Martin Luther’s ideas

Martin Luther was a preacher, a theologian and a translator.

Luther condamne certaines croyances de l'Eglise catholique

Les idées de Martin Luther (1) © E. Ferron

As a great reader of the Bible, he condemned some beliefs of the Catholic Church:

Salvation by good works: to avoid going to hell, a Catholic must do good works recommended by the Church, such as pilgrimages, alms to the poor, buying indulgences…
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Saints.

He claimed that Salvation was God’s gift: it was ‘Salvation by grace’

He criticized the power of the Pope who decided what should or should not be believed.

In the 95 theses against indulgences, he wrote in the 45^th thesis: ‘Christians should be taught that one who sees his fellow in need, but abandons him to buy indulgences, does not buy the Pope’s indulgence for himself but God’s outrage.’

Luther’s 45^th thesis states that to please God, the poor should be helped, instead of spending money on indulgences, as they were useless.

Les idées de Martin Luther (2) © E. Ferron

Associated tours

Religious crisis in the 16th century: the birth of Protestantism

Programme d’histoire au collège , classe de 5ème : La crise religieuse au XVIe siècle

Associated notes

Luther schlägt seine 95 Thesen in Wittenberg an

The Lutheran Reformation

Luther initiated a reformation movement with the aim of correcting the practices as well as the doctrine of the Church. He did not intend to found a new Church. But...

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Martin Luther’s theology is based on the Bible and not on dogmas. Referring to Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, he claims that salvation is given through God’s grace and not...

Monument à la mémoire de Martin Luther à Worms

Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation

Martin Luther, a german augustin monk, questioned the dogma of salvation through deeds. He was condemned by Pope Leon X, and started the extensive movement of religious reform of the...