How did Martin Luther idea about religion threaten the church?

Answer 1

First, you may be thinking of the "Reformation," rather than the Renaissance. Martin Luther was from Germany and he was originally a Catholic priest. But he began to have disagreements with the Pope and the Church over "indulgences"-- a corrupt practice that allowed believers to basically pay a sum of money in order to be forgiven for their sins; the money that was raised was used to fund church projects. Luther thought this was wrong-- he believed forgiveness came only from God and he said so. He also believed salvation came chiefly through faith in Jesus Christ, not through good works; in addition, he challenged the authority and infallibility of the Pope. In the year 1517, Luther wrote the controversial "Ninety-Five Theses"-- in this document, Luther discussed the areas where he felt the Catholic church was incorrect in its teachings and he also again stressed that selling forgiveness of sins was morally wrong. To make sure everyone saw it, he posted a copy to the door of the Castle Church in the city of Wittenberg.

Thanks to the newly invented printing press, many Germans (not just the church elite) were able to read Luther's criticisms of Catholic theology. Needless to say, church leaders were not amused. Pope Leo and other church theologians attacked what Luther had said, but Luther was unwilling to recant. Ultimately, in 1521, he was excommunicated-- asked to leave the church. Meanwhile, Germans who had felt uncomfortable about the absolute power and authority of the Pope and the church hierarchy began to side with Luther. This led to a Protestant religion (Protestants were those who "Protested") that came to be known as Lutheranism. It also led to a loss of power for the Pope and the growth of the Protestant faith in Germany.

And a quick PS: often, when students ask this question, they confuse Martin Luther with the great civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. They are two entirely different men from two entirely different countries, races, and centuries.

Answer 2

Martin Luther's ideas were threatening because his ideas went against what the Roman Catholics were teaching. The points he made shed light onto the truth in The Bible that salvation can not be earned. This idea took away the Catholic church's major source of income, paying to wipe out sins. God's love for all humans and their faith in his Son is all that's necessary. God gave his only Son to die and thereby paid the cost of all sin. All we humans must do is believe in Jesus Christ.

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Catholic AnswerMartin Luther was not a monk, he was a friar. Martin Luther at no time "threatened" the Catholic Church. The only thing that Martin Luther threatened was his own salvation. Martin Luther had a perverted view of salvation, and actually rewrote the Bible to agree with his own interpretation of how he wanted to be saved. The Catholic Church did every thing in its power to save him, and to limit the danger caused by his heretical ideas on other folk, but was unsuccessful in northern Germany due to greedy princes. So Martin Luther did threaten the salvation of generations of people who have inherited his perverted views and teachings, but hardly the Body of Christ on earth, which is guaranteed by Christ, Himself, and led by the Holy Spirit.