MARTIN LUTHER APPEARS BEFORE THE HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR CHARLES V, TO ANSWER THE CHARGE OF HERESY
Martin Luther had openly defied the authority of the Pope. He had written many books and tracts to that effect. Pope Leo X[1] had condemned Martin Luther as a heretic. Luthers' conviction would have meant an automatic death sentence, to be carried out by being burned alive at the stake.
THE IMPERIAL COUNCIL
The Imperial Council was Convened and attended by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor[2], his Imperial Advisors and a Corps of Spanish soldiers, and the Princes of Germany and the German lords. This was a Civil Trial and not a Church Council. Among these was Frederick the Wise, the Elector of Saxony, Luthers' friend. Also present was the Papal Legate Johannes Eck who represented the pope and who brought the Formal Charges.
In the case of Imperial Trials of this sort, after hearing all the evidence and the plea of the Defendant (Martin Luther in this case), if he did not Recant, then the Judges would retire and cast their Votes; Guilty or Not Guilty. The Verdict would be delivered to the Defendant the next day. The Verdict had to be Unanimous to convict.
THE ISSUES AND DOCTRINES AT STAKE
Many have taken the Christian faith to be a simple and easy matter, and have even numbered it among the virtues. This is because they have not really experienced it, nor have they tested the great strength of faith.
The friends of the cross affirm that the cross is good and that works are bad, for through the cross works are undone and the old Adam, whose strength is in works, is crucified. Martin Luther
Martin Luthers' books and tracts contained not only charges leveled against the pope and the Roman Church itself, but also the means whereby a person is Saved. Luther said that one is not Saved by any human works or effort or how "responsible" they were to achieve it, but by G-ds' Sovereign and Free Election of Grace conferred upon the Elect alone.
The pope was taking no chances. During this time, the pope had issued a Papal Bull excommunicating Luther. To be excommunicated meant that any authority had the right to arrest Luther and put him to death. The Bull of Excommunication was slowly making its way to Germany from Rome.[3]
Pope Leo X died before the Council could meet.
The Papal Legate, Johannes Eck, presented several of Luthers' books as evidence to the Court and asked Luther if he was their author. Luther examined the "evidence" against him and said,
"Yes, I wrote them, and many more, if you would care to read them".
Then he was asked if he recanted what he had written. Luther asked for a recess of one day to answer the charges. This was granted.
THE NEXT DAY
Word had spread quickly that Luther was to appear before the Diet and the hall as filled. Luther was asked again,
"Do you recant, or not?"
There was a great hush that fell over the hall. Luther answered that a great amount of what he had written was Christian doctrine that was held also by his opponents likewise. He should not be expected therefore to recant such teachings upon which they both agreed. There were also parts he said, that spoke of the injustices being suffered by the German people. He would not recant this either, as it was not the purpose of the Diet to judge these questions. Additionally, if he were to recant them it would result in greater injustice. There were attacks upon certain persons in his works, he said, which focused on exact points of Christian doctrine. He said that some of his points had perhaps been said too strongly. Their truth, however, he said he could not deny and therefore he could not recant these either, unless someone would show him by Scripture that he was in doctrinal error. If they could prove him wrong by Scripture, then he would most gladly recant.
The Purpose of the Diet was not to engage in a theological debate with Luther, and so once more he was asked,
"Do you recant, or do you not"?
As Latin was the language of theological debate, Luther responded in German:
"My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant, for to disobey ones' conscience is neither just nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me. Amen."
The Diet went into chambers to vote. There were several who spoke up for Luther, including his friend, Frederick the Wise. Luther waited in custody. Then he received a slip of paper with the message of the Verdict. The Diet could not come to a Unanimous Verdict. They could not convict Luther guilty.
He had challenged both pope and Emperor. Now he was set free.
Luther was set free, but the Papal Bull meant that he could be arrested anyway and executed. Despite the fact that Luther had been released, Charles V had the Council issue this Edict:
Luther is now to be seen as a convicted heretic. He has twenty-one days from the fifteenth of April. After that, no one should give him shelter. His followers also are to be condemned, and his books will be erased from human memory. Edict of Worms[4]
His good friend Frederick the Wise however, was very aware that Luthers' life was in grave danger. He issued orders to his men to take Luther where even Frederick did not know where he was hidden. They took Luther and hid him in one of Fredericks' castles at Wartburg, safe from the agents of the pope.
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