Reflection Paper On The Movie Luther

Five hundred years ago, an obscure German monk published 95 theses for debate and unwittingly set off a revolution that continues to shape the church and the world to this very day (Christian History: Luther and the Reformation). In 2003, there was a movie released about a German monk, named Martin Luther, which depicted his life and journey during the time of the protestant reformation. The movie Luther was not made to be a history lesson, but was to portray the life of Luther, and the events leading up to the protestant reformation. Ever since the movie Luther, critics continue to debate whether or not the movie accurately communicates Martin Luther’s life and the issues revolving the Protestant Reformation? The movie Luther, is mostly

The movie does a good job capturing the setting of Europe in the 16th century. The movie begins with a very famous part of Luther’s life, when Luther is traveling back to Eufort from visiting his family and is caught in a treacherous storm (Christian History: The Early Years). Luther is scared for his life and is trying to make it back to school safely, Luther cried out in fear, “Help me, St. Anna! I will become a monk” (Luther). This turned Luther’s life around, when he decided to switch paths and go to a monastery.

Martin Luther was well depicted in Luther, in the movie Luther’s character cared about what God wanted him to do. He wanted to follow the plan God had for him, and spent all of his time in confession. In the movie, they show Luther confessing in a cellar more than once a day as he was asking for forgiveness from God. After a while at the monastery, Martin was sent to teach theology at the University of Wittenberg. During Luther’s

Luther turned against the university and began to write the 95 Theses, which question the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences. Martin Luther nailed them on the door at Wittenburg Castle Church. This spread like wildfire, all across Europe as pamphlets were being printed one after another. Just like in the movie Luther, The pope did not agree with Martin’s writings and called him to the Diet of Worms to discuss the writings that he had written. At the Diet of Worms, Luther refused to recant his writings before the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Germany. Martin states in front of the catholic church, “Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason.. I will not recant. My conscious is captive to the word of God” (Luther). Luther stood for what he believed and he did not care if anyone did not agree with his writings. Martin states at the beginning of the 95 theses, “Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter” (Luther, 95 Theses). This scene in the movie is described true to what history tells us. It is one of the