martin-lutherMartin Luther became a student at the University of Efurt in 1501. He studied Aristotle and was drawn to philosophy and theology. However, he was unsatisfied with just reason. Therefore, he decided to become a monk and devote his life to God. As a monk, he felt a spiritual dryness. This was because he became very critical of his own failings and felt his sin magnified rather than weakened. His spiritual director therefore gave him more work so he wouldn’t become so introspected.
In 1517, Martin Luther first protested to the Catholic church about the sale of indulgences. (the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven). Martin Luther argued that is was faith alone that could provide the remission of sin and not monetary payments.
The church was slow to respond to the criticism of Martin Luther, and in this period Martin became a prolific writer and his writings were widely distributed throughout Europe