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Martin Luther was born in Mansfield, in the Holy Roman Empire to unemotional parents and father who wished him to become a lawyer. -
Luther entered the University of Erfurt, which he described as a whorehouse and beerhouse. -
While returning home, lightning strikes near Luther during a thunderstorm. This near death experience is what led Luther to become a monk. -
Luther is awarded his Doctor of Theology and became part of theological faculty at the University of Wittenberg. -
1513 - 1516 Luther becomes the Chair of Theology at the University of Wittenberg, and in 1515 was made the provincial vicar of Saxony and Thuringia. -
Luther wrote a letter to his bishop in which he protested against the sale of Indulgences by the Catholic Church. He posted his letter on the Church door and these soon became known as the 95 Theses. -
Luther's 95 Theses were published in several places in Germany in that same year -
Luther's 95 Theses became widely known and spread to France, Italy, and England as early as 1519 -
Luther published three other works: To The Christian Nobility of the German Nation, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, and On the Freedom of a Christian -
Luther was threatened with excommunication unless he recanted his statements within 60 days. Luther did no such things, and, in fact, only deepened his stance on the Church's corruption. -
Luther was officially excommunicated from the Catholic Church by Pope Leo X -
The Edict of Worms declared Luther an outlaw, banned his writings, and wanted Luther arrested. It made it illegal for anyone to give food or shelter to Luther, and it was legal for anyone to kill him. -
Luther returned to Wittenberg where he delivered 8 sermons over 8 days beginning on Invocavit Sunday during Lent. He preached core Christian values.
