~~~MaRtIn LuThEr~~~

Martin Luther was a Christian theologian and Augustinian monk who's teaching and criticism of the Roman Catholic Church inspired the Protestant Reformation. He was born in November of 1483 in Germany. Luther didn't plan to become a monk. He was actually enrolled in law school until in 1505 during a thunderstorm a lightning bolt struck the ground near him and he cried out "Help St. Anne! I'll become a monk!" Although he regretted making the bargain, he followed through and dropped out of law school and joined a monastery. Luther struggled to find peace with God. He devoted himself to fasts, long hours in prayer, pilgrimages, and constant confession. The more he tried to do for God, the more he seemed to become aware of his sinfulness. Luther's superior, Johann von Staupitz, sent him off to pursue an academic career. Luther was ordained to priesthood in 1507 and began teaching theology at the University of Wittenburg in 1508. The preparation for his sermons and lectures caused Luther to study the scriptures and teachings of the early church in depth. Luther came to the conclusion that salvation is a gift of God's grace received by trusting in His promise to forgive our sins through Christ's death on the cross. This conclusion convinced him that the Church had lost site of several central truths. He believed that the selling of indulgences (prayers that people bought in order to save their soul or the soul of a relative from purgatory) was a scam. In response to the indulgence preachers he nailed his famous 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenburg and before long Luther's 95 Theses had been copied and published all throughout Europe. Luther's new Protestant views were condemned heresy by Pope Leo X and on 17 April 1521 Luther was asked if he was going to renounce the claims he made in his writings. After being asked if he would renounce, Luther asked if he could have time to think about his answer. Luther was granted one day and after consulting with friends and praying about it he stood before the assembly and said, "Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen." On May 25, the emperor declared Luther an outlaw. Luther's friend, Prince Frederick the Wise, ordered him to be kidnapped on his way home from the trial before anyone else could get to him and took him to the castle of Wartburg. While he was there he began to translate the Bible from Greek to the language commonly spoken by the German people. The Luther German New Testament was first published in 1522 followed by the Old Testament in 1534. Luther died in 1546. (http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/martin-luther.html)