Who is Martin Luther? What is known about this person? He translated the Bible into German and founded Lutheranism. Perhaps this is all that someone who does not have deep knowledge of history can say. This article does not provide dry information from the biography of Martin Luther, but interesting facts from the life of the theologian who changed the consciousness of Germans more than five hundred years ago.

Origin

Martin Luther was born in 1483. His father, the son and grandson of a peasant, worked hard to feed his family. Hans Luther, as a youth, moved from the village to the city. Started my seniority from working in copper mines.

After the birth of his son, 23-year-old Hans decided to change the situation - he went to Mansfeld with his wife and child. There were many mines in this Saxon city, but the father of the future reformer began life with white sheet. There is no exact information about what Luther Sr. did in Mansfeld. But it is known that he amassed a substantial fortune for a peasant - more than a thousand guilders. With this he ensured a comfortable existence for his children. And most importantly, he was able to give his eldest son a good education in the future.

Failed lawyer

Martin Luther graduated from the Franciscan school, after which he entered the University of Erfurt. By that time, his father already belonged to the third estate - the class of wealthy burghers. Representatives of this social stratum at the beginning of the 16th century sought to give their sons a good education and, preferably, a legal education. Hans Luther was no different from other burghers. His son certainly had to become a lawyer, he believed.

At that time, before starting to study law, one had to take a course. Martin Luther coped with this without difficulty. In 1505, after receiving his Master of Arts degree, he began to study law. But he never became a lawyer. Something happened that radically changed his plans.

Monk

Just a few months after entering university, Martin unexpectedly disappointed his father. Against his will, he entered a monastery located in the same city as the university. What was the reason for such an unexpected decision? There are two versions.

According to the first, the young Martin Luther suffered from a sense of sinfulness, which ultimately forced him to join the Augustinian Order. According to the second version, one day an incident happened to him that cannot be called incredible - a man who changed history christian church, was caught in a regular thunderstorm and, as it seemed to him then, miraculously survived. One way or another, in 1506 Martin Luther took his vows, and a year later he became a priest.

Doctor of Theology

The Augustinians did not spend their days and nights exclusively in prayer. These were very educated people at that time. Martin Luther, in order to conform to the order into which he was accepted, continued his education at the University of Wittenberg. Here he became acquainted with the works of St. Augustine, a Christian philosopher, theologian, and one of the most influential Christian preachers.

Before receiving his doctorate in theology, Luther was a teacher. In 1511 he went to Rome on behalf of the order. This trip made an indelible impression on him - in Eternal City he learned for the first time how sinful Catholic priests could be. It was during these days that the future doctor of theology came up with the idea of ​​reforming the church. But the publication of Martin Luther's famous theses was still a long way off.

In 1512, Luther received his doctorate, after which he began teaching theology. But the feeling of sinfulness and weakness in faith still haunted him. He was in constant search, and therefore constantly read the works of preachers and painstakingly studied the Bible, trying to know secret meaning between the lines.

Luther's theory

Since 1515, he not only taught, but eleven monasteries were under his control. In addition, Luther regularly preached sermons in church. His worldview was strongly influenced by the Epistle of the Apostle Paul. He learned the true essence of this message after becoming a doctor of theology. What did he understand from the words of the “highest” apostle? The believer receives justification through his faith, divine grace - this idea came to Martin Luther in 1515. And it was precisely this that formed the basis of the “95 Theses”. Martin Luther developed his theory for about four years.

In October 1517, the Pope issued a document on the sale of indulgences. The compilation of the “95 Theses” and their publication made it possible to express a critical attitude towards the bull of Leo X to Martin Luther. Briefly, the essence of his idea can be stated as follows: religious doctrine can destroy faith, and therefore the Catholic Church needs reformation. The history of Protestantism begins with the writing of this document.

It was long believed that Martin Luther posted his theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg. However, this version was refuted by the German historian Erwin Iserloh.

When writing the 95 Theses, Luther still identified himself with Catholicism. He acted as a champion of the purification of the church and a defender of the pope from unscrupulous performers.

Repentance is not limited to the remission of sins, it ends with ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven - this idea is stated in one of the first theses. The Pope, according to Martin Luther, has the right to forgive punishments, but only those that he imposed with his authority on a person. In other cases, he must confirm forgiveness in the name of God. At the same time, the reformer believed that submitting to the priest is required condition which must be observed for the remission of sins.

The founder of Protestantism justified the pope by arguing that the main violations came from bishops and priests. In his criticism, he initially tried not to offend the interests of the papacy. Moreover, in one of his theses Martin Luther said that whoever goes against the head catholic church, will be anathematized and cursed. However, over time, he began to speak out against the papacy, for which he incurred a lot of trouble.

Challenge to the Catholic Church

Martin Luther criticized the Christian aspects of teaching, but, of course, indulgences as a means of relieving sins deserved special condemnation from him. Rumors about his theses spread like lightning. In 1519, Martin Luther was summoned to court. Shortly before this, reprisals were committed against the ideologist of the Czech reformation, Jan Hus. Despite everything, Luther pointedly expressed doubts about the correctness of the Catholic papacy.

Leo X, without thinking twice, anathematized him, which at that time was a terrible punishment. Then Luther struck back - he publicly burned the papal document, which spoke of his excommunication, and announced that from now on the fight against the Catholic clergy had become the main cause of the German people.

The pope was supported by Charles V. The Spanish king summoned Martin Luther to a meeting of the Reichstag, where he calmly declared that he did not recognize the authority of either councils or popes, because they contradict each other. Should be given famous quote founder of Protestantism. “I stand on this and cannot do otherwise” - these are the words from the speech of Martin Luther.

Bible Translation

In 1521, a decree was issued according to which the Catholic Church recognized him as a heretic. He soon disappeared and was considered dead for some time. Later it turned out that his kidnapping was organized by the courtiers of Frederick of Saxony. They captured the reformer while he was on his way from Worms, and then imprisoned him in a fortress located near Eisenach. When Luther was released, he told his associates that the devil had appeared to him during his imprisonment. And then, in order to escape evil spirits, began translating the Bible.

