Bible Studies

Additional Resources for A Man Named Martin - Part 1: The Man

Use these additional resources to supplement your study on this topic. Because of the Internet's changing nature, a link may modify or get deleted. If you discover a bad link in the list below, please contact us!

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SESSION ONE:

• Comprehensive Reformation Website:
  A great overall website on the Reformation.
• Luther's Formative Years:
  A fascinating account of Luther's formative years, up through his completion of elementary school.
• Martin Luther on the Plague
  
• Observant Augustinians:
  The monastic movement called the Order of Saint Augustine traced its founding to Saint Augustine (d. 430). Before Luther's time an observant movement started among the Augustinians to focus on increased spirituality.
• Welcome to a Day in the Life of a Monk:
  Experience a day in the life of a monk, from his early rising, to his praying, labor, and the overall austerity that marks a man's monastic decision.

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SESSION TWO:

• The Flagellants:
  This fanatical and heretical sect took self-flagellation to an extreme 200 years before Luther's time; their activities help explain the purposes of self-flagellation among monks like Luther.
• Of the Awful Judgment: For Awakening Fear in Oneself:
  Centuries before Luther, St. Anselm wrote about sin and righteousness. His meditations on the depth of our sinfulness help explain why Luther's monastic period made his feelings of guilt and unworthiness increase.
• Johann von Staupitz:
  This is a biographical sketch of Luther's Augustinian supervisor.
• Rome and Romans -- Martin Luther:
  The backdrop and particulars of Luther's first trip to Rome, which greatly discouraged him.

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SESSION THREE:

• Pope Leo X:
  This article gives a biography of Pope Leo X, all that he was involved in, and why he needed so much money.
• The Medici Family
  This article traces the history and powerful influence of the Medici family, of which Pope Leo X was a member.
• St. Peter's Basilica:
  
• The Roman Catholic Church in the Late Middle Ages:
  This article describes the structure of the late medieval Roman Catholic Church, the various offices, and monastic movements.
• Roman Teachings About Indulgences:
  Learn more about indulgences.
• When Did Indulgences Begin?
  Learn about the history of indulgences.
• John Tetzel:
  This brief biography describes the Dominican monk who stirred Luther's response to indulgences.
• How did Luther Come to Preach Against Indulgences?
  Discover how Luther became involved with the indulgences controversy.
• Image of an Indulgence:
  See what an actual indulgence looked like.
• Heroes and Saints of the Reformation: Frederick the Wise (1463-1525):
  This article introduces us to Frederick the Wise.
• Top 10 Religious Relics:
  Read about religious relics from Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.
• From St. Peter's Bones to Severed Heads: Christian Relics on Display:
  Here is a list of Christian relics that can be seen today.
• Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences:
  The text of the 95 Theses.
• Blest Halloween!
  Discover why Martin Luther chose October 31 as the day to nail his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
• How the Printing Press Changed the World:
  
• How Luther Went Viral:
  Learn how social media helped bring about the Reformation.
• What a Difference a Half Millennium Makes!
  Explore the way Luther was viewed during his life and throughout the centuries following his death.

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SESSION FOUR:

• Johannes Tetzel:
  Here is a biography of the infamous indulgence salesman.
• Johann Tetzel's Rebuttal Against Luther's Sermon on Indulgences and Grace:
  See how Tetzel responded to Luther's sermon against indulgences published in 1518.
• Jan Hus:
  This biography gives us information on the life, teachings and death of Jan Hus, who was influential in the life and thought of Martin Luther.
• Luther's Attitude toward John Huss:
  What was Luther's relationship with John Huss? Find out here.
• The Heidelberg Disputation:
  In answer to Luther's 95 Theses, Johannes Staupitz, Luther's superior, called for a formal disputation on indulgences among the Augustinian Order. Here is Luther's disputation.
• Luther's Theology of the Cross:
  Learn what Luther meant by his "theology of the cross."
• Sylvester Prierias:
  Learn more about Prierias.
• Formal Legal Proceedings Against Luther Begin in Rome:
  This article describes the involvement of Prierias in the legal proceedings against Luther in Rome.
• Tomasso de Vio (Cardinal) Cajetan:
  This biography gives the background of Cardinal Cajetan.
• Luther meets with Cajetan at Augsburg:
  This article describes Luther's meetings with Cardinal Cajetan.
• Electoral Saxony (The Once and Never Kings):
  This article gives a brief history of Electoral Saxony.
• Leipzig Debate:
  This article describes the debate between Luther and John Eck.
• Johann Eck:
  This biographical sketch shows us Luther's former friend and Leipzig opponent.
• Treatise on Good Works
  
• Treatise to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation
  
• On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church
  
• Concerning Christian Liberty
  
• Luther's Tower Experience:
  Luther describes the process by which he came to learn what Paul meant by the phrase, "righteousness of God."
• Text of the Papal Bull Exsurge Domine
  
• Bull Exsurge Domine Proclaimed in Rome:
  This article describes the significance of Pope Leo X's papal bull.
• Charles V:
  This contains a brief biographical sketch of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
• Luther Appears Before the Emperor at Worms:
  This contains a brief sketch of the occasion.

