Introduction
Oh how to begin? I like a variety of films, but those I enjoy the most are character type of films. Since conflict in these stories tend to happen internally, most of my favorites are psychological horror/thrillers. But looking for such films that doesn�t resort to sci-fi/fantasy are hard to come by. Before I seen this film, Mothman Prophesies (sci-fi) followed by One Hour Photo (not sci-fi) were my favorites. Here though is such of a psychological film - not a thriller - that is not only based on fact but holds a special part for me.
Martin Luther. A troubled person who became a monk out of fright, who hated himself and fears God more than love him, changed by external forces to become Christianity�s Reformer, one of the most powerful men in non-bibical Christian history.
Suffice it to say I seen this movie several times the first week I got the DVD! Some scenes still put tears in my eyes. Distributed by MGM, it was funded by a Lutheran financial group and another organization I never heard of. Filmed on location, it is an epic that takes an open and honest look at religion and faith. I don�t consider it a good conversion tool. Rather it serves more as a movie for comparative religion and the history at that critical time. It doesn�t spoon feed you either. I�ve seen other independent films done by American Christians and most are crap due to the spoon feeding. The only that isn�t is Gibson Passion of the Christ which - although moving in its own way - isn�t for everyone. Too extreme. And its popularity did smother Luther�s chance for success at theaters. This movie in comparison rather explore the conflict of ideas and idealism than get gritty. Words can be more powerful than the fist. So I think non-Christians might enjoy this film as long as they themselves are not anti-Christian. Anti-Catholic sure, but not anti-Christian. If there is one group who might hate it, it will be Catholics. But some Catholics on IMDB did enjoy the movie.
I should note this is the 2003 movie. There is one other made in the 70s with the same title. I didn�t seen it. The only complaint I heard about this 2003 telling is that they don�t have everything, like him being an anti-Semite after, it is belived, he found out he couldn't convert the Jews later in his life. So the film never even mentioned the Jews in any form or anything else from his later year or how Protestism spread. The other Luther movie did this, from what I understand. I consider these though small complaints. The movie grips you at enough levels that if you want to know more about the man, you�ll dig the information yourself.
It has been a while since I wrote a spoiler and I am going to mass produce this, so for those who don�t know my style, I write my spoilers by DVD chapter. I give the title and an alternate title by me. I usually include director commentary comments, but this DVD didn�t had this. I am also including an appendix that has some of my own musings. My other spoilers include Spider, Like Water For Chocolate, and The Russia House. I also plan to do one for Roujin Z, IF I ever get it.
The Characters
| Martin Luther | The guy who started the whole Reformation movement |
| Johann | Luther's mentor at the convent |
| Ulrich | Assistant and eventual follower of Luther |
| Hanna | Mother of a crippled child |
| Carlstadt | Classroom instructor |
| Frederick the Wise | Prince of Wittenberg |
| Spalatin | Secretary to Frederick |
| Pope Leo X | Wants to build the Basilica of St. Peters |
| Cardinal Cajetan | Cardinal who tried to get Luther to recant |
| Aleander | Assistant to Cajetan |
| John Tetzel | Seller of indulgences |
| Charles V | Emperor of Christdom, nephew of Frederick |
| Katharina | Runaway nun turned Luther's wife |
The Spoiler by Chapter
Chapter 1: Spare Me! / How to butcher mass
The initial credits are on a black screen with the sound of thunder. Luther is hand written. Switch to a tree, pan left, with rain falling. See a man running in the rain, lighting everywhere. He falls and pleads. �Don�t let me die! I�ll become a monk! I give myself to God! Just spare me!�
Fast forward to Erfurt 1507. The credits continue as we see Luther briefly laying face down in a cross position. Quick shot of horsemen outside. Luther is now dressed to perform mass and someone tells him his father is coming, bringing his whole family. He begins mass, speaking Latin. At one point he seems to hesitate and voice stutters. He spills a little bit of the wine which symbolize Christ�s blood.
