Martin Luther's The Ninety-Five Theses

The Protestant Reformation broke out after the Renaissance in the free imperial cities of Germany and Switzerland. The Reformation involved the separation of the Roman Catholic Church, which was initiated by Martin Luther. Protestant reformers like, John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, continued the schism from the Church. Although there had been earlier attempt to reform the church, Luther was the one to start the Reformation with his work, The Ninety-Five Theses, criticizing the sale of indulgences. Undoubtedly, the religious schism during the sixteenth century occurred because of the political, social, and economical problems.

There were many political conflicts at the time of the Protestant Reformation. As the Reformation progressed, political problems only worsened in Europe. The king’s law and custom had almost always overridden local law and custom. Those towns and territories became sensitive to the loss of traditional rights and freedoms. Therefore, townspeople and village

folk perceived the religious revolts as an ally in their struggle to remain politically independent. German peasants wanted to override traditional laws and customs, and to subject them to new regulations and taxes. Peasant leaders saw Luther’s teachings about Christian freedom and his criticism of monatic landowners similar to their own. Luther urged in The Twelve Articles, “It is consistent with Scripture that we should be free.” Therefore, the peasant revolt against their masters was thought to be supported by Martin Luther. Although Luther sympathized with the peasants, he did not support their revolt. Instead, he found it “un-Christian”. Luther urged, “Let everyone who can smite, slay, and stab [the peasants], secretly and openly, remembering that nothing can be more poisonous, hurtful or devilish than a rebel” (Doc. 2). Political problems arose during the Reformation because authoritative figures of both church and state wanted fortune, and supreme authority over religious jurisdiction.
The Reformation caused many social problems because while some accepted religious change and conversions others resisted the change. Many cities had Protestant movements, but with mixed success and duration. Some cities frowned upon sectarianism, aggressive converting methods, and letting Catholics and Protestants to coexist. The different feelings about the Reformation cause riots, revolts, and wars. Although there were many oppositions, the forefronts of the Reformation were guilds, whose members were socially rising. For example, the printers guild had members who were literate, sophisticated about the world, economically ambitious, and in a rapidly growing industry. Many allowed for reformation because of moral corruption of the Church by religious leaders. Luther addressed, “When necessity demands it, and the pope is an offense to Christendom, the first man who is able should, as a true member of the whole body, do what he can to bring about a truly free council.” A reformed church would tackle the moral problems, and focus more on faith. The idea of strengthening the faith in the Church was appealing to many societies.
The Reformation significantly caused economical problems in England.

Religious authorities took advantage of the sale of indulgences for their own fortune. This was seen as sinful to many people, including Luther, which caused opposition. Indulgences were regularly dispensed for cash payments that were presented to the laity as remitting not only their own future punishments, but those of their dead relatives in purgatory. Some indulgence proceeds even were used to pay off debt. Martin Luther believed this traditional practice, for economical gains, made salvation something that could be bought and sold. He thought this was wrong, and argued the sale of indulgences in, The Ninety-Five Theses. The English Parliament declared that they were able to, “Repress and extirpate all errors, heresies, and other enormities and abuses,” in The Act of Supremacy. Although the Parliament considered Martin a heretic, he was able to avoid punishments and establish Lutheranism as an official

religion.
The Reformation continued to cause problems in Europe with other reformers that had a different interpretations of Christianity. The separation from the Roman Catholic Church started the Age of Religious Wars. The constant fighting for recognition of religion soon came to be more about politics and power. Furthermore, the religious schism of the sixteenth century was symptomatic of political, social, and economic problems.