Luther, painted by Knarach
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther published his criticism of the Holy See on the gate of the Cathedral of the Wittenberg Palace in the Kingdom of Saxony in Germany. —— "The Chronicle of World History"
500 years ago, Martin Luther, a professor of theology at Wittenberg University in Germany, initiated a religious reform. His rebellious behavior was undoubtedly a capital crime in the eyes of the Pope, and he was full of reform spirit. In the eyes of Europeans who long for human freedom, he is a great saint.
For more than three years, the Pope of Rome has continuously issued orders, and threats have continued from the exodus to the service of fire. However, under the protection of King Saxophone, Martin Luther was unharmed and unharmed. Finally, the Holy Roman Empire held an imperial assembly in Worms, and once again included the disposal of Martin Luther on its agenda. Luther was ordered to come to Worms for trial.
Wittenberg church gate
500 years ago, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a professor of theology at Wittenberg University in eastern Germany, nailed his "95 Theses" to the Wittenberg Palace Church At the gate, questions were raised about the Pope’s religious policies, especially the issuance of "indulgences", and suggested that the basis for Christian faith should come from the "Bible" and other doctrines that contradict the Holy See. This important historical event opened a new page in European religious reform and created a precedent for European political and cultural freedom.
For this reason, Martin Luther was severely punished by the Pontifical Pope, and was summoned to Rome for punishment many times. King Friedrich of Martin Luther’s duchy held up his umbrella and refused to let his monks go to Rome for trial. During the period, Martin Luther went to Augsburg in southern Germany to receive a subpoena, but insisted not to withdraw his claims and was nearly killed. Fortunately, he was protected by his teacher and escaped back to Wittenberg in time.
During this period, due to the death of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in January 1519, his grandson King Carl I of Spain succeeded to the throne and was prevented by the Pope of Rome. At the same time, there were complex and chaotic contradictions between the Roman emperor and the duchy and the Pope, and the Martin Luther case was delayed repeatedly. However, the day finally came, and Martin Luther received a notice of the call from the Worms Empire Conference on March 26, 1521.
So, on April 16, 1521, the ancient city of Worms on the Rhine River in Germany welcomed a well-known guest. At the same time, he was also a very dangerous person in the eyes of the Pope. I, this time is tantamount to throwing himself into the net, he is Martin Luther. How similar is the history of
! Worms is the city where the Pope sentenced Luther to death through the General Assembly of the Holy Roman Empire in Germany, located on the Rhine. Konstanz, another ancient city in southern Germany, held a similar imperial convention more than 100 years before Luther. There, those in power tried Huss, the famous Czech religious reformer. Although, the emperor at the time assured Huss that he would return home safely. However, in the end Huss was sent to the woodpile and burned alive.
This time, Luther came to Worms. In the eyes of medieval Europeans, would he be the second Huss?
Lutheran Gate
One day in May 500 years later, the author came to Worms to pay tribute to the remains of Luther’s short stay here. The sky is clear, the air is clear, and the Rhine is sparkling. Back then, in the dark days of the Middle Ages, Luther stood on the imperial convention like a brilliant star, not afraid of death, and firmly proclaimed his beliefs, and couldn't help feeling full of emotion. Although the building 500 years ago has long been wiped out in Worms, the Luther Memorial Sculpture stands in the city center, in the park not far from the site of the Imperial Congress. The place where Luther stayed that year was also engraved with a date that history cannot forget.
Statue of Luther
Wattburg Luther's former residence
38-year-old Luther only stayed in Worms for 10 days, but his destiny has changed the world tremendously.
The German Roman Empire Conference held in Worms was presided over by the newly appointed Emperor Karl V and gathered important figures in Europe including dukes, imperial ministers and mayors of free cities at that time. The conference started on January 27, 1521 and ended on May 26, lasting four months. In today’s view, such a meetingAlthough the efficiency of discussion is not high, it has solved many important problems. For example, the distribution and planning of taxes and defenses in various parts of the empire; the division of the border between Karl V, who was the emperor and king of Spain, and the Habsburg Kingdom under his brother Ferdinand; the empire’s threats to the Ottoman Empire in Turkey Countermeasures and so on. Although Luther's attendance is not part of the official schedule of the conference, it is an event of special concern.
