Martin Luther

“As for the Theses, I have certain doubts about them myself.”
- Martin Luther

The writings of Martin Luther were distributed around France, England and Italy
in 1519. His students werefollowing him to Wittenberg to listen his opinions about the Epistle to the Galatians and his work on the Psalms. The controversy generated from his book lead Luther to develop the doctrines in a muchdeeper manner. The Lutheran concept of church was developed in his writing Von dem Papsttum Zu Rom, where he responded to the attacked Augustine von Alveld made in Leipzig , June 1520.

The controversyin Leipzig made Luther to connect with the humanists, especially with Melanchthon, Reuchlin and Erasmus of Rotterdam, protecting him from the Pope. During the year of 1520, Luther published twomanifestos that were tantamount to a declaration of war : An Open Letter to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate. ( The Reformation, Patrick Collinson).Under this circumstances of crisis and confrontation against the German nobility, Luther appointed the laity as an spiritual priest, which was the reform ignored by the Pope and the clergy. Forthe first time Luther referred to the Pope as the anti-Christ. The reforms made by Luther did not just refer to doubtful doctrine, but also to the abuses of the church.

Luther also wrote doctrinalcontroversies in the Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church especially about the sacraments. He talks about the Eucharist as a symbol to represent the body and blood of Christ, but healso denied this act as a sacrifice to God. In terms of baptism, he believe it was worth it just if there was faith coming with it. He also believe that everyone had the right to earn their salvationeven after committing a sin, as long as they were repented. Also, he mentions the sacrament of penance. He also agreed that this act made only sense if there was faith involve. Luther did not consider...