History of Lutheranism

History Of Lutheranism

Lutheranism as a religious movement originated in the early 16th century Holy Roman Empire as a reform movement within the Roman Catholic Church. The movement originated with the call for a public debate by Martin Luther, then a professor of Bible at the young University of Wittenberg. From this beginning, Lutheranism soon became a wider religious and political movement within the Holy Roman Empire owing to support from key electors and the widespread adoption of the printing press. This movement soon spread throughout northern Europe and became the driving force behind the wider Protestant Reformation that would redraw maps of Europe and spark immigration to the newly discovered American continent.

After the initial spread of Lutheranism, the movement would be a prime component in both military conflicts that redrew the map of Europe as well as theological conflict that shaped nearly every corner of Christianity. Today, Lutheranism has spread from the academic debates of 16th century Europe to all six populated continents.