Before Martin Luther, the main book in the history of mankind was not accessible to all Germans, because not everyone could read Latin. The founder of Protestantism made the Bible accessible to representatives of all social classes.

Sermons

In the biography of Martin Luther, of course, there are many blank spots. It is known that he repeatedly visited Jena, a German city famous for its universities. There is a version that he stayed in 1532 in one of the hotels incognito. But there is no confirmation of this version. It is only known that in 1534 he preached a sermon in the Church of St. Michael.

Personal life

Martin Luther was an extraordinary person. He devoted many years to serving God, but believed that everyone has the right to continue their family line. In 1525 he married the former nun Katharina von Bora. They settled in an abandoned Augustinian monastery. Luther had six children, but nothing is known about their fate.

The role of Martin Luther in history

German sociologist Max Weber believed that Lutheran preaching not only led to the reformation of the church, but also served as an impetus for the emergence of capitalism. Martin Luther entered the history of Germany both as the founder of Protestantism and as a cultural figure. His reforms affected education, language and even music. In 2003, a survey was conducted in Germany, according to the results of which Martin Luther ranks second on the list of the greatest Germans. Ranked first

It is worth saying that the translation of the Bible was an important contribution to the development German language. Indeed, in the 16th century, Germany was a fragmented state that did not have a single culture. Residents of different lands had difficulty understanding each other. Martin Luther established the norms of the German language, thereby uniting his compatriots.

Researchers often talk about the reformer's anti-Semitism. But historians understand Martin Luther’s views differently. Some believe that dislike of Jews was this man’s personal position. Others call him a "Holocaust theologian."

At the beginning of his career, Luther did not suffer from anti-Semitism. He called one of the pamphlets “Jesus Christ was born a Jew.” However, later in the speeches of Martin Luther, accusations appeared against the Jews for denying the Trinity. He began calling for the expulsion of the Jews and the destruction of the synagogue. IN Hitler's Germany Some of Luther's sayings gained wide popularity.

Memory

Martin Luther died in 1546 in Eisleben. Many books have been written about him and many films have been made. In 2010, German artist Ottmar Herl created a sculpture in memory of Martin Luther. It is installed on the Main Square of Wittenberg.

The first film about the founder of Protestantism was released in 1911. In the 20s, the first film dedicated to Martin Luther was shot in Germany. The last film about this historical figure was released in 2013. "Luther" is a joint project between the USA and Germany.

Martin Luther King

History knows a preacher whose name is similar to the name of the German reformer. However, Martin Luther King has nothing to do with the origins of Protestantism. This man was born in 1929 in the USA. He was the son of a Baptist church pastor. Martin Luther King dedicated his life to the fight for the rights of African Americans.

During his lifetime, he was a brilliant speaker; after his death, he became an icon of American progressivism, a social movement that originated in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. In 1963, he gave a speech in which he expressed the hope that one day white and black people would have equal rights. It has become important event in US history. The speech is called “I have a dream.” Martin Luther King was assassinated in March 1968.

Martin Luther– head of the Reformation in Germany, Christian theologian, founder of Lutheranism (German Protestantism); he is credited with translating the Bible into German and establishing the norms of common German literary language. He was born in Saxony, the city of Eisleben, on November 10, 1483. His father was the owner of copper mining and smelting, who became a miner. At the age of 14, Martin entered the Marburg Franciscan school. Fulfilling the will of his parents, the young man entered the University of Erfurt in 1501 to receive a higher legal education. After taking a course in the “liberal arts” and receiving a master’s degree in 1505, Luther began to study jurisprudence, but he was much more interested in theology.

Ignoring his father’s opinion, Luther, remaining in the same city, went to the monastery of the Augustinian Order, where he began studying medieval mysticism. In 1506 he became a monk, and the following year he was ordained a priest. In 1508, Luther arrived at the University of Wittenberg to lecture. To become a doctor of theology, he studied at the same time. Sent to Rome on behalf of the order, he was greatly impressed by the corruption of the Roman Catholic clergy. In 1512 Luther became a doctor of theology and professor. Teaching activities were combined with reading sermons and performing the role of caretaker of 11 monasteries.

In 1517, on October 18, a papal bull was issued on the remission of sins and the sale of indulgences. On October 31, 1517, on the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Martin Luther hangs 95 theses, which he composed, criticizing the Catholic Church and rejecting its main postulates. According to the new religious teaching put forward by Luther, the secular state should be independent of the church, and the clergy itself does not have to act as a mediator between God and man; Luther assigned him the role of a mentor of Christians, an educator in the spirit of humility, etc. They rejected the cult of saints, the requirement of celibacy for clergy, monasticism, and the authority of papal decrees. The opposition-minded population saw in Luther's teaching a call to overthrow the authority of Catholicism, as well as to speak out against the social system with which he was one.

Luther was summoned to Rome for a church trial, but, feeling public support, he did not go. In 1519, during a debate with representatives of Catholicism, he openly voiced his agreement with many of the theses of Jan Hus, the Czech reformer. Luther is anathematized; in 1520, in the courtyard of the university, he organized a public burning of a papal bull, in which the head of the Catholics excommunicated him from the church, and in his address “To the Christian nobility of the German nation” the idea is heard that the work of the entire nation is the fight against papal dominance. Later, in 1520-1521, with changes in the political situation, his calls became less radical; he interpreted Christian freedom as spiritual freedom, which is compatible with bodily unfreedom.

The Pope is supported by Emperor Charles, and throughout 1520-1521. Luther takes refuge in Wartburg Castle, owned by Elector Frederick of Saxony. At this time, he begins to translate the Bible into his native language. In 1525, Luther arranged his personal life by marrying a former nun, who bore him six children.

The next period of Martin Luther's biography was marked by harsh criticism of radical burgher reform trends, popular uprisings, and demands for reprisals against rebels. At the same time, the history of German social thought captured Luther as a man who made a great contribution to the development of folk culture, a reformer of the literary language, music, and educational system.

