After Luther posted
his 95 theses for debate, several copies were made and distributed among German
intellectuals. In January of 1518, the theses were translated from Latin into
German. Within two weeks, it spread throughout Germany. Within two months, it
spread throughout Europe. Foreign students came to Wittenburg to hear Luther;
he published several commentaries over the next two years on books of the
Bible—his concepts of justification, predestination, and the solas developed
further during this time.
Meanwhile, the
archbishop of Mainz had not responded to the theses; rather, he forwarded them
on to Rome. Pope Leo X was not one to rush a hasty response. He sent papal
theologians and envoys to inquire. A Dominican theologian Mazzolini drafted
heresy charges against Luther. It was agreed to that Luther could be tried in
Augsburg in October 1518. The questioning was regarding the issue of the pope’s
right to issue indulgences. The papal legate had instructions to arrest Luther
if he did not recant, but Luther fled the city instead.
In January 1519 in
Saxony, Luther made some concessions to the papal nuncio. However, Johann Eck
wanted Luther’s doctrine to be made public and exposed as heretical. Johann Eck
was a Catholic theologian who regarded Luther as a new Hussite. In the summer
of that year, he staged debates between himself and Andreas Karlstadt, a Luther
defender. The latter debates were between Eck and Luther. Luther was superior
in education and skill. Yet Eck did succeed in proving that Luther did hold
some opinions held by heretic Hussites and that he believed some councils to be
errant. Theologians at the University of Leipzig declared Eck the victor.
Eck tried to get the
Elector Frederick of Saxony to burn Luther’s works. In 1519 alone, he published
eight writings against the Lutheran movement. While he had support from Rome
and in some universities, he failed to gather much support in Germany, where
many theologians and noblemen were siding with Luther. In 1520, he met with
Pope Leo X, who praised his work, but still had not taken decisive action
regarding Luther.
After explaining the
situation to the pope, Eck returned to Germany with the papal bull Exsurge
Domine charging that 41
propositions of Luther were erroneous or heretical. He thought this would
finally quash the Lutheran movement as well as the humanists. However, he was
met with insults and protests that prevented him from publically reading the
bull. He had to flee both Saxony and Freiberg.
The papal bull Exsurge Domine in June 1520 declared that Luther
had 60 days to recant 41 statements found in his writings or risk
excommunication. The papal nuncio tried to broker a deal, but it fell apart.
Luther burned the bull at Wittenberg on December 10. On January 3, 1521, Pope
Leo X formally excommunicated him.
The Church had declared him a heretic, but it was now the local,
secular state’s problem to deal with him. On April 18, 1521, Luther was ordered
to appear before The Diet of Worms—a general assembly of the Holy Roman Empire,
with Emperor Charles V presiding. The issue was regarding the enforcement of
the ban of Luther’s theses. Eck represented the Empire. Luther stated that he
could no longer trust the pope or the councils and could interpret Scripture on
his own. Eck argued that many heretics held to their interpretations of
Scripture as well.
The Edict of Worms declared Luther an outlaw and banned his writings.
It was made a crime for anyone in Germany to give him food or shelter. He could
be killed without legal consequence. However, he found refuge in Wartburg
Castle. His writings continued to spread.
While he failed to stop the flood of Lutheran fervor in Germany, Eck
contributed greatly to the Catholic Reformation in his works attacking the
flaws and heresies in the new doctrines. He worked closely with Protestants in
understanding and counter-arguing their theologies and the Protestant
Revolution rolled on.
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