Martin Luther
In 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther nailed the 95 Thesis on a church door. The 95 Thesis was a list of grievances against the Roman Catholic Church. His list outlined his frustrations with current church practices, including the church's practice of selling indulgences, which he said amounted to selling salvation by profit. Luther's frustration has been building for some time. He had traveled to Rome, and was unnerved by the worldly nature of the city and the Vatican (the seat of the Catholic Church). Luther's most significant claim was that salvation was given directly from God through grace, not through indulgences, and not through the authorization of the church. Luther suggested that the Bible teaches that people could appeal directly to God for forgiveness for sins and salvation. This revolutionary concept significantly reduced the role of the church as the exclusive middleman between God and the man.
Pope Leo X was outraged, and ordered Luther to recant, or formally retract, his theses. Meanwhile, Luther's ideas were spreading through much of northern Europe as the printing presses continued to role. When Luther refused to recant, he was excommunicated, or kicked-out of the Roman Catholic Church. When he was allowed to address church leaders and princes at the Diet of Worms (1521), he refused to abandon his convictions. The pope called for his arrest, but a noblemen from Luther's hometown protected him.
Pope Leo X was outraged, and ordered Luther to recant, or formally retract, his theses. Meanwhile, Luther's ideas were spreading through much of northern Europe as the printing presses continued to role. When Luther refused to recant, he was excommunicated, or kicked-out of the Roman Catholic Church. When he was allowed to address church leaders and princes at the Diet of Worms (1521), he refused to abandon his convictions. The pope called for his arrest, but a noblemen from Luther's hometown protected him.
Martin Luther is brought before church officials at the Diet of Worms to recant, or formally retract, his criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church. He refuses and is excommunicated.