Catholic Church example essay topic

Martin Luther and the Break With Rome Martin Luther began as a simple Augustinian Friar in the Roman Catholic Church, the reigning power of Western Europe for hundreds of years, and he soon became the leader of the most important stand against the Catholic Church. I call Luther's actions a stand rather than a revolt because he did not willingly mean to disrespect the entire church or even start a new denomination of Christianity, he was only trying to bring truth to it. Luther published writings such as The Ninety-five Theses, Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation and A Treatise on Christian Liberty, all which produced outrage in the Church for the fact that it blatantly accused the clerics, and especially the pope, of many wrong doings in their practice. Luther belonged to a church in Wittenburg, Germany and here he was a scholar as well as a priest. He, like many others, came to notice the corruption in the Church.

The Church had come to own a great deal of land all over Europe, collect a very considerable sum in mandatory taxes from the middle-class, and they had become very rich and very powerful. This led to an even greater hunger and they started the practice of selling indulgences, which is paying to be forgiven of one's sins, and simony, which is paying to get into church office. These were just a few of the many un-Godly acts of the Catholic Church during the 1500's. Luther felt that these injustices should be brought to light and dealt with and then the Church should reform. With this idea he wrote The Ninety-five Theses, which were a series of wrongs committed by the church and the things they needed to do to change. This was originally supposed to be simply ideas put up for discussion among his peers in the Church, but very quickly this document spread like a wild fire and set the church a flame.

The Ninety-five Theses included the ideas that, "The pope cannot remit any guilt... The dying are freed by death from all penalties... The pope (cannot) grant remission to souls in purgatory... ". He basically concluded that the Church did not have all the powers they claimed to have. They lied and cheated for money.

Of course Luther did not write this and then march into Rome with it demanding change, they were only ideas and this must be remembered. In the Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, Luther sought to further his cause by speaking out to the German people hoping that they too will see the corruption. "I now intend, by the help of God, to throw some light upon the wiles and wickedness of these men". In the document he states that in order to be victorious against the devilish clergy they must not rely on their own might more than God because He will help them. This statement is symbolic of Luther's belief that the only truth is the Word of God and the most important factor of Christianity is one's faith in God. Luther then goes on to describe the Three Walls of the Romanists, and he explains, "The Romanists... have built three walls around them... that no one has been able to reform them and this has been the cause of terrible corruption throughout all Christendom".

These laws deal with temporal power, interpretation of the Scriptures, and the calling of councils. Luther argues against the first wall explaining that all Christians have spiritual power and this is given to them through baptism, contrary to the Church belief that only the clergy can hold spiritual power and that laymen only have temporal power. But in reality spiritual power is attained by whom ever chooses to practice it and every man has that right. Against the second wall, which states that only the pope has the power to interpret the Scripture, he argues that this cannot be right because, "They assume for themselves sole authority, and with insolent juggling of words they could persuade us that the pope, whether he be a bad man or good man, cannot err in matters of faith, and yet they cannot prove a single letter of it". It does not make any sense that only one person can dictate to all what is meant in the Scriptures. The Scriptures are for all to read and interpret as they wish, as fits best with their faith and relationship with God.

The third wall is the calling of councils. The Church states that only the pope may call councils. Luther states that this is against the Scriptures, "For when the pope acts contrary to the Scriptures, it is our duty to stand by the Scriptures, to reprove him, and to constrain him, according to the word of Christ in Matthew 18". Luther also proves that many times before popple other than the pope had called together councils and never was this deemed heretical, furthermore he states, ". ... if I consider the councils which the pope has created, I find that they have done nothing of special importance". It seems to me that at the point when Luther wrote Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, he knew that the Church was out to get him and he was, in a way, rallying for supporters. He was pointing out that the pope cannot do much harm if they come together and stand against him.

But will this work? Can the Catholic Church be defeated? Martin Luther was summoned to appear before Emperor Charles of the Holy Roman Empire as well as the clergy to defend himself against the charge of heresy in Worms in 1521. Here was his moment, he knew he could not reform the Church but he could tell the truth. His truth was that he only believed God was before him and the Word of God was the only truth or law he had before him. Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church although it is very surprising to me that he was not put to death.

Maybe the church knew their power was waning. Luther had succeeded in gaining an admirable following, he was victorious over the Church because he held fast to what he believed and here is where the first branch split from the tree of Christianity and the world was forever changed.