Martin Luther
- Born:
- November 10, 1483, Eisleben, Holy Roman Empire
- Died:
- February 18, 1546, Eisleben, Holy Roman Empire
- Nationality:
- German
- Profession(s):
- Theologian, Professor, Pastor, Reformer
Early Life and Education
- Born into a copper-mining family.
- Educated at Latin schools in Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach.
- Obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Erfurt in 1502 and a Master of Arts in 1505.
- Began studies in law at the University of Erfurt but abandoned them in 1505.
- Entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt in 1505.
- Ordained to the priesthood in 1507.
Career and Major Achievements
- Appointed professor of biblical theology at the University of Wittenberg in 1508.
- Posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church in 1517, initiating the Protestant Reformation.
- Excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1521.
- Refused to recant his writings at the Diet of Worms in 1521 and was declared an outlaw.
- Translated the New Testament into German while in hiding at Wartburg Castle (1522).
- Married Katharina von Bora, a former nun, in 1525.
- Published his German translation of the entire Bible in 1534.
Notable Works
- Ninety-Five Theses (1517)
- An Open Letter to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate (1520)
- The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520)
- On the Freedom of a Christian (1520)
- German Translation of the Bible (New Testament 1522, Complete Bible 1534)
- Small Catechism (1529)
- Large Catechism (1529)
Legacy and Impact
Martin Luther's theological and political actions indelibly shaped the course of Western civilization. His reformation initiated a major schism within Christendom, leading to the rise of Protestantism and a century of religious wars. He profoundly influenced the development of the German language, and his emphasis on individual conscience has had a lasting impact on Western thought. The question of how to fully examine "tommi ahtila biography of martin" may require in-depth archival research and analysis of previously unknown source material.