Martin Luther debated with Johann Eck at Pleissenburg Castle in Leipzig on this day in 1519. During the debate Luther denied the divine right of the pope. Luther challenged the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church, particularly its sale of indulgences. He believed that salvation was attained through faith alone, not through good works or the payment of money.
Luther’s most significant contribution was the publication of his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517, which criticized various aspects of the Catholic Church. This document sparked a broader movement for reform and led to the formation of Protestantism. Luther’s ideas spread rapidly throughout Europe, leading to religious and social changes that had a profound impact on Western civilization.
Protestantism, as a result of Luther’s teachings, rejected many of the traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church. Luther emphasized the authority of the Bible as the ultimate source of religious truth and advocated for the priesthood of all believers, which meant that ordinary individuals could have a direct relationship with God without the need for intermediaries such as priests.
Luther also translated the Bible into German, making it accessible to a wider audience and contributing to the development of the German language.
However, whilst researching the fourth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, Called to Account, I discovered that Luther had been appalled by the treatment of Jews in Frankfurt. He tried to convert them to his Protestantism, and when they refused, he railed against them. He wrote On the Jews and Their Lies, calling for their synagogues, schools and houses to be burnt.
The world might have been very different without Luther. Henry VIII might have had only one wife. The Spanish Armada would not have sailed, and I might not be writing historical fiction. But there is also a powerful argument to say that the holocaust might not have happened either.