At the heart of the Reformation was the Bible, but not just the Bible translated, it was the Bible preached, taught, and explained. This was Luther’s commitment. According to Luther, “The Word of God is the greatest, most necessary, and most sublime part in Christendom.” The Reformer went on to say, “We can spare everything, except the Word.” As the Word of God was opened and the light of Scripture emerged—it would ignite the hearts of God’s people resulting in discipleship and God glorifying worship. 

On October 31, 1517, something happened that sparked a firestorm of controversy that to this very hour continues to have great significance. The Roman Catholic Church was engaged in the sale of indulgences. This was the practice that allowed people to pay a fee to reduce their punishment for sins or to release a deceased loved one from purgatory.

A man named Johann Tetzel was commissioned by Pope Leo X to go and collect money from towns and villages. Apparently, Tetzel was a gifted communicator and a slick salesman. He would enter towns with the papal coat of arms and the papal bull (or proclamation of indulgences) on a gold-embroidered velvet cushion.  He would stand adjacent to an erected cross and as people would gather, he would raise his voice and say, “When a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from Purgatory springs!” He would continue to exhort people with a stern proclamation that included stories about dead loved ones of these townspeople being in purgatory—in intense punishment. He would say things such as:

“Do not you hear the voice of your wailing dead parents and others who say, ‘Have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, because we are in severe punishment and pain.  From this you could redeem us with a small alms and yet you do not want to do so.’  Open your ears as the father says to the son and the mother to the daughter… ‘We created you, fed you, cared for you and left you our temporal goods. Why are you so cruel and harsh that you do not want to save us, though it only takes so little? You let us lie in flames so that only slowly do we come to the promised glory.’”

In Wittenberg, Germany in the year 1517, they did not have push button publication technology for blogs or smart phones with social media apps. Therefore, Martin Luther (an Augustinian monk) who taught theology in Wittenberg, wanted to engage in a public conversation regarding this practice of indulgences. In order to do so, he walked down to the door of the Schlosskirche (Castle Church) and nailed his document containing 95 pithy sentences. Little did Luther know that his students would have that document typeset and printed. It would be distributed beyond the town of Wittenberg and soon people all around were discussing the fact that this professor of theology and Augustinian monk was calling into question the practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

Today is Reformation Day, and many people mark this moment of Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses as the explosion of the Protestant Reformation. While it’s certainly a significant day in history, I would refer to it as a spark. The explosion would happen about 4-years later. As Protestants, what we must remember is that this historic protest is not over and we must continue to take our stand today.

The Trial at Worms in 1521

Martin Luther was an unconverted Augustinian monk and professor of theology when he famously nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517. His conversion, however, would not occur until 1519 as he contemplated the truths revealed in Romans 1:17. It was at that juncture that God illuminated to him the doctrine of the righteousness of Christ (a righteousness Luther would later call an alien righteousness), a righteousness imputed to believers by faith alone, starkly opposing the works-based righteousness taught within the Roman Catholic religion. This revelation marked a significant turning point in Luther’s life, intensifying his fervor as he began to write, preach, and openly challenge the established doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Leo X, in response to Luther’s growing influence, derogatorily referred to him as “a wild boar loose in God’s vineyard.” In 1521, Luther was summoned to appear at the Diet of Worms, where he would face imperial and ecclesiastical authorities. Defying expectations of a submissive approach, Luther made his way to Worms by preaching publicly in various villages along the route. He literally preached his way to Worms. His journey became a rallying point, drawing throngs of followers eager to see the defiant monk who was now challenging the entire authority of the Holy Roman Empire.

Luther arrived in Worms in a covered wagon, greeted by streets lined with onlookers. So dense was the crowd that people climbed rooftops just to catch a glimpse of him. Due to the crowd’s size, Luther’s companions were forced to lead him through a rear entrance into the assembly hall, where dignitaries awaited, including the emperor himself, Charles V. As Luther entered the chamber in his modest monastic habit, a noticeable tension filled the air. Charles V, observing Luther’s arrival, remarked beneath his breath, “He will not make a heretic out of me.”

Before Luther stood a table, upon which lay his published works. The emperor’s spokesman sternly instructed Luther to remain silent until given permission to speak. Pointing to the books, he then questioned the monk, “Are these writings yours? Do you wish to recant?” In a humble and composed manner, Luther acknowledged the authorship of all the books present. Yet, unexpectedly, he requested more time to contemplate his response to the request for him to recant.

This request, likely unexpected by the assembly, stemmed from the gravity of the demand—namely, that Luther renounce every word of his writings. Granting his request, the assembly allowed Luther one day to consider his response. The following evening, at 6:00 PM, Luther re-entered the emperor’s presence. The hall was crowded with clergy, nobility, and various dignitaries. The atmosphere was charged, the air stifling with tension.

Contrary to the expectations of many, who anticipated an apology or plea for mercy, Luther stood resolute. With a firm voice and unyielding confidence, he declared that he would retract none of his writings nor his critiques of the Roman Catholic Church. He insisted that his criticisms were rooted in the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrinal errors and that to recant would be a betrayal of the true Gospel of Christ. “Good God,” Luther exclaimed, “what sort of tool of evil and tyranny I then would be.”

The emperor, visibly agitated, vocally protested Luther’s statements. Yet, the Reformer remained steadfast, asserting that he would renounce his writings only if proven erroneous by the clear testimony of Scripture. At this, the emperor’s spokesman pressed him one final time: “Will you recant?” It was at this critical moment that Luther delivered his iconic reply:

I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God.  I cannot and I will not recant of anything since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.  I cannot do otherwise.  Here I stand – may God help me.  AMEN.

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