Brief shot of Luther upset when someone tells him his father is leaving. He runs out to tell his father not to leave. The father though is too upset for he slaved in the mines so he can study law only to become a cleric since he got too scared during a storm.
Chapter 2: In Fear of God / Example of a simple conversion
That night Luther is in his room asking Satan to live him alone. Johann finds him doing this and tells him arguing with the devil does no good. Luther tells him that he is too full of sin to be a priest (although Johann don�t recall him confess anything interesting) and fears God the Judge who damns people to hell. Johann says it isn�t God who is angry at him but the reverse. Luther wish this God doesn�t exist but a merciful one does instead. Johann takes out his crucifix and tell him to then look at Christ, lays it in his hand, and told him say �I am yours, save me.� Luther does this.
Chapter 3: The Steps to Rome / That�s 500 years off of purgatory
We now see Luther doing a pilgrimage to Rome both for himself and official business. We only see him doing the former. On the streets he encounters a thief, a cleric leaving with a prostitute, no one giving money to a blind man, and someone selling icons of saints for various things like a bad back. Suddenly a voice ran out that Pope Julius II is coming. Everyone kneels as he run through on horseback, in armor.
Next stop, a visit to see John the Baptist�s skull. Luther kneels and begin to pay homage to it until another cleric notices. This cleric rushes him away saying he got his 500 years of purgatory knocked off, now move on. To finish his pilgrimage, he goes someplace... don�t know the building... where people give a donation and climb steps, saying a prayer for each one. Doing so will release a person from purgatory. Luther does this for his grandfather. He looks around though and see all the people, some missing body parts. The paper telling he does this is crunched up as he move his hand into a fist.
Chapter 4: Student and Preacher / Curse Satan!
Johann checks up on Luther, who is scrubbing the floor back in the monastery. Luther tells him he hated what he seen in Rome and that people can buy anything from sex to salvation for money. Johann tells him to go outside and makes a joke about how hard he is scrubbing the floor. Cut to outside, working on beehives. Johann wants Luther to go to Wittenberg to read the New Testament and get a doctorate in theology. Luther doesn�t like this since he believes he lacks faith and fear he will be a fraud. Johann tells him God gave him gifts for a purpose, to change minds and open eyes, and that change is what he (Luther) wants.
So Luther goes to Wittenberg. Urik makes his first appearance, showing Luther around. One of the people he introduce Luther to is Hanna. She is selling firewood so she can feed her child who is hidden in the forest. Urik tells Luther that the child is crippled. They buy some wood but Hanna doesn�t appear happy. The two next meet someone and his son making a building. They too don�t seem thrilled about a new priest. Urik explains new priests usually mean they have to pay Rome sacraments.
Now we see Luther in school. The instructor, Carlstadt, sounds bored. He told the class about the Fifth Lateran Council and Saint Cypian�s dictum: outside the holy Roman Church, there is no salvation. �What about the Greek Christians?�, Luther asks. Carlstadt reminds him that it is a Roman bishop who succeeded Peter, not a Greek one. Luther counter-argued that if so, all of the Greek saints are then damned. He thinks the 5th counsel over interpreted Mathew 16:18 (Peter is the one Christ will build his church on) while ignoring 16:16 (Christ is the son of the living God), the very essence of Christianity. �Are you questioning the authority of the church council?� No, Luther says, and points out that the 4th council said salvation does exist outside the church, but not outside of Christ.
We see that boy, son of the builder two paragraphs ago, dead. Killed himself by hanging. That night Luther is once again spewing hate at Satan. (note: Fiennes, the actor playing Luther, called Satan a s-h-vowel-t. I don�t think that was in the script for that line wasn�t part of the closed captioning. So I guess Fiennes was perhaps over psyching himself for that scene! The only cuss word in the film.) Still angry in the morning, he grabs a shovel and, against tradition, orders the body to be sent for burial with the others. A number of people, including Hanna, see him burring the boy who did the �unforgivable sin�. Luther says he is no more guilty than an innocent man killed by a robber, and thereby blame Satan for killing the boy. He performs final rites.
