Module 2: Martin Luther

Hi everyone, and welcome to the second module of the History of Christianity 2 Course. In this section, we'll be working through the life and ministry of Martin Luther, which represents the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Luther is an extremely influential figure in the history of the Christian church. And the Protestant Reformation, of which he was a primary catalyst, dramatically changed the course of church history.

This module will help you to understand the tremendous changes in the history and practices of the European church, based on the revolutionary theological breakthrough of Luther and his contemporaries. The student will be exposed to the doctrines of Luther, the impacts on the church of his day, and the long term effect on the European church.

This module will also aid the student to evaluate these doctrines and changes, and work through how the lessons learned can be applied in their own life and ministry.

Introductory Scenario

Imagine that you are a member of the jury on a contentious criminal trial. You are convinced that the defendant is innocent, and the rest of the jury is convinced they are guilty. For whatever reason, you noticed some evidence that the rest of the jury overlooked, and you are convinced that you are right. There is tremendous pressure on you to go along with everyone else, though you have very good reasons to stand on your conclusion and convictions. What would you do in that situation? How could you resist the tremendous pressure? How would you try to convince the others that you are right? How would you respond if they attack you as being in the wrong? How would you respond in a similar situation dealing with issues even more important than a jury trial? Please consider these questions and be watching for material that will help you answer them as you work through this module.

Module Objectives and Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:

  • Understand and describe the life of Martin Luther and the tremendous theological breakthrough that changed his life and ministry.
  • Describe the theological ideas taught by Luther and the result of these ideas on the church of his time.
  • Demonstrate the various reactions to Luther's ideas and actions and how they impacted subsequent history.
  • Place the major events of Luther's life and ministry in a general chronology.

Instruction Guides

In this section, you'll find links to important instructional documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. There is a set of instructions for individual study and a document for group study.

Textbook Content

In this section, you'll find a study guide for the textbook reading for module 2. And then you'll find the link to a practice quiz covering this textbook reading.

This section also contains a review quiz to test your understanding of the textbook material for this module. By clicking the banner below, you will be given a series of questions, in random order. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once.

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Gonzalez Textbook Quiz
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Textbook Review Quiz for Gonzalez chs. 2-4

Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the Submit button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.


Luther agreed with Erasmus on the subject of free will.

True

Sorry, see Gonzalez pp. 43-44

False

Well Done
What was Luther's starting point and final authority for his theology?

Church Leadership

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 47

Erasmus' Theology

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 47

Prophetic messages

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 47

Augustine's Theology

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 47

The Word of God

Absolutely

Who was Luther's colleague at Wittenburg who continued his reforms?

Wartburg

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

Muntzer

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

Zwickau

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

Erasmus

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

Melanchthon

Well Done

What was Luther's most significant work during his period of hiding?

95 Theses

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 37

Peasant rebellion

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 37

German Translation of the Bible

Good Job

Leipzig debate

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 37

What was the reason why Luther came out of hiding?

The Augsburg Confession

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

German Translation of the Bible

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

Zwickau Prophets

Good Job

Peasant Rebellion

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 38

The sacrament of penance helped Luther overcome his sense of sinfulness.

True

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 23

False

Well Done
Luther thought that an individual Christian with the support of Scripture has more authority than all Church leadership without Scripture

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 32
Seeking God in the suffering and weakness of the cross describes:

Priesthood of Believers

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 50

The Two Kingdoms

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 50

Theology of Glory

Sorry, see Gonzalez p. 50

Theology of the Cross

Well Done

Drag each term to its correct definition
95 Theses
Justification by Faith
Righteousness of God
Exsurge Domine

The phrase Luther struggled to understand, leading to his breakthrough

Luther's document that attacked the sale of indulgences

Luther's doctrine that faith and justification are gifts of God

The Pope's document that ordered Luther's books be burned

Drag each term to its correct definition.
Frederick the Wise
John Tetzel
Diet of Worms

Seller of Indulgences

Prince who protected Luther

Council of princes and nobles, where Luther was tried


Lecture Content

In this section, you will find the video lectures for the Martin Luther module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each banner to open access to each video. There are also links with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.

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02a: Martin Luther - pt. 1
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02b: Martin Luther - pt. 2
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Reviews

In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 8. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the banner to open the slide show.

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Review Slideshow
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Click the prev. and next buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.

Discussion/Reflection/Essay Questions

This section contains questions for further thought and discussion from Module 2. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. Below, you will find links to the Response and Application Reflection Instructions for Individuals, and the Response and Application Discussion Instructions for Groups. And you will find a link to the detailed question document for this module. Or Click the banner below to view the questions in a simplified format.

