This essay compares and contrasts St. Ignatius Loyola and Church. Of particular to the Reformation and Martin Luther concerning religion and the Church. Of particular interest are their viewpoints with regard to the Reformation and its impact.
Luther and Loyola were two great men of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Both were medieval in their approach to philosophy, especially when compared to such thinkers as Erasmus or Thomas More.
Martin Luther (1483-1546) began his religious career as an Augustinian monk. He was a professor of biblical exegesis at Wittenberg, where in 1517 he posted his critique of the Roman Catholic Church's practices. This critique is known as 'The Ninety-Five Theses,' usually considered as the original document of the Reformation. Luther mainly believed that mankind is justified by faith alone, and not by good works. Consequently, due to this approach, Luther felt that one's personal faith does not require the many rituals and sacraments of the Roman Church, due to this approach, Luther felt that not require the many rituals and sacram and he thus challenged Papal authority.
St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) was the founder of the Society of Jesus (Order of Jesuits) . Loyola was the son of the Spanish ducal house of Loyola. After being severely wounded in the battle of Pamplona in 1521, he resigned from the military and dedicated himself to the service of the Virgin. He projected the Order of the Society of Jesus in 1534, and it was confirmed by Paul III in 1540. Loyola's Spiritual Exercises is a manual of devotions and prayer--it is also a treatise on applied psychology as an inducement to mystic vision. Because Loyola had been a soldier, the Jesuit Order was founded on military models. Every Jesuit was to think of himself as a warrior in battle against heresy. Just as Luther's influence generated the Protestant Reformation, so did Loyola's teachings help to launch the Counter-Re...