Chapter 5: �I Was Wrong� / Brise, here is your favorite scene
Luther gives a sermon explaining his actions by telling them that God is a loving, not angry, God. That one need not fear temptation since we are already saved thanks to Christ. He then does communion and see Hanna with her child, hanging on her neck. The child gives him a bowl of berries.
Cut some time into the future (the movie wasn�t clear about this) and we see two people arguing. The new one, Spalatin, tells Carlstadt that Luther�s teaching is hurting Prince Frederick. The two then overhears Luther, now an instructor, cracking jokes about sacraments and relics. For example, of the 12 apostles, 18 are buried in Spain. I can�t list them all! Spalatin leaves, the only one not laughing.
Outside now, Luther is about to watch a play on the final judgment when Spalatin confronts him. He reminds Luther that Frederick doesn�t like his collection of relics being made fun of and he pays for his seat. Spalatin leaves and Luther looks up and sees Frederick - played by the late Peter Ustinov in what I think is his last role - looking at him through an open window.
Chapter 6: Savior of the Church / All he needs is lots and lots of ducats!
This chapter introduce some of those who will be facing off with The Reformer. It begins with Aleander thanking Cardinal Cajetan for recommending him to see the new Pope, but Cajetan says he might not want to thank him 20 years from now. He tells him of Pope Alexander VI, who had 3 mistresses and 5 children. Then Julius II who rather fight on horseback than be a spiritual leader. He asks what Aleander wants to do, he replies �To serve�, and Cajetan answers that this is what he is going to be tempted with. They then see the new Pope. Cajetan hopes this pope will reform the church.
Cut to a new room, Aleander seeing Pope Leo X getting dressed. The pope voice his pleasement that Aleander, a scholar, has an attitude to serve. He then mentions that an Albert of someplace wants to be archbishop of another place, and Aleander - showing his scholarly skills - note that he is already archbishop of two others. To have a third will go against canon law, not to mention he was already underage when he got his first. Leo X noted that, but told him that he was 13 when he became a cardinal. But he has plans for Albert�s ambition. The pope wants to build The Basilica of St. Peters as a way to give glory to the Church, and Albert will give 10,000 ducats for the construction. Aleander warns he is already bankrupted. The pope tells him that he already got a loan. That loan will be repaid by John Tetzel.
Chapter 7: The Price of Salvation / I thought Christ took care of that?
This John Tetzel is going into a community. He tells someone some last minute reminders for the performance they are about to do. Hanna is in the crowd with her daughter. His first tactic is to scare everyone. He asks the crowd what it feels like to be burned, and then burns his own hand and shows it to the crowd. He then took the torch and start a small fire asking how an entirety of hell would be like, while banners showing people being burned in hell are opened. He tells them that tonight only a special indulgence will be offered for those who desire salvation to help pay for the new church, to protect the rotting bones of the dead apostles and saints.
That night he played the caring cleric tactic. He asks them if they hear there love ones already in purgatory wanting to enter heaven. He sees Hanna and says, �Gentle mother, when the time comes, make sure your crippled child can run to Jesus�. Everyone in the church gets up, giving a name and a coin, and receiving a paper saying that they gave an indulgence.
Chapter 8: Papal Politics / And so it begins!
Now for the good stuff!
Luther is walking out of a building, talking to some students, when Hanna approach him, telling him of what she did for her daughter. Cool like, he give her a coin back and tell her to save her money for her daughter. The paper means nothing. She walks away sad. He turn to the camera, anger in his eyes, while music expressing action starts and builds.
