-
Luther circulated his 95 Theses, which were
posted on the door of the Wittenberg Castle
church. The document contained an attack on
papal abuses and the sale of indulgences by
church officials. -
When Luther refused to take back his attack,
Pope Leo X issued a statement outlining the
Church ’s doctrine on indulgences, and
condemning Luther’s ideas. -
Luther wrote to Pope Leo X, stating that it was
not his intention to question the authority of
the Pope or the Church. The impact of the
Luther– Rome dispute began to grow. -
By this time Luther had the support of many of
the German nobility. Pope Leo X gave him 60
days to recant or face excommunication. As his
books were being burned in cities throughout
Germany, Luther published an open letter to
Pope Leo X, apologising to the Pope
personally, but continuing to denounce what
he saw as false doctrine and corruption in the
Church. -
Luther was excommunicated, and summoned
to the city of Worms to appear before a hearing
at which he still refused to take back his attack
on the Church. On his way back to Wittenberg,
he was captured by supporters disguised as
bandits and taken to safety in Wittenberg castle. -
The next two years saw Luther preaching
throughout central Germany. -
Luther was banished by the Church and
the Emperor, but by this time he had
great popular support. By now, certain
groups without Luther’s agreement,
we re using his ideas as a reason for
re volution. Luther left his re l i g i o u s
order and married, continuing his
writing and denouncing the groups that
we re using his ideas as an excuse for
criminal acts. -
Many German princes and cities signed a
document called the Augsburg
Confession as an expression of the new
Protestant faith. -
Luther died aged 62.
-
Each German prince was given the right
to choose the religion of his own
territory. As a result, the Reformation
swept through Northern and Eastern
Europe.
Extension