Major Differences Between the Thought of Martin Luther and the Ideas of the Medieval Latin- Rite Tradition
Introduction
In this essay I will first briefly discuss the background that led to the revolt of Martin Luther against the Christian Church. Next I will discuss the major differences between his thoughts and the ideas of the Medieval Latin-Rite tradition in a systematic way and finally conclude this essay by evaluating the thoughts of Martin Luther.
Background
It is believed that the western Church needed to be reformed at the beginning of the sixteen-century[1] for various reasons. One of the major reasons that led to the revolt of Martin Luther an Augustinian friar against the Church was over the questions of indulgences.[2] Martin Luther directly launched an attack on the western Church by posting his ninety-five theses during an annual festival on the Castle Church of Wittenberg[3] when many people were visiting to inspect the Elector’s relics.[4] These ninety-five theses mostly criticised the Papal authority, the doctrines of the church and the abuses of indulgences.
Sacraments
According to Luther in his radical work The Babylonian Captivity of the Church he wrote that the sacraments were clerically dominated.[5] Luther thus did not agree with the traditional seven sacraments, for him the most significant sacraments were Baptism, Holy Communion and Penance.[6] It is also noted that Luther’s view on the Mass and the Eucharist was quite contrary to the view of the Christian Church of the medieval times.
The most fundamental element of the Medieval Christian Church and till this day in the Latin rite is the Mass. “To appreciate the Mass an explanation of what Christians believe about the Christian Eucharist is needed.”[7] It is seen as the high point of Christian faith since it “…breaks down the barrier between the physical and spiritual, between earth and heaven, death and life.”[8] During the Eucharist the bread and wine from this earth are transformed (doctrine of transubstantiation) into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which is deemed
In this essay I will first briefly discuss the background that led to the revolt of Martin Luther against the Christian Church. Next I will discuss the major differences between his thoughts and the ideas of the Medieval Latin-Rite tradition in a systematic way and finally conclude this essay by evaluating the thoughts of Martin Luther.
Background
It is believed that the western Church needed to be reformed at the beginning of the sixteen-century[1] for various reasons. One of the major reasons that led to the revolt of Martin Luther an Augustinian friar against the Church was over the questions of indulgences.[2] Martin Luther directly launched an attack on the western Church by posting his ninety-five theses during an annual festival on the Castle Church of Wittenberg[3] when many people were visiting to inspect the Elector’s relics.[4] These ninety-five theses mostly criticised the Papal authority, the doctrines of the church and the abuses of indulgences.
Sacraments
According to Luther in his radical work The Babylonian Captivity of the Church he wrote that the sacraments were clerically dominated.[5] Luther thus did not agree with the traditional seven sacraments, for him the most significant sacraments were Baptism, Holy Communion and Penance.[6] It is also noted that Luther’s view on the Mass and the Eucharist was quite contrary to the view of the Christian Church of the medieval times.
The most fundamental element of the Medieval Christian Church and till this day in the Latin rite is the Mass. “To appreciate the Mass an explanation of what Christians believe about the Christian Eucharist is needed.”[7] It is seen as the high point of Christian faith since it “…breaks down the barrier between the physical and spiritual, between earth and heaven, death and life.”[8] During the Eucharist the bread and wine from this earth are transformed (doctrine of transubstantiation) into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which is deemed
Bibliography: Chadwick, Owen. The Pelican History of the church: The Reformation. Great Britain: Penguin Books, 1964. Dickens, A.G. Teach yourself History: Martin Luther and the Reformation. Edited by A.L. Rowse. London: the English Universities Press Ltd, 1967. Elton, G.R. Renaissance and Reformation 1300 – 1648. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1976. Johnston, Andrew. Seminar studies in History: The Protestant Reformation In Europe. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1991. MacCulloch, Diarmaid. Reformation: Europe’s House divided 1490 -1700. England: Penguin Books, 2004. ----------------------- [1] Owen Chadwick, The Pelican History of the church: The Reformation (Great Britain: Penguin Books, 1964), 11. [2] A.G. Dickens, Teach yourself History: Martin Luther and the Reformation. Edited by A.L. Rowse (London: the English Universities Press Ltd, 1967), 32. [3] Andrew Johnston, Seminar studies in History: The Protestant Reformation In Europe, (New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1991), 21. [7] Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe’s House divided 1490 -1700 (England: Penguin Books, 2004), 10. [9] Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe’s House divided 1490 -1700, (England: Penguin Books, 2004), 11. [10] Andrew Johnston, Seminar studies in History: The Protestant Reformation In Europe, (New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1991), 25. [11] A.G. Dickens, Teach yourself History: Martin Luther and the Reformation. Edited by A.L. Rowse (London: the English Universities Press Ltd, 1967), 49. [16]A.G. Dickens, Teach yourself History: Martin Luther and the Reformation. Edited by A.L. Rowse (London: the English Universities Press Ltd, 1967), 34. [17] Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe’s House divided 1490 -1700, (England: Penguin Books, 2004), 121. [24] Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe’s House divided 1490 -1700, (England: Penguin Books, 2004), 121. [27]Owen Chadwick, The Pelican History of the church: The Reformation (Great Britain: Penguin Books, 1964), 46. [28] Andrew Johnston, Seminar studies in History: The Protestant Reformation In Europe, (New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1991), 20. [30] A.G. Dickens, Teach yourself History: Martin Luther and the Reformation. Edited by A.L. Rowse (London: the English Universities Press Ltd, 1967), 32. [31] G.R. Elton, Renaissance and Reformation 1300 – 1648, 3rd, ed. (New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1976), 182. [35] Owen Chadwick, The Pelican History of the church: The Reformation (Great Britain: Penguin Books, 1964), 46. [36] Andrew Johnston, Seminar studies in History: The Protestant Reformation In Europe, (New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1991), 25.