During this period, due to the presence of emperors and princes and nobles from all over the world, Worms became the center of Europe at that time, where politicians, knights, media, cultural people, speculative businessmen, three religions were gathered here, became manic, lively, prosperous, and at the same time , The red light district is busy, bars are prosperous, alcoholism, fights, power struggles, bullying of vulnerable groups, and people die every day.
Luther at the Worms Conference
King Friedrich
In mid-January 1521, when the Worms Empire Conference officially began, the King of Saxony Friedrich the Wise and the Privy Minister Spalatine had already visited here. Luther and Spalatine can only communicate by letter to convey relevant information. February 13th was Ash Wednesday. The envoy of the Holy See, Al Ander, gave a three-hour speech in Latin at the conference, condemning Luther’s heresy and declared that he would judge Luther. . The day he chose is very suitable, because Ash Feast is the day of Yom Kippur before Easter, and it is a critique of Luther's heresy. Alleander handed Spalatine a key point and asked him to tell Luther that he had to withdraw his views on the above issues one by one, otherwise, the Babylonian prison of the church was waiting for him.
However, Luther wrote to Spalatine that he would not go to Worms if he were to take back his views; however, if he was sentenced to death because he was an enemy of the Empire, he would gladly go. He was determined to sacrifice for his doctrine. And in another letter to others, he wrote:
"I am not worried for myself, but for the most powerful opponent of Jesus Christ, for the highest planners and teachers of the murderers." They are worried. Try to destroy Jesus Christ. "My Jesus Christ will give me the spirit, let me despise these servants of Satan in my life, and defeat them in death." During
, Luther still had time to reply to the questions of Prince Friedrich of Saxony. The question is, does Jesus often sleep and rest? Luther replied: Although the "New Testament Gospel" does not record the daily life of Jesus in detail, it is certain that he often prayed, dieted, went to the toilet, preached, and performed miracles. Luther wrote: As a man, Jesus is also completely flesh, and he will do what mortals do.
Luther Burning Pope’s Edict
On March 26, during Easter Day, Luther received the "Edict" from Worms in Wittenberg: "In view of your recent sermons and books, you need to be present for Explain it." There is no saying in the "Edict" that he should retract his point of view. Luther never had the habit of keeping letters, but this time it was an exception. He has collected this official document and knows that this is a historic moment.
On April 2, Luther and his friends and other supporters set out for Worms. Among them were Suave, a nobleman from the Pomorie region, and Sturm, the emperor's envoy, who later became an important supporter of the Luther Reformation. This trip of
almost spans the territory of today's Germany, stretching more than 500 kilometers from east to west. It lasted 10 days. Luther did not choose to walk, but chose a carriage. To this end, the Wittenberg city government funded 20 gold coins, and Luther’s old friend Lange also funded 1 gold coin. The money can only be used for the journey. The
traveling team looked mighty and mighty. In front of the emperor’s envoy, the emperor’s eagle was worn on the sleeve, and two warriors in armor and spears opened the way, both riding horses. Behind it was a carriage, carrying well-known guests and companions. Where Luther went, people scrambled to see this saint or heresy who was about to be burned to death. Luther’s alma mater, Erfurt University, prepared a grand welcoming ceremony for Luther’s visit: the principal personally led 60 knights to greet him. Luther's traveling companion Suave compared Luther's passage through Erfurt to Jesus' Palm Sunday. Later, Luther also wrote in a letter to Melancht, a fellow Reformer, that he was surprised and wondered whether it was Satan using such a luxurious scene to test himself or a precursor to the upcoming sacrifice of Worms.
drove through Leipzig, and the city council members also prepared wine for him. For Luther, this trip was not a road of shame, as the Pope Police called it, but a journey of victory.
During this period, Worms gathered the most important figures in Europe. At the same time, it is full of rumors that whether Luther will attend the conference has become a hot topic when people drink beer. A priest asked: "Where is he now? He is absent, it is impossible to come." In fact, Spalatine had also kindly warned Luther not to come to Worms, where it was more ugly. .
However, Luther wrote stubbornly to Spalatine: "We are going to enter Worms, even if all the hell guards and the authority in charge of the world are opposed."
A year later, Luther was giving freely King Derich wrote a letter and recalled: He must enter the city of Worms, "Even where the devil gathers, there are as many as the roof tiles." Luther recalled this kind of targeted action many times later, and felt pride. Mikonius later wrote that Luther was determined to accept the call. He said at the time, "Even if they set up a large fire, the flames burned to the sky between Worms and Wittenberg. , Even if he stepped between the giant teeth in Behemoth’s mouth, since he was asked to attend, he must be there.”