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Discussion/Application Questions
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The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:

  1. What can we learn from Luther's character, attitude & actions? How can we apply this to our own life & ministry?
  2. What issues was Luther wrestling with and fighting about? Why are they important? How does this apply?
  3. Describe Luther's Theological ideas. Why are they important? What difference can/should they make in your own situation?
  4. Describe the impact of Luther's teaching on the church, society, and politics of his day. Why did they make a difference? What difference can/should they make in your own life & ministry?
  5. What else did you learn? How does it apply?

(Optional) Timeline - Part 2

This section contains instructions for an optional Timeline activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.

Step Two of the Timeline should include the following information:

  • Any significant events from the life and ministry of Martin Luther.
  • Any significant controversies and issues that confronted Luther, and which he addressed in his ministry.
  • Any significant writings of Luther, and the ideas, doctrines, and approaches which they represent, and the impact they had.

(Optional) Principles Chart - Part 2

This section contains instructions for an optional Principles Chart activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.

Step two of the Principles chart will add any important principles noted from the life, writings, and ministry of Martin Luther, the influence he had, the reasons behind that influence, and how those principles can be applied.

It is suggested that the student begin this activity before watching the Guiding Principles portion of the lecture. Then the student may supplement their work after learning additional insights from the Guiding Principles.

Primary Source Reading

This section contains instructions and resources for the Primary Source Reading activity. The student should read a minimum of 10-20 pages from a primary resource or resources discussed in this module's lecture and write or discuss a brief response to their reading. Below is a link to detailed instructions for the Primary Source Reading, which contain a list of recommended resources, by module. And click the banner below to access a list of recommended resources with links to where they may be found.

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Primary Sources
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The following is a list of the recommended primary sources for this module. This list contains links to the resources in print and/or online format. These links may change, so feel free to search for other sources for these same titles. In addition, please do not feel you are limited only to this list. Feel free to choose from any primary source from the period and topic covered in this module:

Links to Primary Sources

Review Quiz

This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 2. By clicking the banner, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the banner to begin the quiz.

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Quiz for Module 02
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Review Quiz for Module 02

Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.


Luther taught that Christians are simultaneously justified before God, yet still sinners in our inclinations and actions

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 02b
Luther was unhappy as a monk because he was lazy and resisted the hard demands of monastic life.

True

He was unhappy, but not for that reason, see Lecture 02a

False

Good Job
Which is NOT true of Luther's mindset at the Diet of Worms?

He was stubborn and would not listen to his opponents

Good Job

He stubbornly held to Biblical authority and would not be convinced except by Biblical teaching

Sorry, see Lecture 02a

He thought he may be killed and was willing to die for the truth

Sorry, see Lecture 02a

He was willing to recant if he would be shown his error

Sorry, see Lecture 02a

He doubted himself and avoided just assuming he was right

Sorry, see Lecture 02a

He wanted to be precise and differentiate what each of his books actually taught

Sorry, see Lecture 02a

He would not be convinced by arguments from authority of popes or councils

Sorry, see Lecture 02a

Which of these is NOT a factor which prepared for the Protestant Reformation

A strong central government in the Holy Roman Empire

Well Done

Rediscovered knowledge of the Biblical Languages

Sorry, see Lecture 2a

The Invention of the Printing Press

Sorry, see Lecture 2a

Discontent with the Roman church

Sorry, see Lecture 2a

Rising German national identity

Sorry, see Lecture 2a

The selling of indulgences to pay for a Roman church

Sorry, see Lecture 2a

Drag to match each writing with its general content and message
Large Catechism
The Babylonian Captivity
On Christian Freedom
The Bondage of the Will
Table Talk
To the German Nobility

The pope is not reliable and the German leaders should not listen to him

Questions and answers used to train people in the Christian faith

Christians don't need the official church, but can deal with God directly. Yet, we are bound to love and serve one another

Anthology of various teachings Luther made in social situations

Rejected the medieval understanding of sacraments and monasticism

Argues against Erasmus by saying that humans are slaves to sin and unable to choose God without His working in our lives

Which of these was NOT a long term result directly caused by Luther?

Forms of Liturgy were changed

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

The Roman Catholic church had less influence in some countries

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Theological understanding was changed

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

More people read the Bible

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Individualism placing the self over tradition and the church

Well Done, that happened, but Luther did not cause it

Europe became divided

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Martin Luther feared God before his conversion

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 02a
Luther rejected the medieval fourfold reading of the Bible, especially allegorical interpretation

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 02b
Which part of medieval society did Luther NOT reject?

Monasticism

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Hierarchy of Vocations

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Mediation by Clergy

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

The State Church

Well Done

The Seven Sacraments conveying grace

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Clerical Celibacy

Sorry, see Lecture 02b

Luther sought to reject the pope and the Roman church, which responded by excommunicating Luther

True

Sorry, it happened in the opposite direction, see Lecture 02a

False

Correct

Module Completed!

Congratulations, you have reached the end of the second module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.

I encourage you to continue on the next module as soon as is convenient. The button below will take you to Module 3.