Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) is a German priest and professor of theology who initiates the Protestant Reformation.
Strongly disputing the claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money, he confronts indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517.
His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 results in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.
Luther teaches that salvation is not earned by good deeds but received only as a free gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus as redeemer from sin.
His theology challenges the authority of the pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposes sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood.
Those who identify with Luther's teachings are called Lutherans.
His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) makes it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture.
It fosters the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influences the translation into English of the King James Bible.
His hymns influence the development of singing in churches.
His marriage to Katharina von Bora sets a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry.
In his later years, Luther becomes strongly anti-Jewish, writing that Jewish homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed.
These statements have made Luther a controversial figure among many historians and religious scholars.