We now see a variety of quick shots. Luther is writing to the archbishop and then we see him hammering in his 95 Theses on the Church door - the offical start of the Protestant Reformation. [Insert a sound of Brian cheering here] One of the quick shots has someone reading it for someone (I think he initially did it in Latin), takes it down, the other guy said �What are you doing?!?�, and he replies that he is going to make it so everyone can read it. Quick shots of people making copies. Luther is now a published author. The archbishop is mad at the letter he got from Luther and forwards it to Rome. Also, with the 95 Thesis spreading faster than Tetzel, the indulgence business is getting butchered. Tetzel, noticing this one day, said another good line Brise would like. (She is an atheist I know of. Work in progress) �I can even save the soul of a man who violates the mother of God herself!� Someone traveling with him roles his eyes. The pope thinks Luther is intoxicated with himself.
Quick shots over. Spalatin comes rushing into Luther�s empty classroom asking why he didn�t told Prince Frederick about his letter and how it would embarrass him. Luther seems unfazed, since he didn�t told the prince to protect him. Spalatin slams down a sealed envelope saying he is summoned near Rome with possible excommunication. Luther can�t believe it, especially since he dedicated his 95 Theses to the pope.
Luther is giving a sermon, saying Christ is found in our love for each other and in the Word and not in the bones of saints. He stops for a moment when he sees his father. Cut to outside, shaking hands of those leaving. Carlstadt says he and everyone else supports him. Luther then approach his father to thank him. His father hugs him, �Try to keep your big mouth shut!�, and quickly walks away. With an amused face, Luther then hears something behind him. He sees Hanna and her daughter, with a pair of walking sticks. Hanna says she prays for him every night. A good �bookcover� for this chapter.
Chapter 9: One word for the Cardinal / Why not several instead?
We see Luther outside a building in the rain. When he enters, he sees Johann, who said that he will assist him through this. Luther says that Tetzel is no longer preaching because he is under house arrest, and considers that a good sign. Johann don�t think so, believing that it means he just went to far. He then tells Luther that he should just stay calm, listen and don�t talk.
They enter a new room together. Aleander appears and introduce himself. Luther says it was never his intention to say anything against the holy father. Aleander begin to instruct him on protocol for his meeting with Cardinal Cajetan: lay flat till your told to stand, and then kneel. Luther says he is confident the cardinal will find no error, but Aleander things he has a misunderstanding. There shall be no discussion. All he is supposed to do is to say one word: revoco, I recant. Luther was about to get up as though to challenge this but Johann stops him and thanks Aleander. Aleander leaves saying he will prepare a bath for Luther.
One of the best scenes in the film, although one can get a headache understanding it. It begins inside Cajetan�s very red room with Luther face down in the cross position. After being told to stand/kneel, Cajetan ask what he has to say. �Have I erred?� Yes. �How? That I may avoid such error again?� Cajetan said his teachings are wrong, like his position on indulgences. Pope Clement�s decree unigenitus states, �The merits of Christ are a treasure of indulgences�. Luther corrects him. �The merits of Christ acquire the treasure of indulgences�. It is a 175 years ago extravagante that contradicts anomitanos (or something like that... thank God I am not a Catholic!) The honor of the Papacy isn�t preserved though assertions but safeguarding credibility though the clear testimonials of scripture... the pope is not above it. (During this, Aleander and Johann are listening in. Aleander is upset since he is supposed to only say one word.) Luther argues that if everyone can read them, the people will know how broad church interpretations are. Cajetan says the scriptures are too complex for them and he is spreading confusion when Christiandom needs unity. He then leaves, mad at Aleander for saying that monk is a simpleton. He starts looking for that unigenitus-anomitanos-extravagante watchmacallit.
Meanwhile, Johann is with Luther near the exit, trying one final time to get him to recant. Luther just give him a confused look. So he forced Luther to kneel and then release him from his vows as a monk. While trying to get him out of the door, Johann explained that it was his duty to arrest him unless he is no longer a monk. He tells Luther to run and shuts the door.
Chapter 10: How To Say No To Rome / And if your bribed, then what?