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SESSION FIVE:

• Text of the Edict of Worms:
  After a brief introduction, this link presents the full edict of Charles V.
• More About the Wartburg:
  This page gives a brief history of the Wartburg Castle, from its foundation in 1067 to its placement on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.
  
• How We Got the Bible:
  Check out this Men's NetWork video Bible study from our list of resources.
• Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt:
  This Wittenberg pastor pushed the Reformation to such extremes it finally drew Luther out of the safety of the Wartburg.
  
• Luther's Reaction to the Changes in Wittenberg:
  Discover how Luther reacted to the overreaching changes of Karlstadt in Wittenberg.
• Knights' Revolt and Great Peasants' War:
  The Reformation drew out two great revolts-first the knights, then the peasants.
• Thomas Muentzer:
  This article describes how Thomas Muentzer went from Luther's protege to leader of the Peasant War.
• Attitudes Toward the Use of Force and Violence:
  Discover attitudes toward the use of force and violence among reformers such as Thomas Muentzer, Menno Simons, and Martin Luther.
• Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants:
  Martin Luther is often criticized for having written this letter supporting governmental action against the peasants.
• The German Mass and Order of Divine Service:
  In January 1526, Luther wrote about the German Mass.
• Luther and Music:
  Read about Luther's contributions to Lutheran worship and his thoughts on the relation between music and God's Word.
• Luther and the Church's Song:
  Learn about Luther's hymn-writing.
• Christmas in the Land of Luther:
  Hear how Luther taught and preached about the significance of Christ's coming at Christmas.
• Visitations Begin in Saxony:
  This article describes the parish visitations that led to Luther writing his Large and Small Catechisms.
• The Saxon Visitations (1528): Insights for Contemporary Lutheran Church Life:
  Discover the reasons for Luther's visitation of the Saxon congregations.
• Martin Luther's Small Catechism
  
• Martin Luther's Large Catechism
  
• Historical Context of the Augsburg Confession:
  Learn how the Augsburg Confession came about.
• Philip Melanchthon: Confessor of the Faith:
  Read about what happened when the leaders of the German empire assembled in Augsburg and Philip Melanchthon presented the confession of the Lutheran princes.
• Luther's Contribution to the Augsburg Confession:
  Discover how Luther's writings guided Philip Melanchthon's writing of the Augsburg Confession.
• Charles V and the Lutheran Princes in Conflict
  See the section entitled "Imperialist goals... and fight against Protestantism."
• The Protest of the Princes:
  This article gives a brief history; it then includes the text of the Lutheran princes' protest, from which the term "Protestant" came.
• Ulrich Zwingli:
  This article gives a history of Ulrich Zwingli.
• The Evangelical Debate over the Person of Christ in the 16th Century: Luther and Zwingli at Marburg (1529):
  Read about the debate between Luther and Zwingli at Marburg.
• The Presence of Christ's Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Altar According to Luther:
  Read about Luther's debate with Zwingli over the Lord's Supper.
• Luther and the War Against the Turks:
  As Suleiman II and his Turkish armies threatened Vienna in Austria as well as the Holy Roman Empire, Luther was asked to respond to the threat. See what he wrote.
• The Diet of Augsburg:
  This article has a variety of documents related to the Reformation, including a description of the events leading up to the Diet of Augsburg.
• The Schmalkaldic League:
  This article discusses the creation, rise and fall of the League the Lutheran Princes put together to defend themselves from Emperor Charles V.
• The Smalcald Articles of Martin Luther:
  Luther subtitled these "Articles of Christian Doctrine which were to have been presented on our part to the Council, if any had been assembled at Mantua or elsewhere, indicating what we could accept or yield, and what we could not."
• Politics and Religion in the Smalcald League:
  How did it happen that secular authorities such as a political alliance of princes and cities (the Smalcald League) took up the theological questions of what to say at a church council?
• Luther's Life Part 1
  In 1549 Philip Melanchthon wrote a biography of Luther's life. Part 1 includes information he learned from Martin's mother and brother, his education, and interesting details of his life.
• Luther's Life Part 2
  In 1549 Philip Melanchthon wrote a biography of Luther's life. Part 2 includes a description of Luther's death, an elegy, and a funeral oration.
• Luther's Last Battles:
  Read about Luther's life after 1530, including the effect his declining health and frequent illnesses had on his work.
• Martin Luther's Last Days:
  
• Luther's Last Written Words:
  These include his statement that "We are all beggars."
• How Dr. Martin Luther Died:
  Learn about Luther's death as well as the various fictions that Luther's enemies spread about it.
• Funeral Sermon by Justas Jonas
  
• Funeral Sermon by Wittenberg Pastor Johann Bugenhagen
  
• Funeral Sermon by Philip Melanchthon
  
• What Would Luther Say?
  Luther left a "Spiritual Last Will and Testament" to prevent people from claiming that he would support their spiritual errors if he were only around to reconsider.
• (Amazon) Luther, the Reformer by James Kittelson
  
• (Amazon) Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton
  
• (Amazon) What Luther Says compiled by Ewald M. Plass