Martin Luther: A Life, by James Nestigen

Chapters Three & Four

1.  As Nestigen says, “There is good money in bad religion.”  What were indulgences and how were they used and abused?  What enabled John Tetzel to be such an effective indulgence salesman?  How do religious hucksters continue to separate fools and their money today?

2.  “In the years following the explosion out of Wittenberg, Roman Catholic officials made several direct efforts to contain the damage.  Several people got involved with the “fire control,” including Johann Staupitz (by assigning Luther to lecture); Frederick the Wise (who ignored pressure from Rome to preserve his own political and financial control); and theologian Thomas Cardinal Cajetan (who met privately with Luther in a disconcertingly meeting).  Why did none of these curb Luther and his agenda?

                                                                

3.  Describe the relationship between Luther and Philip Melanchthon.  How did they assist each other over the years?

4.  Luther’s theological approach was termed as, “dialectical.”  He often used two extreme positions to arrive at a conclusion somewhere in the middle.  He did so in the “Heidelberg Disputation,” where he set up a contrast between a theology of glory and a theology of the cross.  His basic question:  “How do human beings really come to know God?”  In light of this contrast between glory and the cross, what was Luther’s answer?

5.  What were the effects of Luther’s writings being distributed to the laity via pamphlets (“flugschriften” – flying writings)?  Why were these so effective?

6.  Luther concluded that there are only two sacraments, not seven.  Why did he make this distinction? 

7.  What was Luther’s definition of “Christian freedom?”  How is this different from secular freedom (political & personal)?

8.  Luther was excommunicated in 1520 by the pope.  What was Luther’s “fiery” response? 

9.  What happened at the Diet of Worms?