Spalatin reads to Prince Frederick a letter ordering him to turn Luther in at Rome and banish him from returning. Frederick asks him if he read Luther�s writings (yes) and if they attended the same law school (also yes). Spalatin, anxious for an answer, repeats the order and what to do. �Nothing.� Frederick explains that if you are up against someone more powerful, you either do nothing, like you never heard it, and wait for time to cool things down, or say no in such of a kind, sweet way it befuddles them. If neither works, relent... �or fight!�. He doesn�t want to give him up since they will just kill his beloved monk, which he consider irritating, depriving his university of such a fine mind.
(Oh how I am going to miss Ustinov!)
The three antagonists in this film... Aleander, Cajetan, and Pope Leo... are rediscussing their options. Luther released a new cartoon showing a harp coming out of Cajetan�s ass. One thing they don�t like is that he writes in German, not Latin, so that common people can understand him. The pope asks if a cardinal hat might shut him up. �He will be embarrassed to wear it�, says Cajetan. Aleander and Cajetan says the best thing they can do is pressure Frederick to turn him in. The pope says Cajetan miss the big picture, and has already sent someone else to convince him to do this.
All this person did, in typical bootlicking fashion, was to give the great prince a sacred rose. Frederick tells Spalatin to give the visitors 600 ducats for the rose and then put it with the other relics, and then further instruct him to just hide them all and don�t tell where he hid them. Almost crying, Frederick wish he was a child again, for he doesn�t like the world of adults. He can�t believe how easy they thought it would be to bribe him.
Chapter 11: Feeding the Fire / I wonder what boars taste like?
This chapter beings with the pope hunting a boar with several people. Aleander interrupts to tell him that Frederick refuse to surrender Luther. There is a voice over about a boar in the vineyard, and such of an animal shouldn�t be permitted. The pope then kills the boar and, at the same time, we see Luther�s head turn as though startled. We now see it was the pope who was the voice over, as he seals a document ordering all of his books to be burned and that all of his supporters shall feel the wraith of God.
Some time later we see Aleander making a pile of such books with some soldiers at night. There is an angry mob though. When Aleander ordered someone to ignite it, he refused and told Aleander to do it himself. He does this.
Next we see Luther during the day with a copy of that document the pope sealed. A Papal Bull he called it, and add it to his own little fire. Several facility and students are around him and Carlstadt says, �Yes, feed the fire with canon law!� Luther watch as the pope�s seal melt.
Chapter 12: A Hearing in Germany / The church does some shuffling
We see Prince Frederick approaching a man we haven�t seen yet - his nephew and new emperor, Charles V - who is talking with someone. Frederick congratulates him on his new elevation and ask to speak about Luther. That other someone turns around. It is Aleander... CARDINAL Aleander! Frederick request to talk alone with his emperor, so Aleander leaves but remained close enough to observe.
Frederick asks Charles to give Luther a fair hearing. When the emperor tells him the inquisition promised that, Frederick told him all they do is give death sentences. Frederick asks the emperor if he remembers his grandfather. That person said that no German subject will be condemned without a fair trail in his own country. (Frederick said the last four words loud enough for Aleander to hear) So Charles suggests Worms. Frederick thinks that is a bit far and worries about spies. Charles then promised to have the imperial guard.
We know see Worms, 1521. Luther is arriving and a huge crowed is there to greet him. Many are trying to touch or receive a blessing from him. One kneeled and Luther grabbed him and told him not to do that. He also see Aleander observing him from above. Next we see Johann giving him a shave. He tells Luther that he wanted the Church to be reformed, but not destroyed. He sees the world hating evil more than loving good. He begs Luther to look to the good, for he is tearing the world apart. Luther then grabs his hand and ask, �Did you really think there wouldn�t be a cost?�
Chapter 13: A Simple Reply / Yeah, riiiiiight!
Luther walks into a crowded room. The emperor sits before him with Cardinal Aleander to his right, whispering into his ear. A soldier calls for silence, the mumbling stops. A man asks if he recognize these books and if he is the author. Pause. Luther says they are his. The man said they are heresy and if he will recant. Luther hesitates. People murmurs. �May I have time to reconsider?� Luther then says this is so he can give a satisfactory answer and to not injure the Word or his soul. The man said he already had enough time and anyone in this room may be asked to give witness, including him, a professor of theology. Aleander though said he will give one day.