During this period, the ironic flyers scattered around also aroused Worms. The tension in the city. The content of the leaflets, some ask Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the holy archbishops, all the saints, to bless the German nation, not only to protect this place from heavy rains and winds, but also from the tyranny of the Pope.
In addition, there are various comics circulating in Worms, and some comics draw the Pope into a donkey. Some comics depict Luther as a spokesperson manipulated by the devil.
Someone prayed to bless Martin Luther, the pillar of the Christian faith, who was about to enter the city of Worms, and bless him from all temptations and threats.
On April 16, Luther's motorcade arrived at Worms, and the street was crowded with more than 2,000 spectators, welcoming them in the streets. The place where he got off is today named Luther Gate. When Luther got off the carriage, the Pope’s Announcer Al Andel stepped forward and grabbed Luther firmly. At this moment, a monk stepped forward to hug Luther tightly and stroked Luther's robe three times, as if facing a saint.
The people settled Luther in the Inn of the Knights of St. John, where he stayed with the Hereditary Minister of the Empire, as well as several noble knights and other members of the Knights. This is a noble residence, located near the hall where the imperial convention is held.
A few days later, in one afternoon, Luther's time came. He was attending the Empire Conference and there were so many people who came to watch that Luther could only enter the conference hall through the back door quietly through the garden of his guesthouse.
"Many people climbed up on the surrounding roofs, wanting to see Dr. Luther's face," the eyewitness reported and consciously quoted the Bible's description of Jesus to many audiences on Palm Sunday.
Luther walked past the ranks of the Grand Duke of Germany, and several of them expressed encouragement to him. Martin Luther wore black monk robes, which looked simple compared to the magnificent costumes of the nobles. They were dressed in national costumes, gold necklaces, jewels, and shiny crowns. On it sits the 21-year-old Emperor Karl V, who is even more majestic and noble. Luther was dressed without any decoration, just a black robe of Brother St. John, with a leather belt around his waist. The bald part of the head is big and shiny, and the dense hair underneath has just been trimmed.
Open Letter to the Nobles
The Minister of the Empire briefly instructed Luther that he simply answered yes or no to the question. The question was first raised in Latin and then read out in German, so that not only the scholars present could understand it, but also the German nobles. On a wide bench, there are writings written by Luther, including his "Open Letter to the German Christian Aristocracy on the Reform of the Privilege of the Church", "On the Babylonian Prisoner of the Church" and "On Christ". Freedom of the Apprentice" and other articles.
"On the Prisoner of Babylon in the Church"
Luther's handwriting
In that era, there were no newspapers, televisions, and even the Internet, but due to the invention of the German Gutenberg printing press, the spread of European culture changed with each passing day. During this period, as many as 81 Luther's works were published and translated into multiple languages, as many as 653 prints. It was precisely because of the advanced printing revolution that Martin Luther became a star in Europe at that time.
The secretary of the Bishop of Trier presided over the questioning of Luther. He asked Luther whether he admitted that these books were written by him, and of course he could deny it.
At this time, the law professor of Wittenberg University and Luther’s legal counsel shouted: "Show the name of the book!"
So, the titles of Luther’s works were read out loudly one by one, so that the audience could It is clear how Luther attacked the Pope and the Holy See.
Empire Conference scene
The host of the Empire Conference looked forward to Luther, but simply answered the question with "yes" and "no". He is not allowed to debate. Such restrictions made Luther feel overwhelmed, and he even felt a little angry. According to his assumptions, there should be 50 theology professors present, arguing with him, but faced with "you wrote these books? Yes. Are you willing to take them back? No." Then he was sentenced.
His voice also became faint, and was swallowed in the spacious hall, making it difficult for the people standing behind to hear him. Luther said that the question of faith and spiritual happiness in heaven is related to the word of God, which is the highest and greatest treasure in heaven and on earth. Therefore, if I speak without thinking, it will cause wrong judgments and dangerous disposal for me. Finally, Luther whispered to the conference for an extension.
This should disappoint the vast audience in the hall. However, this is indeed a flexible strategy. His request added suspense to his appearance and controlled the development process of the conference, so that he had the opportunity to get a second possibility and express his views at the conference again. Luther was given time to think and was ordered to come back for a hearing a few days later.