Biography from Wikipedia

Martin Luther born into the family of Hans Luther (1459-1530) - a peasant who moved to Eisleben (Saxony) in the hope of better life. There he worked in copper mines. After Martin's birth, the family moved to the mountain town of Mansfeld, where his father became a wealthy burgher. In 1525, Hans bequeathed 1,250 guilders to his heirs, with which they could buy an estate with lands, meadows and forest.

In 1497, his parents sent 14-year-old Martin to the Franciscan school in Magdeburg. At that time, Luther and his friends earned their bread by singing under the windows of devout inhabitants.

In 1501, by decision of his parents, Luther entered the university in Erfurt. In those days, the burghers sought to give their sons a higher legal education. But he was preceded by taking a course in the “seven liberal arts.” In 1505, Luther received a Master of Arts degree and began studying law. That same year, against his father's wishes, he entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt.

There are several explanations for this unexpected decision. According to one, Luther’s depressed state was due to “awareness of his sinfulness.” According to another, one day he was caught in a severe thunderstorm, and subsequently joined the Augustinian Order. The year before, Johann Staupitz, later a friend of Martin, received the position of vicar of the Order.

In 1506, Luther took monastic vows. In 1507 he was ordained a priest.

In Wittenberg

In 1508, Luther was sent to teach at the new University of Wittenberg. There he first became acquainted with the works of St. Augustine. Among his students was Erasmus Alberus.

Luther taught and also studied for a doctorate in theology.

In 1511, Luther was sent to [Rome] on order business. The trip made an indelible impression on the young theologian. There he first saw the corruption of the Roman Catholic clergy.

In 1512, Luther received his doctorate in theology. After this, he took the position of teacher of theology in place of Staupitz.

Luther constantly felt himself in a state of uncertainty and incredible weakness in relation to God, and these experiences played a large role in the formation of his views. In 1509 he taught a course on the “Sentences” of Peter of Lombardy, in 1513-1515 - on the psalms, in 1515-1516 - on the Epistle to the Romans, in 1516-1518 - on the Epistles to the Galatians and to the Hebrews. Luther painstakingly studied the Bible. He not only taught, but was also the caretaker of 11 monasteries. He also preached in church.

Luther said that he was constantly in a state of feeling sin. Having experienced a spiritual crisis, Luther discovered a different understanding of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul. He wrote: “I understood that we receive Divine righteousness through faith in God itself and thanks to it, thereby the merciful Lord justifies us through faith itself.” At this thought, Luther, as he said, felt that he was born again and entered heaven through the open gates. The idea that a believer receives justification through his faith in the mercy of God was developed by Luther in 1515-1519.

Reform activities

On October 18, 1517, Pope Leo X issues a bull on the remission of sins and the sale of indulgences in order to “Provide assistance in the construction of the Church of St. Peter and the salvation of the souls of the Christian world." Luther explodes with criticism of the role of the church in the salvation of the soul, which is expressed on October 31, 1517 in 95 theses against the sale of indulgences.

Theses were sent to the Bishop of Brandenburg and the Archbishop of Mainz. It is worth adding that there have been protests against the papacy before. However, they were of a different nature. Led by humanists, the anti-indulgence movement approached the issue from a humane perspective. Luther criticized dogma, that is, the Christian aspect of teaching.

The rumor about the theses spreads with lightning speed, and Luther was summoned to trial in 1519 and, having relented, to the Leipzig Dispute, where he appeared, despite the reprisal against Jan Hus, and in the dispute expressed doubt about the righteousness and infallibility of the Catholic papacy. Then Pope Leo X anathematizes Luther; in 1520, a bull of damnation was drawn up by Pietro of the House of Accolti (in 2008 it was announced that the Catholic Church planned to “rehabilitate” him). Luther publicly burns the papal bull Exsurge Domine excommunicating him in the courtyard of the University of Wittenberg and, in his address “To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation,” declares that the fight against papal dominance is the business of the entire German people.

Emperor Charles V, who supported the pope, summoned Luther to the Diet of Worms, where the reformer declared: “Since Your Majesty and you, the sovereigns, wish to hear a simple answer, I will answer directly and simply. If I'm not convinced by the evidence Holy Scripture and by clear arguments of reason - for I do not recognize the authority of either popes or councils, since they contradict each other - my conscience is bound by the Word of God. I cannot and do not want to renounce anything, because it is neither good nor safe to act against my conscience. God help me. Amen". The first editions of Luther’s speech also contain the words: “On this I stand and cannot do otherwise,” but this phrase was not in the documentary records of the meeting.

Luther was released from Worms, since he had previously been given an imperial safe conduct, but on May 26, 1521, the Edict of Worms was issued, condemning Luther as a heretic. On the way from Worms, near the village of Eisenach, the courtiers of Elector Frederick of Saxony, at the request of their master, staged the kidnapping of Luther, secretly placing him in Wartburg Castle; For some time, many considered him dead. The devil allegedly appeared to Luther in the castle, but Luther began translating the Bible into German, which he was helped to edit by Kaspar Kruziger, a professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg.

In 1525, 42-year-old Luther tied the knot with 26-year-old former nun Katharina von Bora. In their marriage they had six children.

During the Peasants' War of 1524-1526, Luther sharply criticized the rioters, writing “Against the murderous and plundering hordes of peasants,” where he called reprisals against the instigators of the riots a godly act.

In 1529, Luther compiled the Larger and Smaller Catechism, which were the cornerstones of the Book of Concord.

Luther did not participate in the work of the Augsburg Reichstag in 1530; the positions of the Protestants were represented by Melanchthon.

Luther appeared in Jena several times. It is known that in March 1532 he stayed incognito at the Black Bear Inn. Two years later he preached in the city church of St. Mikhail. speaking out against staunch opponents of the Reformation. After the founding of Salan in 1537, which later became a university, Luther received ample opportunities here to preach and call for the renewal of the church.

Luther's follower Georg Röhrer (1492-1557) edited Luther's works during his visits to the University and the library. As a result, the “Jena Luther Bible” was published, which is currently in the city museum.

