Reformation & Early Modern Christianity · AD 1500–1700
Martin Luther
1483–1546 · Lutheran · German lands
A German theologian and reformer whose disputes and writings played a central role in the Protestant Reformation.
Major contributions
Justification by faith, Sola Scriptura
- Emphasized justification by faith and the authority of Scripture.
- Translated the Bible into German and wrote influential catechisms.
Theological positions
Modern labels do not always describe historical writers precisely.
- Lutheran
His teaching gave rise to the Lutheran tradition.
- Lutheran Soteriology
His writings emphasize justification by faith apart from meritorious works.
Major writings
- The Bondage of the Will
- Small Catechism