How Martin Luther’s Protestantism Became a Faith-Based Old Testament Cult

The year is 1517, and Martin Luther has just posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenburg Catholic Church. Protestant reformers were soon to be free of indulgences, idolatry, and corrupt clergymen…so far so good. But what happened next leaves us religious historians scratching our heads, why did the Protestants decide to dilute the New Testament Covenant with a backward plunge into relative Old Testament inscrutability? And how did their “redemption by faith alone” come about? Did Protestants throw out the Catholic baby with the bathwater?

Martin Luther attaching his 95 Theses to the Catholic Church at Wittenburg in 1517. Luther didn’t invent Protestantism, but he got to set some of the early terms and claim ownership…he invested in and improved the product, you can call him the Steven Jobs/Elon Musk/Al Gore of Christianity?

The Protestant Reformation, Made Simple: Martin Luther was not the first to protest against the corrupt practices of the Medieval Catholic church. Earlier rumblings included 8th Century Eastern Orthodox Iconoclasts, 12th Century Waldensians, and 14th Century Lollards. Each was generally protesting the corruption of the Catholic Church, which was systematic while allowing twisted priestly opportunism. Regardless of their original intentions, the Catholic Church began selling indulgences (essentially a chance to buy a relative’s way into heaven), depending too much on icon worship (a basic Biblical no-no), not-so-celibate priests/nuns, and Simony (political or monetary influence in appointing clergy), plus fierce (and sometimes deadly) reprisals for anyone bringing up the above…