Opinion Essay: Luther was right to break with the Church. (other topics covered)

Essay by lucas_bHigh School, 12th gradeA, November 2005

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I think Luther was right to break with the church, for many reasons. The church was selling indulgences, to make profit. This was very wrong, because they were just slips of paper, supposedly forgiving lost ones of their sins. This was a con to seduce people into buying them, and keeping the masses controlled, by thinking their loved ones have been forgiven. In reality, all that would be needed is faith and repentance, which is what Luther was saying. He was definitely right, giving him reason to separate. We see in the movie how he questions these slips, and comes to the realization that gazing on the old bones of a past spiritual leader to not make one closer to God.

Our notes also tell us Luther opposed the idea of purgatory and mass. He felt one could connect with The Lord in solitude, and God would not condemn us to purgatory, being a loving God that he is.

All these problems with the Church made it right for Luther to break.

I think it may have been harder for him to reform the church from the inside-out. People would be harder to convince if he stood on middle ground, by proposing new ideas, but still staying within the safety of the church's rule. We saw in the movie how bold his actions were by refusing to recant. Anything milder than this, for instance, if he tried to start from the inside, would not attract the followers that he did. He needed to do things in a selfless manner, but with a strong force including many Nobles that back his idea of a reformation. He rewrites The Holy Bible in German, which is the language of the people, so everyone can know what they should be following. This comes as...