Luther’s Authority

Martin Luther’s 95 theses, expressing his doubts about papal indulgences and other matters, eventually found their way to Pope Leo X. The controversy soon escalated. Luther asked for the opportunity to enter into disputations over justification and other matters with learned theologians of the church. Two such debates occurred, in Augsburg and Leipzig, against Cardinal Cajetan and John Eck, two of the top theologians of the sixteenth century. Both tried to show Luther that his views on justification went against teachings laid down both by church councils and by popes. Luther admitted that there were differences, but he asserted that he believed that church councils and even the pope could err. As a result, in 1520, Leo excommunicated Luther by a papal bull titled Exsurge Domine. Those Latin words, which mean “Arise, O Lord,” are borrowed from the opening line of the declaration: “Arise, O Lord, and judge Thy cause. A wild boar has invaded Thy vineyard.”

Luther then appealed to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, asking that he be vindicated and that the state press the church to reform. That led to Luther being summoned to appear before the emperor and a group of imperial electors in the German city of Worms. Luther was not given the chance to make his case but was asked only two questions: Whether the books on display were his and whether he would recant of the contents. He acknowledged that the books were his and then, terrified, asked for 24 hours to consider the second question. The next day, he answered in ringing words: “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

The emperor immediately determined Luther to be a heretic and eventually placed a price on his head, as Luther had known he would. But Luther had fought too long and hard to gain peace with God to give his consent to doctrines that held people in the grip of the same fear he had known. He believed what the Bible said—that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ—and so stood against the world.