Martin Luther: Saint or Sinner?
Saint
2. He is a saint because the people loved him. He was saying what a lot of people were thinking. The second photo is a map of what Europe looked like after Martin Luther. Martin Luther helped give the people a voice. After Martin Luther made his theses, we can see how much of Europe converted to some type of Protestant religion. There were so many people that had the same beliefs as him and because he helped these people, he is a saint.
3. Lastly, Martin Luther is a saint because he stands up for what he believes in. In the final picture, Martin Luther is painted with a quote about how all he needs is Jesus Christ and that will never falter. He will stand by Jesus Christ no matter what. This makes him a good person because he is willing to go against authority in order to defend his beliefs. He refuses to recant his statements when presented to authority. His 95 theses were controversial and he probably knew that there would be disapproving reactions but he knows that he needs to stand up for he believes is right. Being a saint requires you to be loyal to your beliefs and Martin Luther does just that.
Sinner
2. He is also a sinner because the Catholic Church hates him. The church goes as far as exiling him. He gets the chance to recant what he says about the church and still does not. In this photo, Martin Luther is standing before the church officials and state that he does not wish to recant his writings. By saying that what the church is doing is wrong and making the church hate him, he is a sinner.
3. He is also hated by the Pope and wants the Pope to lose power. He would like to take away some of his money and power. Anyone who doesn't want the Pope to prosper is a sinner because he is the most powerful authority in the church. He should look up to the Pope and want him to prosper but, instead, he wants the opposite. In the last image, Martin Luther is depicted burning the Pope's bull. This event shows the negative relationship between the two men.
Citations
"Map of Europe After Martin Luther" Google Images. 22 December 2015.
"Martin Luther" Google Images. 22 December 2015.
"Martin Luther and the Pope" Google Images. 22 December 2015.
"Martin Luther Beliefs" Google Images. 22 December 2015.
"Martin Luther Movie" Google Images. 22 December 2015.