Last years Throughout his life, Luther suffered from chronic illnesses. He died in Eisleben on February 18, 1546.

In 1546, Elector Johann Friedrich I commissioned the master Heinrich Ziegler from Erfurt to create a statue for Luther's tomb in Wittenberg. The original was supposed to be a wooden statue created by Lucas Cranach the Elder. The existing bronze plaque was stored in a Weimar castle for two decades. In 1571, Johann Friedrich's middle son donated it to the university.

Luther's theological views

The fundamental principles of achieving salvation according to the teachings of Luther: sola fide, sola gratia et sola Scriptura (by faith alone, grace alone and Scripture alone). Luther declared untenable the Catholic dogma that the church and clergy are necessary mediators between God and man. The only way to save the soul for a Christian is faith, given to him directly by God (Gal. 3:11 “The just shall live by faith,” and also Eph. 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” ). Luther declared his rejection of the authority of papal decrees and epistles and called for the Bible, rather than the institutional church, to be considered the main source of Christian truths. Luther formulated the anthropological component of his teaching as “Christian freedom”: the freedom of the soul does not depend on external circumstances, but solely on the will of God.

One of the central and sought-after provisions of Luther’s views is the concept of “vocation” (German: Berufung). In contrast to the Catholic teaching about the opposition of the worldly and the spiritual, Luther believed that God’s grace is also realized in the worldly life in the professional field. God destined people for one type of activity or another, investing in them various talents or abilities, and it is a person’s duty to work diligently to fulfill his calling. In the eyes of God, no work is noble or despicable.

The labors of monks and priests, no matter how hard and holy they may be, do not differ one iota in the eyes of God from the labors of a peasant in the field or a woman working on the farm.

The concept of “calling” appears in Luther in the process of translating a fragment of the Bible into German (Sirach 11:20-21): “continue in your work (calling)”

The main goal of the theses was to show that priests are not mediators between God and man, they should only guide the flock and set an example of true Christians. “Man saves his soul not through the Church, but through faith,” wrote Luther. He opposes the dogma of the Divinity of the Pope, which was clearly demonstrated in Luther's discussion with the famous theologian Johann Eck in 1519. Refuting the Divinity of the pope, Luther referred to the Greek, that is, Orthodox, church, which is also considered Christian and does without the pope and his unlimited powers. Luther asserted the infallibility of Holy Scripture, and questioned the authority of Holy Tradition and councils.

According to Luther, “the dead know nothing” (Eccl. 9:5). Calvin counters this in his first theological work, The Sleep of Souls (1534).

Historical significance of Luther's work

According to Max Weber, Lutheran preaching not only gave impetus to the Reformation, but also served as one of the turning points in the emergence of capitalism and determined the spirit of the Modern Age.

Luther also entered the history of German social thought as a cultural figure - a reformer of education, language, and music. In 2003, according to the results of public opinion polls, Martin Luther became the second greatest German in the entire history of Germany (the first place was taken by Konrad Adenauer, the third by Karl Marx).

Luther not only experienced the influence of the Renaissance culture, but in the fight against the “papists” he sought to use popular culture and did a lot for its development. Great importance had a translation of the Bible into German carried out mainly by Luther (1522-1542), in which he established the norms of the common German national language. He was helped in this work by his devoted friend and comrade-in-arms Johann-Caspar Aquila.

Luther and anti-Semitism

Luther's anti-Semitism has been understood in different ways. Some believe that anti-Semitism was Luther's personal position, which did not influence his theology and was merely an expression of the spirit of the times. Others, such as Daniel Gruber, call Luther a “Holocaust theologian,” believing that the opinion of the founder of the denomination could not but influence the still immature minds of believers and could even contribute to the spread of Nazism among Lutherans in Germany.

At the beginning of his preaching career, Luther was free from anti-Semitism. He even wrote a pamphlet in 1523, “Jesus Christ Was Born a Jew.”

Luther condemned the Jews, as carriers of Judaism, for denying the Trinity. Therefore, he called for expelling them and destroying the synagogues, which aroused the sympathy of Hitler and his supporters. The Nazis even called the so-called Kristallnacht a celebration of Luther's birthday.

Luther and music

Luther knew the history and theory of music well; his favorite composers were Josquin Despres and L. Senfl. In his works and letters, he quoted medieval and Renaissance treatises on music (the treatises of John Tinctoris almost verbatim).

Luther is the author of the preface (in Latin) to the collection of motets (by various composers) “Pleasant Consonances ... for 4 Voices,” published in 1538 by the German publisher Georg Rau. In this text, which was reprinted several times in the 16th century (including in German translation) and (later) called Encomion musices, Luther gives an enthusiastic assessment of imitative polyphonic music based on the cantus firmus. Whoever is unable to appreciate the Divine beauty of such exquisite polyphony, “he is not worthy to be called a man, and let him listen to how the donkey screams and the pig grunts.” In addition, Luther wrote a preface (in German) in verse "Frau Musica" to the short poem of Johann Walter (1496-1570) "Lob und Preis der löblichen Kunst Musica" (Wittenberg, 1538), as well as a number of prefaces to songbooks of various publishers, published in 1524, 1528, 1542 and 1545, where he expressed his views on music as an extremely important, integral component of the renewed cult.

As part of the liturgical reform, he introduced community singing of strophic songs in German, later called the generic Protestant chorale:

I also want us to have as many songs as possible on native language, which the people might sing during Mass, immediately after the Gradual and after the Sanctus and Agnus Dei. For there is no doubt that originally all people sang what is now sung only by the choir [of clerics].

Formula missae

Presumably, from 1523, Luther took a direct part in the compilation of a new everyday repertoire, he himself composed poems (more often he re-composed church Latin and secular prototypes) and selected “decent” melodies for them - both original and anonymous, including from the repertoire of the Roman Catholic Church . For example, in the preface to a collection of songs for the burial of the dead (1542) he wrote:

For the sake of good example, we have selected beautiful melodies and songs used during the papacy for all-night vigils, requiem masses and burials<…>and they published some of them in this little book,<…>but they provided them with other texts in order to sing the article about the resurrection, and not purgatory with its torment and satisfaction for sins, in which the dead cannot rest and find peace. The hymns and notes themselves [of Catholics] are worth a lot, and it would be a pity if all this were wasted. However, unchristian and nonsensical texts or words must go away.