That night Johann hears Luther, once again, hating Satan for his hesitation. He ends however by laying face down in a cross position with the words, �I am yours, save me.�
Next day, again asked to recant. Luther says he can�t recant them all since they are different. He said his first works was actually approved by his opposition: accepted Christian truths. The second target the Popes, past and present (the emperor screams no, everyone else screams yes) and the popes and the laws of men has �vexed and flayed� the �consciences of the faithful�. �If I recant these books, I will... add strength to tyranny.� Aleander whispers to Charles he has condemned himself. The third he wrote against individuals who upheld Roman tyranny. He does confess he written harshly and he is a man who err. �Only let my errors be proven by scripture and I will revoke my work and throw my books into the fire.� Aleander had enough and got up, saying that isn�t an answer, and wants a yes or no. �Since you desire a simple reply...�, and then came the famous quote:
"Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captive to the word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me."
Cheers run out. He starts to leave. Chaos explodes until everyone inside hear outside Luther's name being chanted.
Chapter 14: Should Anything Happen / Just act it out
That night, the emperor expressed his hate and worry about Luther and Aleander wants him stop before he infects all of Germany. Prince Frederick reminds Charles promise of safe conduct, but he just boomerangs it back to his uncle asking what he thinks should be done. Frederick says Luther is too daring for him, but not for the people. Aleander whispers to a soldier that if anything may happen to him, so be it.
Luther then begins to leave Worms with Ulrich while a crowd surrounds him, wanting to see him one last time. But once he is out of the city, their escorts just leave. That night some horsemen with crossbows ask for Luther's surrender. Luther stops Ulrich from turning himself in his place and got down. They cover his head and took him someplace. The one who took the head cover off is Spalatin. The prince wanted to get him before anyone else did.
Chapter 15: Great leveling / Translating the Greek bible
Everyone thinks Luther is dead. Carlstadt is doing a rally at the school, calling what Luther has done a holy war. That anyone who believes he is above someone else should be cut down. He tears off his professor uniform and ask to be called a brother instead. (So that is how that started) He tears off someone's crucifix, quoting the bible to not make graven images. Outside one express disapproval, that Luther will never shame a student like he did. He wanted reform, not revolt. Carlstadt responded, "Beware or you too shall be cut down."
Spalatin pays Luther a visit. Luther wants a Greek New Testament, not this rubbish, along with dictionaries. Spalatin express worry over this treason, that a German bible is what the Church fear most. Luther says, "Well, you must blame the Author for that."
We see a mob attacking the church with Ulrich doing mass and Hanna inside. "No Popes! No Witches! No Priests!" the mob yells. Statues and windows are damaged. That night Spalatin asks Frederick if soldiers should be brought in. The prince doesn't want this. That will cause more bloodshed. Instead he wants Spalatin to call for Luther.
Luther is having loads of fun translating. A man with him, seeing smoke in the horizon, asks how the work is going. Luther quotes Luke, "It is the Father's will that nothing be lost." In German, 'will' means strength; to bend someone to your will. In Greek, it also means passion, fire, even to the point of being sexual! The man thinks he needs more porridge. Luther realize the words are not important, but what they are saying about God. While saying this, Spalatin comes up, saying he is too alone. Luther grunts saying of course he is, he needs to be with his followers the past 2 weeks. "The language of the Bible should be like a mother talking to her children." Spalatin says he might not come out, but a knight can, throwing down a cloak and sword.
