Martin Luther the German reformer had no intention of causing the schism and bloodshed that would follow as his only intent was to simply have the Roman Catholic church reform from their errors. What causes Luther a Roman Catholic himself come to these conclusions?
As Rome began to collapse, Christianity from North Africa and the Middle East began to fall under the control of Islam starting in 600 A.D. which began to threaten South Europe with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D.
The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Mehmed ll had his eyes on Italy with the conquest of Rome. Hoping to become a Ceasar type of ruler and an empire like Rome.
Despite the fall of Constantinople and attacks on Spain, the Europeans held off the Ottomans.
With the fall of Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire a Greek culture was already experiencing a renaissance in itself by the interest in ancient texts and translation of older manuscripts. Due to the fall and collapse of the empire, the Byzantines would migrate west in the 1300-1400s and began to settle in places like Italy giving rise to the Italian Renaissance that would spread Northward to Germany.
Textual Criticism and invention of the European printing press (1450) sparked the movement to translate the works of the past which gave rise to the interest of Martin Luther (1483-1546) and the Reformation.
Before then the Roman Catholic church had control over the Bible. The Bible was often found in Monasteries, chained to the pulpit, or only in the hands of kings and the religious elite.
Many people came before Martin Luther which influenced the Reformation but Luther was the final straw to spark it. Protestantism would quickly divide the church. Massive protests would take place (protest)antism would be met with bloodshed as the Roman Catholic church tried to regain control.
Martin Luther wasn't a perfect man but his conscience was to the accuracy of the Word of God. That is where we all should take our stand.
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