Church Matters: Retrieving the Great Tradition

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Chur ch Mat ter s : Ret r i ev i ng the Great Trad i t i on

2. Student who entered a Roman Catholic monastery after vowing to St. Anne that he would become a monk if spared during a violent thunderstorm

3. Became disillusioned in seeing horrendous corruptions in Roman Catholic Church (RCC), returning to Wittenberg, receiving a Doctor of Theology

4. Influenced by a study of Romans, rediscovered biblical salvation as justification by faith alone (the doctrine serving as his touchstone both for his own theology and his critique of the RCC)

5. On October 31, 1517, nailed his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg, outlining in detail his indictment of the RCC

6. Stressed sola scriptura , i.e., the Scriptures alone are the final authority for faith and practice (tradition informs not subordinates)

a. Radically opposed the Roman Catholic view of the Eucharist, withholding the cup from the laity

b. Rejected the idea that the mass was a sacrifice we offer to God

c. Rejected the idea of transubstantiation (i.e., the transformation of the elements of the Eucharist into the body and blood of Christ)

7. Wrote prolifically on issues related to faith, church, ethics, rulers, etc. In 1520 wrote three works outlining his commitment to reform (not replace) the Church.