Luther sees 2 hanged men. A blacksmith nearby blamed all of it on Luther, not knowing that is him. He rushes to the church not knowing it is being invaded. Monks and Ulrich is thrown outside. Luther arrives, running up screaming "Cowards!", grabs a torch and try to hold them away yelling, "You call yourselves Christians?" He orders people to put out the fires. The mob leader is no other than Carlstadt. He says if a limb is rotting, cut it off. Luther grabs him and tells him to leave Wittenberg or he will beat him out. "This is never my work!" Carlstadt, seeing everyone has stopped, kept saying while walking away it is the people's work.
Chapter 16: 100,000 Dead / Which equals a PG-13 rating.
Prince Frederick is calling for Spalatin. He tells the prince that Luther is confused, the people twisted his language, that he abhors violence. Luther is a theologian who fights with his tongue and pen, not a sword.
We see Luther looking at all of the damage. LOTS of dead. We hear a voice over of Luther saying nothing is more poisonous, hurtful, and devilish than a rebel, but what they have done is nothing compared to the slaughter he unleashed. He was about to enter a church when a boy outside said he shouldn't. He walks in a few steps. Spalatin appears behind him saying he guess the dead is 100,000. Luther says that is a plague and butchery. "Have a care, you may need these butchers", Spalatin says and leaves. Luther walks further in and replaces a cross. He then sees Hanna's child among the dead.
Some time pass, the church cleaned up, Luther kneeling in front of the alter. A number of women come in, saying they are runaway nuns seeking Luther. He says he is him, and the one talking said she is Katharina von Bora.
Chapter 17: The German Bible / Separation
Luther is walking in a room to see Prince Frederick for the first time to give to him a copy of the German Bible. The prince says, "But this will separate us from Rome forever". Luther responded that he always wanted unity, but not to servitude to Rome, only to God. No compromise. Frederick warns they may attack, and Luther says he knows. The prince then ask to see the new Bible.
Chapter 18: Music and Marriage / But no sex
We see German hymns being sung for the first time, as Katharina does this right in front of Luther. He notice Ulrich leaving and rush to see him. He wants him to marry one of those former nuns, but Ulrich is too anxious to give to his people Luther's Bible. Katharina comes to Luther asking why he runs away from her so often, and he mentions Ulrich. He says he is still disturbed over how many lives were lost because of him, he is depressed, and he is not a fixed star but a roaming planet who no one should use as a guide. She said they will make joyous music together, and if anyone approaches him, they will have to go over her dead body.
We see the pope dead. Cajetan is concerned about the fact the Church is 800,000 ducats in debt. The pope wanted to rebuild Rome instead of reform it, and the Church needed a Luther. Aleander then tells him - my favorite line in this film - "Well... Luther is getting married. To a runaway nun."
We see a brief scene of that marriage. Next they are in bed that night, getting intimate. But before we get to see any skin, someone yells for Luther outside. He jumps from the bed and rush to the window. Mrs. Luther whacks him with a pillow. Luther sees Carlstadt outside, who tells Luther Ulrich was captured and being burned alive. This is shown briefly.
Chapter 19: Revolt of the Princes / offering their heads
Luther receive a message saying the Emperor wants to meet all of the princes at Augsberg to finish what he started at Worms. Katharina tries to stop him. Luther says, "First they want me to recant, now they want half of Europe to bend the knee." She responded, "Let someone else be roasted like a pig!", but he was already gone.
It is now 1530 in Augsberg, and German hymns are being sung at night. The emperor thinks if he breaks the princes, he will break Luther. Aleander warns of delay tactics they might use. The emperor grows tired of the hymns and leaves wishing he already burned Luther at Worms, calling him a plague.
Luther arrives that same night to try to convince them to join his side. One reminds him how powerful the emperor is, and he will destroy them, state by state. "Silence will not save us", Luther warns, and war might occur. But the emperor is asking what they believe, and that should be an opportunity, not a trap. If they give in, their faith will be shattered.
It is daytime and Luther is teaching one of Jesus parables to a number of children. He hear bells beginning to ring, causing him to stop. His wife said they are just church bells and to continue.
