What was the Catholic Church's response to Martin Luther?

Answer 1

The Catholic Church condemned Martin Luther as a heretic, excommunicated him from the Church and refuted those of his writings that were against the Faith. Ultimately, however, Martin Luther was a symptom to a much larger problem, for had it not been Luther, it would have been someone else. Had Luther not struck at the time he had, he would have just been another heresiarch, but the world was festering at the time, rulers were looking for political leverage to oust the Church, the printing press gave immeasurable power for those that applied its ability to replicate tracts, and a new class of society was looking to firmly establish itself where it could.

At the time, Europe had for a while been influenced by Humanism as well as an emerging middle class that was constantly struggling to forge its own place in the disintegrating feudal system. As the roads became safer and trade and travel increased, many old Greek and Roman texts reemerged from the monasteries and education geared up. Crusaders also brought back from the Holy Land many ancient parchments and works that the Muslims had already recovered and were studying themselves. The culmination of all this change and emergence was the Renaissance. Things began to change and progress so fast that the Church, which always worked very slowly, soon fell behind in addressing those issues that had come to light, both abuses and needs. Many make the sale of indulgences as the big issue, when in fact, it was mostly done by unscrupulous pardoners or slyly promoted by a handful of greedy Church officials and so was a rather petty thing. There were much more pressing matters, such as the relation of the Church to emerging nationalism and the immense political pressures that were surfacing, the threat of the invading Muslims, the loosening of the rubrics, multiplication of religious orders and devotions, challenges of humanistic philosophy against the theology of the Church, etc. The emerging Middle Class brought with it a rebellious streak that saw the desire for power without nobility, wealth without titles, education without responsibility and philosophy without theology. The entire social order was quaking and in the centuries ahead would finally end with revolutions in most every country.

In this time the Church began what has been called the "Counter-Reformation" in order to reinforce the Church and bolster the faithful against the rampant errors and rebellious ideologies that were so popular. The pinnacle of this movement was the Council of Trent, which blasted the errors, streamlined Church doctrine, the sacraments, further defined things to proof them against heresy and boldly set forth a direction for the Church to follow. As a result the Catholic heart of Europe ultimately survived the rippling Protestant revolt, though several nations and the northern regions proved highly susceptible. The Renaissance became harnessed by the Church in order to produce the height of Church architecture, music, art and theological studies and schools became defined and precise. The modern spirit, however, was deep set and there to stay and the Church has been battling with it ever since.

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Catholic AnswerThe Church's response to Martin Luther, the protestant revolt, and his leading people away from salvation is called the Counter-Reformation by scholars:

from

Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

A period of Catholic revival from 1522 to about 1648, better know as the Catholic Reform. It was an effort to stem the tide of Protestantism by genuine reform within the Catholic Church. There were political movements pressured by civil rules, and ecclesiastical movements carried out by churchmen in an attempt to restore genuine Catholic life by establishing new religious orders such as the Society of Jesus and restoring old orders to their original observances, such as the Carmelites under St. Teresa of Avila (1515-98). The main factors responsible for the Counter Reformation, however, were the papacy and the council of Trent (1545-63). Among church leaders St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84), Archbishop of Milan, enforced the reforms decreed by the council, and St. Francis de Sales of Geneva (1567-1622) spent his best energies in restoring genuine Catholic doctrine and piety. Among civil rulers sponsoring the needed reform were Philip II of Spain (1527-98) and Mary Tudor (1516-58), his wife, in England. Unfortunately this aspect of the reformation led to embitterment between England and Scotland, England and Spain, Poland and Sweden, and to almost two centuries of religious wars. As a result of the Counter Reformation, the Catholic Church became stronger in her institutional structure, more dedicated to the work of evangelization, and more influential in world affairs.

Answer 2

they excommunicated luther, had his written works put on a list of banned books, and attempted kill him
There response was known as the Counter reformation, and it consisted of a general housecleaning of the practices of which Luther spoke in his thesis.

Answer 3

Catholic AnswerThere are none within the Church who would refer to the Martin Luther's actions as "religious reform". Martin Luther was a troubled soul, an apostate Augustianian friar, and the author of the great apostasy called "the reformation". The Church's response to that apostasy was called "The Counter-Reformation":

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957The Counter-Reformation is the name given to the Catholic movement of reform and activity which lasted for about one hundred years from the beginning of the Council of Trent (q.v., 1545), and was the belated answer to the threatening confusion and increasing attacks of the previous years. It was the work principally of the Popes St. Pius V and Gregory XIII and the Council itself in the sphere of authority, of SS. Philip Neri and Charles Borromeo in the reform of the clergy and of life, of St. Ignatius and the Jesuits in apostolic activity of St. Francis Xavier in foreign missions, and of St. Teresa in the purely contemplative life which lies behind them all. But these were not the only names nor was it a movement of a few only; the whole Church emerged from the 15th century purified and revivified. On the other hand, it was a reformation rather than a restoration; the unity of western Christendom was destroyed; the Church militant (those still on earth) led by the Company of Jesus adopted offence as the best means of defence and, though she gained as much as she lost in some sense, the Church did not recover the exercise of her former spiritual supremacy in actuality.

AnswerWhile the Roman Catholic Church did introduce its own Reformation to clean up its act, Luther was the catalyst who brought to a head a great deal of dissent about corruption within the Roman Church, starting the Protestant reformation. Part of this corruption centred round the selling of indulgences - certificates 'guaranteeing' that a dead loved one would spend less time in purgatory if a large sum of money was paid. The Church introduced the dogma of 'no salvation outside the Church' but Luther realised that scripture says that salvation lies in faith in Jesus Christ alone and not in belonging to any institution.

On beginning the reformation, the pope's action was to excommunicate Luther. Luther took this in his stride, but, for the pope, this action was seen as not just a punishment but a damnation for eternity as the doctrine of 'no salvation outside the Church' was still very much believed by him.

This reformation was the beginning of a great deal of breaking up of the Church - and included Calvin, Zwingli and even King Henry VIII in England - who also split from Rome. The pope's actions usually, in desperation, involved excommunication.

And in the Middle we have

Me. Who can see this from a different perspective. When you have trouble in a family, it would be best to solve your problems internally, work to effect change from within .If we could have all worked together, we would have no PROTESTants.I would rather be in a happy family than hanging out with Protestors.And really , these Protestant founders effectively excommunicated themselves . The Pope just made it official.

Answer 4

Catholic Answer

By attempting to correct this erring friar, when he would not recant, he was excommunicated and the Church attempted to save those people who were being led away from salvation by his teachings. This movement was called the counter-reformation by modern scholars. The primary response was the Council of Trent, and a great flourishing of religious orders and great saints.

Answer 5

they hated him