Interview to Martin Luther

Today, we are interviewing Martin Luther, one of the most significant figures in christian's history. He wrote the 95 theses in a period in which the church was not as it has come to our days. With them, he managed to spark rebellion among European countries. 

1. What impulsed you to publish your 95 theses?

Europe, and catholism particularly, were going through a very difficult period of lies, greed and corruption and I couldn't stay sat down with my arms closed. However, I never had the intention to cause a rebellion, I only expected my thesis to make people think and to change the way religion was used to obtain money in an easier way. I have to standout, that in that moment, salvation was a matter of how much you paid for an indulgence and not a matter of what you have done in life; I mean, if you were wealthy, for example, and you could afford the indulgences, you had ensured a quick trip to heaven.

2. Did you expect being excommulgated after you made public your theses?

Of course I expected; me and my thesis weren't making any good for the church, so it was imaginable they would put me aside in order not to become a problem, what doesn't mean I agreed with the decision. However, it was late, my thesis had already been read by a lot of people (as this took place four years after their publication) and many of them had the same opinion as I did.

3. If you could pointout an event that encouraged the rebellion which would it be?

Well, I think that an event that realy helped to spread my believings around the whole continent is the one that took place in 1522: the translation of the New Testament into common German. This made easier to ordinary people the accesion to the scriptures; this promoted the criticism to the Roman church. In oder words, people hadn't judged before because they didn't know what to judge. 

4. What consequences had that event? 

This is an easy question: many german peasants rebolt, two years later, against their feudal lords. I think this incident was a huge step, as people started to have their own voice and learned they had to fight for their rights. Moreover, I was very pleased to be the person who had impulsed all of this people to do what they believed. 

5. Was that the only translation of the new testament done during the 1500s? 

No it wasn't, there was another translation in 1526. This one was into English and was done by William Tyndale as I can remember. In fact, I think this new translation had the same efect as the one to german had, making the reading more achievable for a lot of people.

6. So, what did translation caused?  

Well, although it took place eight years later, in 1534, it is clear its direct relation. I'm talking about the designation of henry VIII as head of the English church. This naming brought with it the announcement of the English Reformation. 

7. How did the Reformation affect the patrimony of the European countries in your opinion? 

Talking only about patrimony and putting aside the bloodsheds, I think it has been a huge lose of it as a lot of manesteries, abbeys or friaries were destructed and many written and painted works as well. However, I olso think this wa most of the times necesary as people were fighting for what they believed: integrity and justice. Furthermore, this lead to the rise of new forms of art that weren't actually known before. 

8. Did these fights worth? 

of course it did, in 1545, when the Council of Trent opened in order to reform the Catholic church and to make its "laws" more fair. And I think it did manage in a big part its objectives, managing to make the Catholic church a bit more equal for everyone. However, it was not enough and in 1618 the "Thirty Years' War" started.

9. Tell us about that war which lasted for thirty years.

The parts that participated in the war were the catholic States (Spain and Holy Roman Empire) against the Lutheran (Denmark and Sweden), the Anglican (England), the Calvinist (Netherlands) and France. Finally the French coalition difited the imperial armies of their enemies in 1548. After all the fight, war ended with the Peace of Westphalia, which was a series of treaties signed in order to end religious wars and get to an agreement. 

10. If you had to resume all the Reformation in one word, which would it be and why?

It would be "Braveness" as I think this is what made the Reformation go on. The braveness that I had when I published my thesis, the braveness of the german peasants to confront their lords, the braveness of all thepeople that supported my believings and finally, the braveness of the soldiers who fought in the Thirty Yeras' war.