The question of how great Luther's personal contribution to the music of the Protestant church was has been revised several times over the centuries and remains controversial. Some church songs written by Luther with the active participation of Johann Walter were included in the first collection of four-voice choral arrangements, “The Book of Spiritual Hymns” (Wittenberg, 1524). In his preface, Luther wrote:

The fact that singing spiritual songs is a good and godly deed is obvious to every Christian, because not only the example of prophets and kings Old Testament(who glorified God with songs and instrumental music, poetry and on all kinds of stringed instruments), but the special custom of psalmody was known to all of Christianity from the very beginning.<…>So to begin with, to encourage those who can do it better, I, along with a few other [writers], composed some spiritual songs.<…>They are put in four voices only because I really wanted the youth (who will one way or another have to learn music and other genuine arts) to find something with the help of which they could put away love serenades and lustful songs (bul lieder und fleyschliche gesenge ) and instead learn something useful, and moreover, so that the benefit is combined with the pleasantness so desired for young people.

The chorales, which tradition attributes to Luther, were also included in other first collections of (one-voice) Protestant church songs, which were published in the same 1524 in Nuremberg and Erfurt.

Autograph of Martin Luther's famous church song "Ein" feste Burg"

The most famous chorales composed by Luther himself are “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” (“Our Lord is a stronghold,” composed between 1527 and 1529) and “Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her” (“I descend from the heights of heaven”; in 1535 composed poems, setting them to the Spielman melody “Ich komm' aus fremden Landen her”; in 1539 he composed his own melody for the poems).

In total, Luther is credited with composing about 30 chorales. Striving for simplicity and accessibility of worship, Luther established the new congregational singing strictly diatonic, with minimal chant (he used mainly syllabics) - as opposed to the Gregorian chant, which contains a lot of lush melismatics, requiring professionalism of the singers. The Mass and officia services (primarily Vespers with Magnificat), inherited from the Catholics, were sung both in standard Latin texts and in German. At the same time, Luther abolished the funeral mass and other magnificent rituals that were practiced by Catholics in worship for the dead.

The works most important for understanding Luther’s liturgical reform are “Formula missae”, 1523 and “German Mass” (“Deutsche Messe”, 1525-1526). They gave 2 liturgical forms (in Latin and German), which were not mutually exclusive: Latin chants could be combined with German chant within one service. Worship services entirely in German were practiced in small towns and villages. IN major cities, which had Latin schools and universities, the Macaronic Protestant Mass was the norm.

Luther did not object to the use of musical instruments in the church, especially the organ.

Luther in art

• "Luther" (Luther, Germany, 1928);
• "Martin Luther" (Martin Luther, USA 1953);
• "Luther" (Luther, USA-Canada, 1974);
• "Martin Luther" ( Martin Luther, Germany, 1983);
• "Martin Luther" (Martin Luther, UK, 2002);
• "Luther" ( Luther; in Russian distribution "The Luther Passion", Germany, 2003). Joseph Fiennes plays Martin Luther.

In a sketch by the British comedy troupe Monty Python, a character named Martin Luther was the head coach of the German football team, whose players featured other famous German philosophers.

The biography of Martin Luther served as the plot for the concept album of musician Neal Morse "Sola Scriptura", working in the style of progressive rock.

In 2010, renowned German conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl installed 800 sculptures of Martin Luther on the main market square of Wittenberg in Germany.

Essays

• Berleburg Bible
• Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans (1515-1516)
• 95 theses on indulgences (1517)
• To the Christian nobility of the German nation (1520)
• On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520)
• Letter to Mulpfort (1520)
• Open letter to Pope Leo X (1520), September 6.
• About the freedom of a Christian
• Against the damned bull of the Antichrist
• Speech at the Worms Reichstag on April 18, 1521
• On the Slavery of the Will (1525)
• On the war against the Turks (1528)
• Large and Small Catechism (1529)
• Letter of transfer (1530)
• Praise of Music (German translation) (1538)
• About the Jews and their lies (1543)

Editions of Luther's works

Tomus secundus omnium operum, 1562

• Luthers Werke. Kritische Gesamtausgabe. 65 Bde. Weimar: Bohlau, 1883-1993 (the best edition of Luther's works, considered standard for scholars of Luther's legacy).
• Luther's Work. American Edition. 55vls. St. Louis, 1955-1986 (translation of Luther's works into English; publication unfinished).
• Luther M. The time for silence has passed. Selected works 1520-1526. - Kharkov, 1994.
• Luther M. Bible translation. 1534. reissued 1935 (German).
• Luther M. Selected works. - St. Petersburg, 1994. 2nd ed.- St. Petersburg, 1997.
• Luther M. 95 abstracts. [Collected works of M. Luther; in the application Leibniz, Hegel, K. Fischer about God, philosophy of religion and the Reformation]. - St. Petersburg: Rose of the World, 2002.
• Luther, M. About the freedom of a Christian. [Collected works of M. Luther; in the appendix authors on Luther and the Reformation in Europe]. - Ufa: ARC, 2013. - 728 p.

There are several explanations for this unexpected decision. One refers to Luther's depressed state due to "consciousness of his sinfulness." According to another, Luther was once caught in a severe thunderstorm and was so frightened that he took a vow of monasticism. The third talks about the excessive severity of parental education, which Luther could not bear. The reason must be sought, apparently, in Luther’s circle and in the ferment of minds that existed then among the burghers. Luther's decision was apparently influenced by his acquaintance with the members of the humanist circle.

Luther later wrote that he monastic life was very difficult. Nevertheless, he was an exemplary monk and carefully followed all the instructions. Luther entered the Augustinian Order in Erfurt. The year before, John Staupitz, later a friend of Martin, received the position of vicar of the Order.

