Martin Luther 1483-1546

WYH2003HS Spring 2003: January 14, 2003

Links

The assignment due today: Luther's "Open Letter to the Christian Nobility"

Luther's recollection of "the Tower experience", excerpted from his preface to the 1545 edition of his works

Project Wittenberg announces itself as the beginning of an internet library on works by Luther and Lutherans.

A site from KDG Wittenberg, Germany, in English, has a timeline and various linked materials on Luther's life.

Lots of information and documents from Michigan State University

A website for Katharine von Bora (1499-1552)

Lutheran hymnody from Smith Creek Music, Nashville

The late Heiko Obermann, an internationally acknowledged authority on Luther, had this to say about him in a Princeton Theological Seminary publication.

Here's an internet bibliography on Luther.

Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, has this PDF document on Luther's spirituality, written by Emil Grislis of the University of Manitoba.

 

  • Born November 10, 1483, in Eisleben
  • Enters the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt, 1505; takes his vows, 1506
  • Ordained priest, 1507
  • Earns doctorate in theology, University of Wittenberg, 1512
  • Appointed professor of theology, University of Wittenberg, 1512-1517; lectures on Psalms, Galatians, Romans, Hebrews
  • Also appointed priest of the city church, Wittenberg, 1514
  • Experiences a new understanding of justification in the "tower" at his monastery in Wittenberg: date is unknown
  • Nails the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church, October 31, 1517
  • Writes in defence against criticisms of the 95 Theses, 1517-1521; Leipzig Debate, 1519
  • Ordered to recant his writings by the papal bull Exurge domine, June 1520. Burns the bull, December 1520. Excommunicated, January 1521.
  • Appears before the Emperor at the Diet of Worms, April 521. The emperor declares him an outlaw.
  • Resides incognito under the protection of the elector of Saxony in the Wartburg, 1521-1522.

(Wartburg Castle, overlooking Eisenach)

  • Returns to Wittenberg, takes charge of the Reformation, preaches, writes, reforms the school system, etc., 1522+
  • Opposes the Peasants Revolt, in inflammatory language; the peasants are defeated, May 1525
  • Marries Katharina von Bora (see right), June 1525; they have six children
  • Fights theologically with Erasmus, 1524-1526
  • Participates in the Marburg Colloquy, 1529
  • Publishes the complete Bible in German, 1534
  • Dies, February 18, 1546

 

Below: Luther preaching; from the University of Victoria (Toronto) library
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