Who are the Lutherans page - Trinity Lutheran Church's

WHO ARE
THE LUTHERANS?

SUB-HEADINGS

A Summary Statement
Who is Dr. Martin Luther?
More to Come . . .

A Summary statement about Lutherans

The Lutheran Church is both the oldest and largest protestant Church in the world. There are more than sixty million Lutherans in the world. Only the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches claim more followers.

The Lutheran Church came into being following the attempt of Dr. Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church almost 500 years ago. When this attempt failed those who looked to Luther for guidance formed the Lutheran Church. In forming their new Church, Lutherans, as they came to be known (against Dr. Luther's wishes!), simply went back to the core teachings of Holy Scripture, keeping what was God pleasing and Biblical and rejecting what was not. This emphasis on ‘Scripture alone’ was one of the three main themes of the Reformation.

The other two themes of the Reformation, ‘grace alone’ and ‘faith alone,’ led Lutherans to a clear understanding of God's Law and Gospel. The Law, shows us our sin and our need for a saviour. The Gospel shows us our Saviour from sin, Christ Jesus. Lutherans proclaim the truth of what St. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 2:8 and 9 “. . . it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)

Our congregation is a member of Lutheran Church Canada, a synod (a church body or denomination) which is both one of the oldest and youngest in North America. It is one of the oldest because it is a daughter church of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. (The LCMS has been doing ministry in Canada for over 140 years.) It is one of the youngest because in 1988 Lutheran Church—Canada became a fully autonomous, independent church body to better serve Christ's Church in Canada and in the world.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church has been ministering to the people of Fisherville and area for over 140 years. We invite you to come and visit us!

Lutherans and the Bible
The Lutheran Confessions

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Who is Dr. Martin Luther?

Martin Luther's Seal

Dr. Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) was born in Eisleben, Germany on November 10, 1483 to Hans and Margaret Luther. His father was a copper miner from the mining area of Mansfeld. Luther received a sound education at Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach and in 1501, at the age of 17, he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1502 and a master's degree in 1505. Luther intended to study law, as his father wished. In the summer of 1505, however, he suddenly abandoned his studies, sold his books, and entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. The decision surprised his friends and appalled his father. Later in life, Luther explained his decision: "Today is the very date on which I entered the convent at Erfurt," and he began to tell the story of conditions under which he had taken his vow: how nearly fourteen days before, on the road near Stotternheim not far from Erfurt [one mile north] he was so frightened by a thunderbolt that in terror he shouted: "Help, dear Anne, I will become a monk." (Schwiebert, E.G. Luther and His times, CPH:St. Louis,1950, pg. 137) Fear of sin and God's judgment had struck terror into Martin Luther but he was unable to find the peace he was looking for in the monastery. In spite of this, Luther determined to keep his vows. He was ordained a (Roman Catholic) priest in 1507 celebrating his first Mass on May 2, 1507. Luther continued his studies and in 1512 he received his doctorate (Biblicus, Formatus, Sententiarius, ThD.) and took over the chair of biblical theology at Wittenberg, a post he held until his death in 1546.

One day in his tower room at Wittenberg University, Luther found the answer to the question that plagued him (How may I render God gracious to my soul?) . . . he said, "It was like the gates of heaven opened to me." Reading St. Paul's epistle to the Romans (1:17), "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith." (NIV), he came to this conclusion: "Human beings can't earn salvation by what they do. They gain salvation through faith in Christ, through what God has done for them through his Saviour." Luther discovered that peace with God (Salvation) wasn't something we earn (by our good works), or buy for a price (indulgences), it was God's gift!

Luther couldn't keep this good news to himself. God was a loving God! God's salvation was His free gift! . . . Appalled by the corruption and false doctrine that permeated the church Dr. Luther began the fight to reform the Church by attacking the sale of indulgences — letters of pardon from punishment of sin — which the Pope Leo X had authorized for the building of St. Peter's Church in Rome. Luther demanded that the church of his day be cleansed of secular abuses and that the authority for doctrine and practice be Scripture rather than Popes or Church Councils. To bring some these issues on the floor for debate, on October 31st, 1517, he nailed 95 Theses (points of argument) on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. But what was intended as a university discussion became an argument that split the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire. Labeled a heretic by the Edict of Worms, on May 26th, 1521, Luther was excommunicated by the Pope and banished and condemned by Emperor Charles the Fifth. He was spirited away for a time (for safeties sake) by the Duke Fredrick of Saxony. But he could not stay away from his work. And so he returned to his public ministry in Wittenberg.

On June 13, 1525, Dr. Luther married Katharina von Bora (1499-1552), a former nun. The marriage was happy, and his wife became an important supporter in his busy life. Concerning her Luther writes: "I would not want to exchange my Kate for France nor for Venice to boot" (2774) Their marriage was blessed with six children. Concerning children Dr. Luther writes: "The best thing in married life, for the sake of which everything ought to be suffered and done, is the fact that God gives children and commands us to bring them up to serve Him." (2836)

In spite of his condemnation as heretic Luther did not die at the stake as did his forerunner John Hus. Rather, he spent his years under the ban of the Emperor raising his family, teaching, preaching and writing. One of his major accomplishments was the translation of the Bible into the language of the people (German) so that all could understand it!

Luther lived to see the gospel triumph as the goods news of God's love spread throughout Europe and the world! Luther set out to find peace with God — a God that he felt was an angry judge — what Luther discovered in the pages of Holy Scripture was a loving God, a God who so loved the world that He sent His only-begotten Son to be our Saviour; a God who gives us peace (Salvation) as a free gift, by grace through faith! Today this good news is proclaimed throughout the world by those who call themselves "Lutherans."

Martin Luther

Project Wittenberg — A large selection of Dr. Martin Luther's writings as well as a more detailed history about his life.

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This page was last update on Feb. 20, 1998