Luther made numerous appearances in Jena. It is known that in March 1532 he stayed incognito at the Black Bear Inn. Two years later he preached in the city church of St. Michael against staunch opponents of the reformation. After the founding of Salan in 1537, which later became a university, Luther received ample opportunities here to preach and call for the renewal of the church.

Luther's follower Georg Röhrer (1492-1557) edited Luther's works during his visits to the University and the library. As a result, the “Jena Luther Bible” was published, which is currently in the city museum.

In 1546, Johann Friedrich the First commissioned the master Heinrich Ziegler of Erfurt to make a statue for Luther's tomb in Wittenberg. The original was supposed to be a wooden statue created by Lucas Cranach the Elder. The existing bronze plaque ended up in storage in a Weimar castle for two decades. In 1571, Johann Friedrich's middle son donated it to the university.

The last years of Luther's life were marred by chronic illnesses. He died in Eisleben on February 18, 1546.

Luther's theological views

The fundamental principles of achieving salvation according to the teachings of Luther: sola fide, sola gratia et sola Scriptura (only faith, only grace and only Scripture). Luther declared untenable the Catholic dogma that the church and clergy are necessary mediators between God and man. The only way to save the soul for a Christian is faith, given to him directly by God (Gal. “The just shall live by faith,” and also Eph. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God”). Luther declared his rejection of the authority of papal decrees and epistles and called for the Bible, rather than the institutional church, to be considered the main source of Christian truths. Luther formulated the anthropological component of his teaching as “Christian freedom”: the freedom of the soul does not depend on external circumstances, but solely on the will of God.

One of the central and popular provisions of Luther’s views is the concept of “vocation” (German. Berufung). In contrast to the Catholic teaching about the opposition of the worldly and the spiritual, Luther believed that God's grace is also realized in the worldly life in the professional field. God destined people for one type of activity or another, investing in them various talents or abilities, and it is a person’s duty to work diligently to fulfill his calling. In the eyes of God, there is no noble or despicable work.

The labors of monks and priests, no matter how hard and holy they may be, do not differ one iota in the eyes of God from the labors of a peasant in the field or a woman working on the farm.

The concept of “calling” appears in Luther in the process of translating a fragment of the Bible into German (Sirach 11:20-21): “continue in your work (calling)”

The main goal of the theses was to show that priests are not mediators between God and man, they should only guide the flock and set an example of true Christians. “Man saves his soul not through the Church, but through faith,” wrote Luther. He opposes the dogma of the divinity of the pope, which was clearly demonstrated in Luther's discussion with the famous theologian Johann Eck in 1519. Refuting the divinity of the pope, Luther referred to the Greek, that is, Orthodox, church, which is also considered Christian and does without the pope and his unlimited powers. Luther asserted the infallibility of Holy Scripture, and questioned the authority of Holy Tradition and councils.

According to Luther, “the dead know nothing” (Eccl. 9:5). Calvin counters this in his first theological work, The Sleep of Souls (1534).

Historical significance of Luther's work

Luther and anti-Semitism

Postage stamp of the GDR

Luther condemned the Jews as carriers of Judaism for their denial of the Trinity, so he called for their expulsion and the destruction of synagogues, which subsequently aroused the sympathy of Hitler and his supporters. It is no coincidence that the Nazis designated the so-called Kristallnacht as a celebration of Luther's birthday.

Luther and music

Luther knew the history and theory of music well; his favorite composers were Josquin Despres and L. Senfl. In his works and letters, he quoted medieval and Renaissance treatises on music (the treatises of John Tinctoris almost verbatim).

Luther is the author of the preface (in Latin) to the collection of motets (by various composers) “Pleasant Consonances ... for 4 Voices” [* 1], released in 1538 by the German publisher Georg Rau. In this text, which was reprinted several times in the 16th century (including in German translation) and received (later) the title “In Praise of Music” (“Encomion musices”), Luther gives an enthusiastic assessment of imitative polyphonic music based on cantus firmus [* 2 ] . Whoever is unable to appreciate the divine beauty of such exquisite polyphony, “he is not worthy to be called a man, and let him listen to how the donkey screams and the pig grunts” [* 3]. In addition, Luther wrote a preface (in German) in verse "Frau Musica" to the short poem of Johann Walter (1496-1570) "Lob und Preis der löblichen Kunst Musica" (Wittenberg, 1538), as well as a number of prefaces to songbooks of various publishers, published in 1524, 1528, 1542 and 1545, where he expressed his views on music as an extremely important, integral component of the renewed cult.

As part of the liturgical reform, he introduced community singing of strophic songs in German, later called the generic Protestant chorale:

I also want us to have as many songs as possible in the mother tongue that people can sing during Mass, immediately after the Gradual and after the Sanctus and Agnus Dei. For there is no doubt that originally all people sang what is now sung only by the choir [of clerics].

Formula missae

Presumably, from 1523, Luther took a direct part in the compilation of a new everyday repertoire, he himself composed poems (more often he re-composed church Latin and secular prototypes) and selected “decent” melodies for them - both original and anonymous, including from the repertoire of the Roman Catholic Church . For example, in the preface to a collection of songs for the burial of the dead (1542) he wrote:

For the sake of good example, we have selected the beautiful melodies and songs used under the papacy for all-night vigils, requiem masses and burials and printed some of them in this little book, but provided them with other texts in order to sing the article of the resurrection, and not purgatory with its torment and satisfaction for sins, in which the dead cannot rest and find peace. The hymns and notes themselves [of Catholics] are worth a lot, and it would be a pity if all this were wasted. However, unchristian and nonsensical texts or words must go away.

Martin Luther's Preface to the first collection of Protestant chorales, the so-called Wittenberg Songbook (1524)

The question of how great Luther's personal contribution to the music of the Protestant church was has been revised several times over the centuries and remains controversial. Some church songs written by Luther with the active participation of Johann Walter were included in the first collection of four-voice choral arrangements, “The Book of Spiritual Hymns” (Wittenberg, 1524) [* 4]. In the preface to it (see the given facsimile) [* 5] Luther wrote:

The fact that singing spiritual songs is a good and godly deed is obvious to every Christian, because not only the example of the prophets and kings of the Old Testament (who glorified God with songs and instrumental music, poetry and on all kinds of stringed instruments), but also the special custom of psalmody was known to all of Christianity from the very beginning. So to begin with, to encourage those who can do it better, I, along with a few other [writers], composed some spiritual songs. They are put on four votes

500 years ago, the Augustinian monk Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 theses to the door of the temple in Wittenberg. What did the founder of the Reformation prove in them? Who was he himself? And what consequences did all this have?

1. Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) – the founder of the Reformation, during which Protestantism emerged as one of the three (along with Orthodoxy and Catholicism) main directions of Christianity. The name "Protestantism" comes from the so-called Speyer Protestation. This was a protest submitted in 1529 by six princes and fourteen free German cities at the Reichstag in Speyer against the persecution of Lutherans. Based on the title of this document, supporters of the Reformation were subsequently called Protestants, and the totality of non-Catholic denominations that emerged as a result of the Reformation was called Protestantism.

2. The beginning of the Reformation is considered to be October 31, 1517, when the Augustinian monk Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 theses to the doors of the temple in Wittenberg, where university ceremonies were usually held.. They have not yet contained either a denial of the supreme power of the Pope of Rome, much less declaring him the Antichrist, or a general denial of the church organization and church sacraments as necessary intermediaries between God and man. The theses challenged the practice of indulgences, which at that time was especially widespread in order to cover the costs of the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

95 Theses of Martin Luther

3. Dominican monk Johann Tetzel, who was an agent for the sale of papal indulgences and who shamelessly traded them and thereby provoked Martin Luther by reading the 95 theses, declared: “I will ensure that in three weeks this heretic ascends the fire and proceeds to heaven in an urn.”

Tetzel argued that indulgences have b O greater power than Baptism itself. The following story is told about him: one aristocrat in Leipzig turned to Tetzel and asked to forgive him a sin that he would commit in the future. He agreed on condition of immediate payment of the indulgence. When Tetzel left the city, the aristocrat caught up with him and beat him, saying that this was the sin he meant.

4. Martin Luther was born into the family of a former peasant who became a successful mining master and wealthy burgher. His father shared in the profits from eight mines and three smelters (“fires”). In 1525, Hans Lüder bequeathed 1,250 guilders to his heirs, with which it was possible to purchase an estate with arable land, meadows and forest. At the same time, the family lived very moderately. Food was not very plentiful, they skimped on clothing and fuel: for example, Luther’s mother, along with other city women, collected brushwood in the forest in the winter. Parents and children slept in the same alcove.

5. Real name the founder of the Reformation - Luder (Luder or Luider). Having already become a monk, he communicated and corresponded a lot with humanists, among whom it was customary to take sonorous pseudonyms. So, for example, Gerard Gerards from Rotterdam became Erasmus of Rotterdam. Martin in 1517 sealed his letters with the name Eleutherius (translated from ancient Greek as “Free”), Elutherius and, finally, not wanting to stray far from the name of his father and grandfather, Luther. Luther's first followers did not yet call themselves Lutherans, but "Martinians."

6. The father dreamed of seeing his capable son become a successful lawyer and was able to provide his son with a good education. But suddenly Martin decides to become a monk and, against the will of his father, having experienced a strong conflict with him, he enters the Augustinian monastery. According to one explanation, he was once caught in a very strong thunderstorm when lightning struck very close to him. Martin felt, as he later said, “a monstrous fear of sudden death“and prayed: “Help, Saint Anna, I want to become a monk.”

7. The father, having learned about Luther’s intention to take monastic vows, became furious and refused to give him his blessing. Other relatives said they didn't want to know him anymore. Martin was at a loss, although he was not obliged to ask his father's permission. However, in the summer of 1505, a plague raged in Thuringia. Martin's two younger brothers became ill and died. Then Luther's parents were informed from Erfurt that Martin had also become a victim of the plague. When it turned out that, fortunately, this was not the case, friends and relatives began to convince Hans that he should allow his son to become a monk, and the father eventually agreed.

8. When the papal bull excommunicating Luther “Exsurge Domine” (“Arise, Lord...”) was prepared, it was delivered for signature to Pope Leo X, who was hunting wild boar on his estate. The hunt was unsuccessful: the boar wandered off into the vineyards. When the upset dad took the formidable document in his hands, he read its first words, which sounded like this: Arise, Lord, and Peter, and Paul... against the wild boar that devastates the vineyard of the Lord.” The Pope nevertheless signed the bull.

9. At the Reichstag of Worms in 1521, where Luther’s case was heard in the presence of the German emperor and he was demanded to abdicate, he pronounces his famous phrase“I’m standing here and I can’t help it.” Here's more full words: « If I am not convinced by the testimony of Scripture and the clear arguments of reason - for I do not believe either the pope or the councils, since it is obvious that they often erred and contradicted themselves - then, in the words of Scripture, I am caught up in my conscience and caught in the word God's... Therefore, I cannot and do not want to renounce anything, for it is unlawful and unjust to do anything against my conscience. I stand by this and cannot do otherwise. God help me!

Luther in the family circle

10. The Reformation split the Western world into Catholics and Protestants and gave birth to an era religious wars – both civil and international. They lasted more than 100 years until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. These wars brought a lot of grief and misfortune, hundreds of thousands of people died in them.

11. During the German Peasants' War of 1524–1526, Luther sharply criticized the rebels, writing “Against the murderous and plundering hordes of peasants,” where he called the reprisal against the instigators of the riots a godly act. However, the uprisings were largely caused by the reformation ferment of minds generated by Luther. At the peak of the uprising in the spring and summer of 1525, up to 300,000 people took part in the events. Modern estimates place the death toll at around 100,000.

12. Luther resolutely rejected forced celibacy of the clergy, including by his own example. In 1525, he, a former monk, at the age of 42, married 26-year-old and also a former nun, Katharina von Bora. In their marriage they had six children. Following Luther, another leader of the Reformation from Switzerland, W. Zwingli, married. Calvin did not approve of these actions, and Erasmus of Rotterdam said: “Lutheran tragedy turns into comedy, and all troubles end in a wedding.”

