Martin Luther and the Crisis of Piety
Life of Luther ( ) Born in Saxony (north central Germany) 1501: University of Erfurt. Intended to study law 1505: Entered Augustinian monastery 1507: Ordained a priest 1510: Pilgrimage to Rome 1512: Doctor of Theology, teaches Bible at new University of Wittenberg –Lectures on Psalms, Galatians, Romans –Conversion breakthrough (sometime during ): “He who through faith is righteous shall live” (see Reader, p. 82)
Late medieval piety Fear of death (cf. Dietrich Kolde) Penance –Confession –Absolution –Satisfaction Indulgences –Remit temporal punishment
Indulgence advertisement (c. 1530)
Beginning of Luther’s Reformation Oct 31, 1517: 95 Theses : Public debates 1520: Crisis –June 15: Papal bull Exsurge Domini issued (received Oct 10) –Luther’s response August, Letter to German Nobility October, Babylonian Captivity of the Church November, Freedom of a Christian –Dec 10: Luther burns the papal bull 1521: Confrontation –Jan 3, 1521: Luther excommunicated –April 1521: Diet of Worms
Martin Luther (1520); from “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church”
Passion of the Christ and Antichrist: Moneychangers in the Temple (1521) by Lucas Cranach the Elder and Philip Melanchthon (see also King, p. 268)
Passion of the Christ and Antichrist: Washing the feet of his disciples (1521)