What Did Martin Luther Believe In?
Martin Luther was a German monk whose main beliefs were that the Bible is the only true source of religious authority and that salvation can only come through faith in Jesus Christ, not good deeds. Luther challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
Martin Luther put his beliefs into action when he nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. This document was written in a humble tone that simply questioned the church’s teaching. The first two theses supported Luther’s stance that belief in Jesus Christ and His grace led to salvation. The remaining 93 theses supported the first two and also attacked the Catholic Church’s teaching of selling indulgences, which were slips of paper that people could purchase to buy their way into heaven. The Catholic Church sold indulgences as a method to gain wealth.
Martin Luther is considered an influential historical person. He is credited for starting the Protestant Reformation and shaping Protestant beliefs. In addition, because Luther believed the Bible to be the ultimate source of religious authority, he insisted that it be translated and made available to everyone. One of Luther’s major accomplishments is the translation of the New Testament into German, which took him 10 years to complete.
