Martin Luther
Conclusions
He was aided in his efforts by his close friend Philip Melanchthon, a profound thinker in his own right. Between the two they developed the core of what would become a separate religion that relied on two core principles: that faith alone was necessary and sufficient for salvation, and that the Bible was the sole source of religious authority.
Although Luther had launched a revolution, he lost control of it almost from the beginning. From early on he found himself in conflict with other reformers with whom he disagreed. He witnessed events, such as the Peasants Revolt, and the bloodshed at MÜnster, that distressed him deeply. But he worked diligently to explain his beliefs, to offer guidance and counsel to the many who sought his advice, and to set an example of the Christian life.
He wrote books on pastoral care, on the proper conduct and mode of life for a Christian, on the Lutheran liturgy, and countless other topics. He wrote music and prayers. As Lutheran churches grew in number, there were naturally some preachers who were slack and even cynically exploitative, and Luther wrote guidelines for evaluating ministers and their conduct. These were later turned into formal visitations that helped ensure a measure of quality among the Lutheran ministry.
Luther followed his own advice in his peronal life. He married, and raised a family, and wrote about the business of family life. He preached at churches, serving as the exemplar of a Lutheran minister. He and his wife, Katharine, entertained many guests and visitors, and their dinner table became famous as a center of lively conversation.
Martin Luther died in 1546. By that time, although his prestige among reformers was great, his actual influence had much declined. His greater influence, however, can hardly be underestimated. His translation of the Bible was so influential that Luther's particular dialect of German (Hochdeutsche) became the official version of German. Lutheranism became and remains to this day the dominant religion not only of Germany, but of the Scandinavian countries as well. And he set the spark to the tinderbox of Europe that led to a century of religious reform and religious warfare that profoundly shaped every aspect of European history.