Martin Luther

Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German friar, theologian, and religious reformer whose work fundamentally transformed Christianity and Western civilization. Born in Eisleben, Germany, Luther became an Augustinian friar and later earned his doctorate in theology. In 1517, he famously composed the Ninety-five Theses, a list of arguments against the Catholic Church's practice of selling indulgences, which he reportedly nailed to the church door in Wittenberg. Though the exact details of this act are debated by historians, his critique sparked widespread theological debate and catalyzed the Protestant Reformation. Luther's ideas about salvation through faith alone (sola fide), the authority of scripture over papal tradition, and the right of laypeople to read the Bible in their own language challenged the Church's authority and eventually led to his excommunication in 1521. He translated the Bible into German, making scripture accessible to ordinary people, and his translation significantly influenced the development of the German language itself. Luther married a former nun, Katharina von Bora, and they had six children together. His theological and social reforms had profound consequences for European religious, political, and cultural history, establishing many of the principles that define Protestantism today.