Martin Luther

[RhondaH]

I've just started a study on the teachings of Martin Luther. Although I have not begun this in depth yet, I would love to hear your thoughts on him, his teachings and the Lutheren church. I know next to nothing about him so far, but i was hoping that perhaps some that are more learned could point me in the right direction, i.e. copies of his writings and such. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

YSIC,
Rhonda

[countmeworthy]

What I know from church history, he had the realization that we were saved through justification by faith & not by works. When he tried to present this to the pope & company, they couldn't agree with him.

Can't remember if he was excommunicated or if he left the RCC.

Fastforward.. in 1997, I believe, Pope Paul John II wrote a letter to the Luthern Federation, acknowledging Martin Luther was correct in his assessment & that the RCC had been wrong.

How 'bout THAT !!!??? :clap

[RhondaH]

TY countmeworthy. I must admit that this has started over the movie Luther. I don't know how historically accurate it is, but I intend to find out. I was so inspired by his boldness in defying the RCC's teachings. :lol I'm a bit of a rebel myself, methinks. I just really want to learn more about what he taught. From what I've seen, he was spot on with his teachings, but I haven't gotten in it really deep yet. Thanks again

[LLee]

Martin Luther believed he was living at the very end of the age, and that was what gave him the courage to do some of the things he did. It also somewhat explains why he went a little off the deep end with the Jews. Because he believed it was the very end of the age, he expected their conversion. When that failed to happen, he became bitterly disappointed with them.

A book that explains some of this: Luther - Man Between God and the Devil by Heiko Oberman.

[holyspiritvesse]

I think he always continued to believe that salvation was applied to us through baptism, not faith alone. ANd he never believed in eternal security for the believer.

In many ways, he never really left the Catholic church.

I know the more I have learned about him and Calvin, and a few others, like Augustine, the more I have wondered 'Did they truly get it?'

[AnyDayNow]

I was Lutheran until age 24 (LCMS) IMO, Luther was good man, but not any greater than other contemporaries who were part of Reformation. I still see in his doctrines some of the apron strings of the RCC. In some cases, I feel he was trying to break farther away from their teachings, but circumstances and his lifespan didn't allow him to.

In retrospect, as a man who at times was on the run from a very angry RCC, he accomplished quite a bit, especially for those times. All Evangelicals owe him praise for his boldness in pointing out and emphasizing Righteousness by Faith and for opposing the RCC's view of itself as as "sole authority" for Believers and supplanting it with the Word of God.

[blitzkreig]

Any similarity between Martin Luther and what has become the "Lutheran Church" is merely in name only.

No more than the "United Church" is truly united ... or the "Baptist Church" models their lifestyle and dietary habits of John the Baptist ...

[countmeworthy]

Any similarity between Martin Luther and what has become the "Lutheran Church" is merely in name only.

No more than the "United Church" is truly united ... or the "Baptist Church" models their lifestyle and dietary habits of John the Baptist ...


Interesting ! I've been to a few Lutheran church services in my day & was amazed at the similarity between it's 'mass' & the RCC mass.

I knew ML was the first outspoken priest to break away from the RCC. My surprise that there was virtually no difference in the conduct of the services left me scratching my head. :confused I was expecting to see a major difference but did not. I understood the book of Revelation a LOT more after visiting a Lutheran church, a methodist church, a presbyterian church & countless others.

[trixie]

There was a movie recently released (last year I think) called Luther. It was terrific and gave a good view of both his teachings and the human struggles he faced. I highly recommend viewing it.