the German literary language.

There are many interesting facts in the biography of Martin Luther, which we will tell about in this article.

So, here is a short biography of Luther.

Biography of Martin Luther

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in the Saxon city of Eisleben. He grew up and was brought up in a peasant family of Hans and Marguerite Luther. Initially, the head of the family worked in copper mines, but later became a wealthy burgher.

Childhood and youth

When Martin was about six months old, he settled with his family in Mansfeld. It was in this mountain town that Luther Sr. significantly improved his financial situation.

At the age of 7, Martin began attending a local school, where he was often abused and punished by teachers. The educational system in the educational institution left much to be desired, as a result of which the future reformer was able to master only the elementary literacy, and also learn a few prayers.

When Luther was 14, he began attending the Franciscan school in Magdeburg. 4 years later, the parents insisted that their son go to university in Erfurt. In 1505, he received a Master's degree in Liberal Arts, after which he began to study law.

In his spare time, Martin showed a great interest in theology. He researched a variety of religious writings, including those of the authoritative church fathers. After examining the Bible, the guy was indescribable delight. What he learned from this book turned his worldview upside down.

As a result, at the age of 22, Martin Luther entered the Augustinian convent, despite his father's protests. One of the reasons for this act was the sudden death of his close friend, as well as the realization of his sinfulness.

Life at the monastery

At the monastery, Luther served the senior clergy, wound the clock on the tower, swept the courtyard, and did other work. It is curious that sometimes the monks sent him to the city to beg for alms. This was done so that the guy lost his sense of pride and vanity.

Martin did not dare to disobey his mentors, approximately fulfilling all the instructions. At the same time, he was extremely moderate in food, clothing, and rest. About a year later, he received a monastic dinner, and a year later he was ordained a clergyman, becoming brother Augustine.

In 1508, Luther was sent to teach at the University of Wittenberg, where he enthusiastically studied the works of St. Augustine. At the same time, he continued to study hard, dreaming of becoming a doctor of theology. To better understand the Scriptures, he decided to master foreign languages.

When Martin was about 28 years old, he visited Rome. This trip influenced his further biography. He saw with his own eyes all the depravity of the Catholic clergy, which indulged in a variety of sins.

In 1512 Luther became a doctor of theology. He taught, preached and served as caretaker in 11 monasteries.

Reformation

Martin Luther scrupulously studied the Bible, but constantly considered himself sinful and weak in relation to God. Over time, he discovered a different understanding of some of the New Testament books written by Paul.

It became clear to Luther that man can attain righteousness through strong faith in God. This thought inspired him and helped to get rid of previous experiences. The notion that the believer acquires justification through faith in the mercy of the Most High, Martin developed in the period of his biography 1515-1519.

When Pope Leo X issued a bull for absolution and selling indulgences in the fall of 1517, the theologian was furious with rage. He was extremely critical of the role of the church in saving the soul, as reflected in his famous 95 Theses Against the Trade in Indulgences.

The news of the publication of the theses spread throughout the country. As a result, the Pope summoned Martin for questioning - the Leipzig dispute. Here Luther reiterated that the clergy have no right to meddle in public affairs. Also, the church should not act as a mediator between man and God.

“Man saves his soul not through the Church, but through faith,” wrote the theologian. At the same time, he expressed doubts about the infallibility of the Catholic clergy, which aroused the anger of the pope. As a result, Luther was anathema.

In 1520 Martin publicly burns the papal bull of his excommunication. After that, he calls on all compatriots to fight against papal domination.

As one of the most famous heretics, Luther began to face severe persecution. However, his supporters helped him to escape by faking his abduction. In reality, the man was secretly placed in Wartburg Castle, where he began translating the Bible into German.

In 1529, Martin Luther's Protestantism became widespread in society, being considered one of the currents of Catholicism. And yet, after a few years, this trend split into Lutheranism and Calvinism.

John Calvin was the second major reformer after Luther, whose main idea was to determine the fate of man by the Creator. That is, the unconditional predestination of some to destruction, and others to salvation.

Opinion about Jews

Martin's attitude towards Jews has changed throughout his life. At first he was free, he was anti-Semitic, and even became the author of the treatise "Jesus Christ was born a Jew." He hoped to the last that the Jews, having heard his sermons, would be able to be baptized.

However, when Luther realized that his expectations were in vain, he began to view them negatively. Over time, he published such books as "On the Jews and Their Lies" and "Table Talks", where he criticized the Jews.

At the same time, the reformer called for the destruction of synagogues. An interesting fact is that such appeals by Martin aroused sympathy among Hitler and his supporters, who, as we know, were particularly disgusted with Jews. Even the infamous Kristallnacht, the Nazis called Luther's birthday celebration.

Personal life

In 1525, a 42-year-old man married a former nun named Katharina von Bora. It is curious that he was 16 years older than his chosen one. In this union, the couple had 6 children.

The couple lived in an abandoned Augustinian monastery. They led a humble life, content with what they had. The doors of their house were always open for people in need of help.

Death

Until the end of his days, Luther devoted time to sermon reading and writing. Due to lack of time, he often forgot about food and sleep, which eventually made itself felt.

In the last years of his life, the reformer suffered from chronic diseases. Martin Luther died on February 18, 1546 at the age of 62. He was buried in the courtyard of the church where he had once nailed the famous 95 theses.