13. Luther in 1522 translated into German and published the New Testament, and in the next 12 years the Old Testament. The Germans still use this Lutheran Bible.

14. According to the great German sociologist Max Weber in his famous work "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism", Luther not only marked the beginning of the Reformation, but also gave a decisive beginning to the emergence of capitalism. According to Weber, the Protestant ethic defined the spirit of the New Age.

15. Unlike Orthodoxy, Lutheranism recognizes only two full-fledged sacraments - Baptism and Communion. Luther even rejected repentance as a sacrament, although his “95 Theses” began with the demand “that the whole life of believers should be repentance.” Also, in Protestantism, almost from the very beginning, strong debates began about the nature of the Eucharist and the way the Lord is present in it.

Luther disagreed greatly with Zwingli and Calvin on this most important issue. The latter understood the presence of the Body and Blood of Christ only as symbolic, “faith-warming” actions. Luther, having rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation, could not, in polemics with the Swiss Reformed, refuse the real, but invisible presence of Christ in bread and wine. Thus, Luther allowed the sacrament of communion, believing that Christ was present in it, but he considered it as a kind of specific or “sacramental unity” with material bread and wine, without specifying the nature of this co-presence. Later, in one of the doctrinal documents of Lutheranism, the “Formula of Concord” (1577), the following formula for the co-presence of the Body and Blood of Christ will be developed: “The Body of Christ is present and taught under bread, with bread, in bread (sub pane, cum pane, in pane) ... by this way of expression we wish to teach the mysterious union of the unchangeable substance of bread with the Body of Christ.”

Attitudes towards the priesthood also vary greatly. Although Luther recognized the need for the priesthood, there is no word in Lutheran doctrinal books about the succession of pastoral ministry, or about a special messenger from above. The right to ordination is recognized for any member of the Church (emissary from below).

Lutherans also deny the invocation and help of saints, the veneration of icons and relics, and the significance of prayers for the dead.

Martin Luther (11/10/1483 – 02/18/1546) – Christian theologian, initiated a socio-political movement in Europe – the Reformation. One of the Protestant movements in Christianity is named after him.

early years

Martin was born on Saxon soil, in the city of Eisleben (Germany). His father mined copper in mountain mines. With the birth of a boy, the family moved to Mansfeld, here their business took off, and the Luthers became wealthy citizens.

When Martin turned fourteen, he began studying at a Catholic school in Magdeburg. With his friends, the boy earned money by singing church songs at the houses of believers.

In 1501, his parents sent him to receive an education at the University of Ertfurt. At that time, it was believed among the burghers that the best education for a man was a higher legal education. However, Martin studied at the faculty of the “seven liberal arts”. Having received a master's degree, he began studying legal sciences.

In 1505 he decided to become a monk, despite his father's objections. There are reasons for this choice different versions. According to one of them, this happened from too strict upbringing, according to another - because of Luther’s depressed mood and awareness of his sinful life. There is also a legend according to which he was afraid severe thunderstorm and decided to change my life. Perhaps the young man was influenced by communication in humanist circles.

Luther's parents - Hans and Margarita (artist L. Cranach)

The process of accepting monasticism was quite difficult for Luther, but he made every effort to implement his decision. He strictly followed all the rules and was distinguished by exemplary behavior. He became a member of the Augustinian Order, which was headed by his friend I. Staupitz. He took the vow of monasticism in 1506, and a year later received the priesthood.

Teaching activities

Since 1508, Luther became a teacher at the University of Witterberg. At this time he studies the works of St. Augustine. One of his students was the German writer E. Alberus. Pedagogical activity Martin combined his own education and received a doctorate in theology in 1512.

Luther once made a trip to Rome, from where he returned greatly impressed. He was struck by the corruption of the Roman clergy. He himself was very pious, constantly felt his weakness before God, and carefully studied biblical texts. In addition to teaching, he was also a caretaker in 11 monasteries, as well as a church preacher.

Luther at the Diet of Worms (Werner, 1877)

Reformism

In 1517, Martin sharply criticized the church, expressed in the “95 Theses”. This reaction occurred as a result of the Pope's bull on the sale of indulgences. In general, the theses expressed the denial of basic dogmas and the Catholic system, the mediation of the church between people and God. In 1519, the Leipzig Dispute took place, at which Luther stated that he doubted the righteousness of the papacy. As a result, he is anathematized. Luther, within the walls of the university, publicly burns the bull of his excommunication and calls on the German nobles to fight papal dominance.

In 1521, he was summoned to the Worms Reichstag, where he explained himself to Emperor Charles V, a supporter of the Pope. By his edict of May 26, the emperor declared Luther a heretic and banned his writings. On the way from Worms, the theologian was kidnapped by Frederick of Saxony and was hidden in Wartburg Castle. Here he spent more than one year and began translating the Bible into German with the help of Professor K. Kruziger. Luther's supporters began to be subjected to repression, and a rise in the social movement began in Germany. One of the consequences was the Peasants' War, during which Luther harshly condemned the rebels.

Portrait of Luther (L. Cranach, 1526)

In 1525 he married 26-year-old Katharina von Bora, who bore him six children. His wife was a former nun who decided to escape from the monastery after becoming acquainted with his writings. Martin decided to find worthy husbands for her and the eleven girls who ran away with her, but he married Katarina himself. The family lived in a former monastery, the wife took care of the housework and was a faithful support to her husband.

In 1529, Luther published the Large and Small Catechisms, in which he sets out the foundations of Christianity. The Small Catechism is addressed to the laity, the Large to pastors. Despite the persecution, Luther was active, visiting parishes and preaching in churches. Before his death he was ill a lot and died in Eisleben.

In Germany, he is considered a great reformer who influenced culture, education and other aspects of the life of German society. Luther had a special relationship with music; he loved this form of art very much. He took part in the creation of the church repertoire and wrote songs. His translation of the Bible helped strengthen the foundations of the German language. Several films have been made about the life of Martin Luther.