Luther’s Critique of the Church
Luther’s criticism of the Church centered on its corruption and its deviation from the original Christian values and teachings. Firstly, Luther condemns the practice of selling indulgences as a means of obtaining salvation (DW Documentary, 2017). In his “95 Theses”, Luther writes, “Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers” (Luther, 1997). Luther argues that salvation cannot be bought or earned through material means, but rather it is a gift from God that comes through faith alone.
Secondly, Luther criticizes the excessive wealth and luxury of the Church, particularly the Pope. In his “Address to the nobility of the German nation”, Luther states, “The Pope, the cardinals, and the whole Romish court are drowning the world in their avarice” (Luther, 1520, Section 4). Luther argues that the Church’s accumulation of wealth goes against the teachings of Jesus, who preached humility and selflessness.
Thirdly, Luther challenges the Pope’s authority, advocating for the priesthood of all Christians. In his “Treatise on the New Testament”, Luther writes, “We are all priests, as many of us as are Christians. There are indeed priests chosen of God and consecrated by men. But this is done that they may be there for the rest so that they may teach the rest what they themselves have learnt” (Luther, 2012, Section 1). Luther believes that all Christians have direct contact with God and should not rely entirely on the Pope or clergy for spiritual guidance.
Personal Reflection
If I were alive during that period and a deeply spiritual person who spent a lot of time studying the Bible, I might have joined Martin Luther’s movement. Luther’s primary criticisms of the Pope and the Church center on the sale of indulgences, the excessive wealth of the Church, and the authority of the Pope (National Geographic, 2017). He placed the Scripture above all earthly rules and explained thoroughly why the Church’s practices went against the original teachings. Moreover, if I saw the opulence of the Church in comparison with the poverty around me, I would also believe Luther’s claims about the Church’s focus on wealth and would follow him.
References
DW Documentary. (2017). Martin Luther, the Reformation and the nation. In YouTube.
Luther, M. (1520). Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (C. A. Buchheim, Trans.). Internet History Sourcebooks Project.
Luther, M. (1997). The 95 Theses. Luther.de.
Luther, M. (2012). Treatise on good works Luther. Authentic Media Inc.
National Geographic. (2017). A fun, animated history of the reformation and the man who started it all. In YouTube.