On October 31st, we will have celebrated the Protestant Reformation for 501 years. Many Protestants around the world observe this day as a holiday. Olive Tree serves a wide variety of Christian denominations, so we figured now would be a good time to give a brief history of the Protestant Reformation.

Reformation: An Overview of Its History

Not only did we create a quiz about the reformers and the Solas, but we also blogged about them throughout the month of the Reformation Coupon! Even though it’s a lengthy read, this article explains everything you need to know about the Reformation’s origins and development.

Chronology of the Christian Era

Because of the profound impact it had on the Christian church, the Protestant Reformation is a crucial time in history to study if you are unfamiliar with it.

Our good friends at Zondervan provided us with this information in a blog post, so thank them! Read the post as it was intended to be read here.

The Protestant Reformation Begins

Instigating Factors of the Protestant Reformation. The fact that Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door of a church in an attempt to challenge the authority of the Roman Catholic Church is probably the only thing you know about him.

What Martin Luther Did on Halloween

When we consider the past, we see that this is not true. Yes, October 31st, 1517 would prove to be the day that gave the first hint that the Western world would be turned upside down by the Protestant Reformation. What Luther did on October 31st, 1517 was not an act of rebellion against the church, however.

The Situation in Reverse

In reality, the situation played out the other way around. In doing so, he showed his mother’s church the utmost respect and demonstrated his obedience. No one knows for sure who took the Protestant Reformation text of Luther’s 95 Theses, had it translated into German, and then disseminated it throughout Germany.

In Germany, Luther became a national hero as soon as word spread that he was speaking out against abuses within the church.

Momentous Turning Point In History: The Reformation Begins

But where exactly did the Protestant Reformation get its start? To answer this question, we must investigate Luther’s character and upbringing.

Where Did Martin Luther Come From?

Even though Martin spent his formative years during the Protestant Reformation, he was born on November 10th, 1483, in Eisleben. Martin’s parents put him through a preparatory school in Magdeburg when he was fourteen, and then another in Eisenach.

In 1502, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Erfurt, and in January 1505, he graduated with a master’s degree from the same university.

The Father of Martin Luther

Martin Luther’s father had already decided that his son would follow in his legal footsteps, so the young man enrolled in law school in Protestant Reformation Erfurt to fulfill the family’s expectations. However, Luther’s life is about to take a turn for the worse as a result of circumstances beyond his control.

Become a Buddhist Monk

Why and How Martin Luther Became a Monk. After two encounters, Luther decided to give up the legal profession and devote himself to the monastic life. To begin, a close friend of Luther’s died in the plague epidemic that struck during the Protestant Reformation.

Seemingly shaken by this tragedy, young Martin turned his focus to more fundamental spiritual issues.

More Prominent Justification

After finishing law school, Luther was traveling back to Erfurt from Mansfeld when he was suddenly overcome by a thunderstorm, which is the second and more well-known reason he became a monk. Luther was on his way back to Erfurt from Mansfeld when this happened to him.

Those Humble Augustinian Recluses

There was a time when lightning struck a tree close by. In a moment of desperation, a young Martin Luther prayed to Saint Anne, the patron saint of lost travelers, and pledged to join a monastery if only he could be saved.

In the aftermath of the storm, Luther sought shelter in the Augustinian Hermits’ monastery.

Reformation Prompt Motivation

Although this event appears to have been the immediate impetus for him to enter the monastic life, we cannot discount the fact that the Protestant Reformation thunderbolt struck a medieval environment in which the life of a monk was considered to be the religious ideal.

Later Medieval Period

Late medieval piety advocated that the only way to guarantee one’s place in heaven was to forsake all worldly pleasures and devote one’s life fully to God.

Luther bowed his head and took up monastic vows in July 1505 to conform to the prevailing culture’s view of the time.

The Religious Order of Monks

Despite his concerns, Luther contributed greatly to the monastic community. In 1507, he was ordained as a priest, and within a few years, he was offered a position teaching at the fledgling University of Wittenberg.

At a young age, Martin Luther taught classes on various books of the Bible. Moreover, he was the pastor and preacher at the local parish church, where he typically gave three sermons per week.

Reformation Indulgences Being Given

A Look at the Role of Indulgences in Kickstarting the Reformation. A person could buy an “indulgence,” a piece of paper stamped with the papal symbol that allowed them to avoid the temporal repercussions of sin.

This century, the 21st

It’s hard to imagine that a single piece of paper could have been the final straw that broke the camel’s back in the sixteenth century, but that’s exactly what happened. But that’s exactly what happened there.

It was Pope Sixtus IV’s realization in 1460 that buying indulgences could help a sinner in both this world and the next that led to the introduction of the indulgence system.