Reformation Perspectives

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 J

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entire Christian religion, but was more the dogma of the protesting faction--the Protestants. As Tillich points out: "The Reformation itself was very wide open. But when all kinds of attacks were directed against the Reformation, the result was a very narrow Protestant Orthodoxy--here we call it 'fundamentalism'--which represented a narrowing down of the Reformation in resistance against the attacks." (Tillich 211) The Roman Catholic Church has traditionally acted as an intermediary between God and mankind. But Luther did not agree with this approach. He believed that one's relationship to God is personal and cannot be otherwise. An institution should not come between God and His people. Consequently, Luther believed there is only one authority for Christianity, and that authority is the Bible. One's relationship to God is based on what Luther called 'faith.' A person's relationship to the Church has nothing to do with one's relationship to God. In the Roman is the Bible. One's nothing to do with one's relationship to God. In the Roman Church, however, the Holy Eucharist can only be administered to worshippers by a hierarchy of priests. Luther did not agree with this at all--this doctrine depends entirely on an insti
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