Later, according to Luther’s supporters, some of the empire representatives who were present warned Luther that he should deal with it as a person, the death of the body, not the soul, so there is no need to be afraid.
Some people compare the appearance of Luther in Worms to that of Christ on the road of crucifixion. Luther came to the Imperial Congress to use this largest and most influential platform in Europe to speak out his beliefs. In this regard, Alexander, the representative of the Pope of Rome, warned the dignitaries from the very beginning.
Later, there was a legend that when he received Martin Luther, he was given a glass of poisoned wine. Thank God, the glass broke in his hand when he was not drinking, and Luther escaped again. After
, Luther often said, "In fact, I have no fear of these. God can make me so good. I don't know, can I still be so good today?" During this period, the Empire Conference discussed other issues. Luther was summoned again on the afternoon of April 18 and waited outside for two hours before it was his turn to hear. This time, he was taken to a larger hall, which was full of people, and even some grand princes could only stand. Luther later recalled that when he first entered the hall, he felt dark, only some burning torches illuminate the hall. The emperor’s proclaimer repeated the question he asked the other day. Luther answered again in a soft but firm voice, first in Latin and then in German. At the same time, as a person, he used such a "not in People living in the palace, but the people living in the monastery" are expressions. He apologized to the emperor and kings present, because he had to express his thoughts to all walks of life, so some content might not suit their tastes. He admitted that he wrote those books, but he could not use the same style of writing. Sometimes, he used the plain and clear words of God to preach. On other occasions, he criticized the false pastors of the Roman church. Sometimes he just wrote to some people to let them know that it was wrong to defend and support Rome's tyranny.
Luther said loudly at the conference that he could not take back those books, otherwise, “will let all those prophets disappear because they said to the people of Christ: peace, peace! But the result is not peace.” Emperor
The defense representative was irritated and accused Luther of "not answering the question correctly, he should not use sharp words, but should use a simple, peaceful and correct way to answer, whether he retracted his point of view."
Luther answered Said: "Because my conscience is closely tied to the word of God, I cannot and will not take it back. If I do something contrary to my conscience, it is dangerous and impossible. God help me, Amen." According to the official records of the Empire Conference , Luther ended himself with these wordsAnswer. In the folk version of the conference report published by Wittenberg, Luther ended up like this: "I stand here and have no choice. God help me, Amen." Perhaps, he has not actually said this sentence. , And this sentence quickly became a household name, and it expressed Luther's sacrifice in attending the Imperial Conference. After Luther finished speaking, there was a fierce debate in the meeting. However, it was late at night and the Empire Convention was about to end. What happened later? Someone recorded: “However, the Spaniards (Karl’s everywhere) despised and ridiculed the servant of God, Dr. Martin, when Luther walked back from the verdict hall to his hotel.” Someone reportedly heard them yelling: “ Send him to the fire, to the fire!"
The Romans roared to drink Luther's blood, and their accomplices were the bishops from Mainz and Meersburg. Luther's expression was calm. After thinking about it, Bishop Trier said: "I don't see any reason to sentence him to death. What about you? Do you? I want him to go." Luther is a devout Christian. However, the priest yelled: "You should burn him to death!" So they put Luther's writings on a pile of pyre with a portrait of Luther on it. On the left is Hu Teng’s work, on the right is Karl Stadt’s. However, when the fire burned the books to ashes, the portrait of Luther was intact. The title of the leaflet is The Crucifixion of Dr. Martin Luther.
Martin Luther himself compared the journey of Worms to the crucifixion of Jesus, and believes that he is similar to the path of Christ.
Luther Monument
Luther's call for "conscience" means that the freedom of human thinking is that a single individual makes decisions for his own behavior. This is the inherent right of every individual. Perhaps Luther's thinking is slightly different here. In fact, the German "conscience" (Gewissen), a word often used by Luther, is closely related to the word "knowledge".
Luther quoted the words in the "New Testament" regarding the salvation of people by faith: "Because the righteousness of God is being revealed in this gospel. This righteousness is based on faith and even faith. As written in the scriptures, the righteous must Live by faith.” (Romans 1-17)
Luther returned to the hotel happily and peacefully, and said to the people present: If he had a thousand heads, even if they were cut off, he would not take him back. View.
As he walked through the crowd, he felt the Augsburg humanist Pudinger there. Luther said to him, "Dr. Pudinger, are you here? Doctor, where are your wife and children?"
returned to the hostel, and King Friedrich expressed satisfaction, but Spallatin was worried. , He yelled: "The lecture by Dr. Father Martin before the Emperor and all the dukes and the representatives of the empire is good, but it seems to me too presumptuous."