We see those princes coming into a room with ministers, the emperor, and Cardinal Aleander. The emperor orders them to tell their ministers they shall not preach Luther's teachings and to ban his bible. One approach and said he will not stop them. Another said he won't outlaw the bible. Charles stands up and said all of them, as a sign of loyalty, will join him to worship in a Roman manner. A third refused. "You will or you shall know my sword!" The prince then offered his head, and knelt so he can. Other princes and ministers in the room did the same. One - the same one who talked to Carlstadt back in Chapter 15 - said they have drawn a confession of faith which they see as blameless.
We return to Luther who is walking in the country with his wife. He hears and see horsemen on a hill top. Concerned, he tells his wife how much he loves her. But then one of those ministers appear saying, "Martin, we did it! The emperor allowed us to read our confession of faith!" We then see the following scrolled on screen.
|
What happened at Augsburg pushed open the door to religious freedom. Martin Luther lived another 16 years teaching and preaching the Word. He and Katharina von Bora enjoyed a happy marriage and 6 children. Luther's influence extended into economics, politics, education, and music, and his translation of the Bible became a foundation stone of the German language. Today over 540 million people worship in churches inspired by his Reformation. |
Chapter 20: Credits / and just the credits
*yawn*
~ FIN ~
Appendix
Personal musings
The idea that people should be able to read the Bible in their own language isn't an original concept. Several people before Luther opposed the teachings of The Church as the sole organized body of Christ. For example, when doing research on this, I found there was a John Wycliff from Oxford who tried to translate it to English. All he had though at the time was The Church Latin bible. Writing in the 14th century was pain. So the Protestant Reformation movement didn't happen with him. But knowing this, not to mention a one time schism of the Catholic Church, a sort of revolution will had to occur sometime. A follower of Wycliff, John Hus, said... and these were his last words... "in 100 years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed." 102 years later Luther will hammer in his 95 Theses.
It was the German Gutenberg in the following century who help to make publishing easier with his invention, the printing press. His bibles were considered works of art, and Gutenberg liked the nickname "Beautiful Mountain". However, the language was still Latin.
Then, around the turn of the 15th and 16th century, another Oxford professor named Thomas Linacre decided to learn Greek. After reading the Greek scriptures and comparing it to the Church's, he said, "Either this (the original Greek) is not the Gospel� or we are not Christians." (I wonder if the Turks and other Muslims at that time knew about this, since Mohammed consider both the old and new Testaments to have lost its meaning over time through mistranslating them). Later Erasmus rewrote the Latin Vulgate into a new, more accurate, Latin Bible.
It was that Greek-Latin New Testament that Luther used to make his German Bible. A British Reformer named William Tyndale showed up on Luther's doorstep and together made an English version, the first for both 'common man' languages. He was on the run from his country for sharing the same ideas Luther had. Tyndale�s last words were, "Oh Lord, open the King of England�s eyes", and three years later King Henry VIII funded the publishing of "The Great Bible".
One of my personal complaints about Christian history though is that the king's motivations was political. The Anglican Church of England lacked the passion of the Reformers since he was the head of the Church. No 'brothers in Christ'. And so we had the Mayflower voyage, as true Protestants worship God as they saw correct in a land that will become The United States, and a freak load of individual Protestant religions. It is ironic then that the concepts of "separation of Church and state" and how God is mention by my country's founding fathers has a link to a German monk.
Side note: It should be noted though that it wasn't until after Luther's death that dividing scripture into chapters and verses didn't occurred until after Luther's death. A Frenchman on a similar project for his language did that, and his practice spread quickly.
As for my own 'confession of faith', I always held the belief that your faith is more important than your religion. Who you claim to be (Catholic, Protestant, Non-denominational Christian) isn't as important as who you are and believe personally, my definition of faith. For that reason I just call myself a Protestant and not Baptist or Lutheran. In comparison, I define religion as the physical manifestation of one's faith and the organization of those who share it. And any organization can be corrupted or lead by those who want power. The Protestant Reformation happened for a reason. The story of Martin Luther tells that reason.