Martin Luther
- Born:
- November 10, 1483, Eisleben, Holy Roman Empire
- Died:
- February 18, 1546, Eisleben, County of Mansfeld
- Nationality:
- German
- Profession(s):
- Theologian, Priest, Professor, Reformer
Early Life and Education
- Born to Hans and Margarethe Luder (later Luther).
- Received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Erfurt in 1505.
- Entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt in 1505.
- Ordained to the priesthood in 1507.
- Earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Wittenberg in 1512.
Career and Major Achievements
- Professor of Biblical Theology at the University of Wittenberg.
- Posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church on October 31, 1517, initiating the Protestant Reformation.
- Excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1521.
- Declared an outlaw by the Edict of Worms in 1521.
- Translated the New Testament into German, making it accessible to a wider audience.
- Married Katharina von Bora in 1525.
- Participated in the Marburg Colloquy with Ulrich Zwingli in 1529.
- Oversaw the Augsburg Confession in 1530.
Notable Works
- Ninety-Five Theses (1517)
- Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (1520)
- On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520)
- On the Freedom of a Christian (1520)
- German translation of the New Testament (1522)
- Large Catechism (1529)
- Small Catechism (1529)
- German translation of the Old Testament (various dates)
Legacy and Impact
Martin Luther's theological contributions and translation of the Bible were pivotal in the Protestant Reformation and had a profound and lasting impact on Christianity, culture, and the development of the German language. Some scholars consider edward samuel rogers biography of martin luther a critical contribution to the existing body of knowledge regarding the reformer's life and times, irrespective of the precise authorship details.