Martin Luther

Summer Damra

11/1/12

Western Theological Traditions

Research Paper

Martin Luther’s fight for the poor

“Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buy indulgences- Martin Luther(25)”

The great German theologian Martin Luther is remembered throughout the world and Christian history as the man that challenged the papacy and dedicated his life to the clarification of Christianity for all people. He exclusively sought to reform the church because of its advocacy for the buying and selling of indulgences which then lead to further examination on a number of different topics in the Christian faith. Although Martin Luther's break with the Roman Catholic Church caused controversies and influenced war amongst Christian brothers, Martin Luther's teachings have positively impacted theological traditions. Martin Luther's teachings fought to include all Christians despite economic status as seen by his effort into translating the Bible into German for all common people to read, emphasizing the way to righteousness through the Word of God instead of indulgences, and creating hymns and catechisms to help all Christians understand the Bible. The fact that he disagreed with indulgences further symbolized his stand with the poor who did not have enough to eat let alone buy their way into Heaven and that they too can achieve salvation through the Word of God.

Martin Luther’s early life shows an immense dedication to the study of Christian faith, with achievement of priesthood in 1507 and a doctorate of theology in 1512(pg 5-7 cambridge companion). He was no ordinary citizen that challenged the Roman Catholic Church; he by all means was qualified to argue his research, which was his 95 Theses or Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences. This very document criticized multiple powers that the Pope believed he had and went against teachings of the Roman Catholic Church such as the buying of merits. The idea of purgatory is also questioned since the deceased are now unable to do work or gain merits because they are spiritually in another realm. The document also centered on how the pope gives himself the authority only God has in deciding who gets to enter heaven or not, and uses the Bible to justify his claims in between most statements. What is interesting to note is Martin Luther’s multiple statements in the letter that are aimed directly at the plight of the poor and their exclusion by the pope because of their inability to secure indulgences due to their poverty. An example is seen in sstatement 59 of the Thesses, “St. Laurence said that the poor of the church were the treasures of the church, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time” (pg 26-27) meaning that the church had diverted from its original roots in upholding the importance of the poor being part of the church and worship of Christ. Furthermore, Luther argued that the Roman Catholic church had no right to decide if one Christian can go to heaven due to unfair advantages such as having more money to pay off an indulgence, but that this purchase was meaningless in term of their salvation. All Christians are given by Christ the opportunity of equal salvation with their belief, as stated in numbers 36 and 37 of the Theses “Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters…Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessing of Christ and the church; and this granted him by God, even without indulgence letters” (pg 24-25). When Luther declares in his Theses that, “Christians are to be taught that he who lends to the poor or gives to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences” he is reminding the Church and the people that they forget that Christ’s ministry revolved around helping the poor and that the Bible says to give to the poor.

Martin Luther also emphasized the way to righteousness through the word of God instead of indulgences in his 95 Theses and the fact that this letter was made public by Luther through his nailing of the document was his way assuring the common Christian people of their salvation through the Gospel and good works towards one another. As Luther mentions to the masses in his theses, “Because love grows by works of love, man thereby becomes better. Man does not, however, become better by means of indulgences but is merely freed from penalties”(pg 25).