Martin Luther Timeline

Lectures on the Psalms, the books of Hebrews, Romans and Galatians

Period: Jan 1, 1510 to Dec 31, 1520

Martin Luther studied these parts of the Bible and became convinced and certain that the church was corrupt in its ways and had lost sight of the central truths of Christianity.

Receives doctorate in Theology and begins work as Professor of Theology at University of Wittenburg

Nov 1, 1512

Becomes priest of Wittenberg’s City Church

Nov 1, 1514

Nailed 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church

Oct 31, 1517

Martin Luther declared his intolerance for the Roman Church’s corruption by nailing the 95 These to the door of the Castle Church, accusing the Roman Catholic church of heresy upon heresy as he believed that only God could grant forgiveness and that it was wrong to claim that indulgences prevented buyers from all punishments. This act was believed to be the primary starting point of the Protestant Reformation. Not before long, Luther’s 95 Theses had been copied and published all over Europe.

Inquisition on Luther begins in Rome

Nov 1, 1518

Death of Emperor Maximilian - Rome distracted from Luther

Nov 1, 1519

Burning of Decretals

Dec 10, 1520

Martin Luther publicly set fire to the bull and decretals with his students at Wittenberg on 10 December 1520. The Papal Bull Exsurge Domine was issued by Pope Leo X on June 15th, 1520, giving Luther 60 days to repent.

Excommunicated in Rome

Jan 3, 1521

Martin Luther is excommunicated (suspend membership in a religious community) from the church in Rome by Papal Bull Decet Romanum Pontificent on January 3, 1521 and orders were given to burn all his books.

Arrives at Diet of Worms

Apr 16, 1521

Martin Luther arrives at the Diet of Worms, which is an assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.

Departs Worms

Apr 25, 1521

Martin Luther leaves the Diet of Worms after 9 days.

"Kidnapped" by Frederick the Wise, taken to Wartburg Castle

May 4, 1521

Luther had planned that he was to be kidnapped by one of his friends, Frederick the Wise on his way back home from the Diet of Worms. He was to be hidden at Frederick's castle, Wartburg Castle which is in Eislenach for one year at least.This was to ensure Luther's safety. During his hiding, Luther was secretly translating the New Testament part of the Bible into German.

Invocavit Sermons

Mar 9, 1522

Luther preached eight sermons, known as the "Invocavit Sermons," which emphasized the importance of love, patience, charity and freedom.

First Publication of German Translation version of New Testament

Sep 1, 1522

Martin Luther was the first person to translate and publish the Bible in the commonly-spoken dialect of the German people. He used the recent 1516 critical Greek edition of Erasmus, a text which was later called textus receptus.The translation of the Old Testament followed, yielding an entire German language Bible in 1534.

The Peasants' War

Period: Jan 1, 1524 to Dec 31, 1525

The Peasants’ War was a widespread revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe and was the greatest mass uprising in German history. German peasants looked to the Reformation to end their oppression at the hands of the noble lords but when the peasants revolted at the end of 1524, they were forcibly suppressed. Although Martin Luther was not directly involved in the Peasants' War, he was the one whose teachings encouraged the idea of the Revolt but did give his support to the peasants.

Married Katharina von Bora

Nov 1, 1525

His marriage, on June 13, 1525, to Katharina von Bora, a former nun, began the tradition of clerical marriage within several Christian traditions.