-
Martin Luther was born in Lutherstadt Eisleben, Germany to Hans and Margerete Luther and was baptized the next day
-
Martin Luther gets a B.A. from the University of Erfurt
-
Martin Luther was studying law, but was discontent with the course of his life. He was caught in a thunderstorm and nearly died on a visit home, an experience which inspired Luther to abandon law and join the Augustinian monks of Efurt
-
As a monk, Luther struggled to understand how salvation is achieved. In an attempt to understand, he received his doctorate in theology from the University of Wittenberg and then taught there
-
Luther came to the conclusion that faith alone is all you need to achieve salvation, which became a basis for reform churches like Lutheranism
-
Luther issued the 95 Theses, a list of grievances against the Catholic Church, in which he criticized the power of the papacy and condemned the sale of indulgences. This is the event that is said to have sparked the Protestant Reformation
-
In Leipzig, Luther debated Catholic Theologian Johann Eck. Eck forced Luther to deny the authority of popes and councils and aligned him with John Hus, a condemned heretic
-
Luther was going to proceed with his new ideas on theology. He proclaimed, “Farewell unhappy, hopeless, blasphemous Rome! The Wrath of God has come upon you, as you deserve. We cared for Babylon, and she is not healed; let us then leave her, that she may become the habitation of dragons, spectres, and witches.”
-
Luther published a series of pamphlets working towards a more formal break with the Church. In these pamphlets he criticized sacraments, papal authority, and expressed his own ideas about salvation and a reformed church.
-
Luther was excommunicated by the Church
-
Luther was summoned to appear before the Riechstag in Worms, convened by Emperor Charles V. He was expected to recant his heretical doctrines, but instead stuck to his word. Emperor Charles V was outraged, and Luther was made an outlaw in the empire; his works were burned
-
Luther returned to Wittenberg to begin organizing a reformed church.