Even those who are not interested in Luther's theological theory , Also expressed shock for Luther's resistance in Worms. Because as an ordinary monk, it takes a lot of courage to face the most powerful people in Europe at that time. Because the Catholics refused to debate with Luther, this achieved Luther's moral and cultural victory. He carried out a completely shocking action against a deep and hard to shake authoritarian society. In fact, this cleans up all the old rules and bad habits of European society before this, and subverts the old world order that has ruled the Middle Ages for hundreds of years.
Soon, the phenomenon of "controversy and division" that Luther talked about at the Empire Conference appeared. The humanist Hu Teng wrote two letters to his "sacred friend" about this important event, in which he warned Luther to stick to himself bravely and firmly. At the same time, it warned the "dogs" that they were opponents of Luther. Condemned the burning of Luther's books and called on people to rise up manly against the feminine bishop. These two letters were quickly printed and became popular.
Sikkingen, a knight on the Rhine, holds an armed force in his hand, collects protection money from the wealthy city, and expresses his admiration and support for Luther. At that time, road traffic was not safe, and knights and robbers often rob past merchants. It also happened during the Worms Empire Conference.
Hu Teng proved to Sijingen that Luther's behavior was correct, so Sijingen invited Luther to take refuge in Fort Ebern under his control. In this regard, Luther expressed a very cautious decline. In fact, the Sikingen knights provided Luther with more than just armed protection, they were also prepared to take up arms to defend the Protestant religion. Later, the uprisings of Xijinggen and Hu Teng wereTo the suppression of the imperial army.
Luther Monument
On the night of April 18, 1521, Emperor Karl V drafted the treatment of Luther in Worms. He avoided making a theological verdict on Luther himself, and instead wrote implicitly: "Our ancestors, as well as the Duke of Christianity, have not diminished the respect of the Roman church against which Dr. Martin was opposed." He said that one alone. Of monks can disrupt theological theories. Therefore, Luther and his followers will have to be expelled from the country and church. This is a self-evident decision for the church and tradition.
On May 26, the day after the end of the Worms Conference, Luther had already left. Emperor Karl V officially signed the "Worms Edict", declaring that Luther was not protected by law. In the document, Emperor Carl used the idiom "Vogelfrei" at that time, which meant "free bird", but in fact was a person not protected by law.
The Imperial Assembly announced on May 26, 1521 that the emperor’s Worms’ Encyclical signed on May 18 was to follow the "Excommunicated Encyclical" issued by the Pope to Luther, prohibiting the entire territory of the empire. It is forbidden to read and print Luther’s articles and books. Martin Luther is available to everyone and punishable. And this "Deprivation of Legal Protection Order" was announced after the Imperial Assembly officially ended, so its legal effect was questioned. However, Luther was escorted by the Grand Duke. Later, Karl V expressed regret for this, because the subsequent religious reform movement torn up the empire. On May 4, 1521, Luther was secretly kidnapped by the knights of the Duke of Friedrich while passing a forest in Bad Liebenstein on May 4, 1521, and he was taken back to the country to hide in Wattenburg. .
Two days later, Luther wrote in his letter to Cranach: “In the short term, you should remain silent and suffer torture. You should not look at me so lightly, you have to look at me so lightly.”
in Wartburg In the castle, Luther translated the Bible from Latin to German for the first time, allowing ordinary people to directly listen to God's words. At the same time, let Highland German become the common language in all parts of Germany, and at the language level, unify the aristocratic territories of the fragmented German land.
Martin Luther not only left Europe with the victory of the Reformation, but also laid the ideological foundation for the "freedom, equality and fraternity" proposed during the French Revolution in Europe. He said: "By faith, Christians are free people in the world, without surrendering to anyone; through fraternity, Christians are servants who serve everyone and can surrender to anyone."
would like to commemorate this article. The 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation. Luther's signature
(October 1, 2017 at Chengdu Jade Residence)
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Reinhard Schwarz: "Luther"
Gerhard Ebeling: “Martin Luther”.
Martin Brecht: “Martin Luther”.
Julius Köstlin: “Martin Luther”.2012
Cornelia Dömer: “Mit Martin Luther unterwegs: Ein biografischer Holisefünslingerz, 2
