Protestants
Martin Luther
Baptists are one branch of the Protestant Reformation that Martin Luther started in 1517. Protestants disagreed with the Roman Catholic church’s understanding of salvation. The Reformers declared that we are saved by grace through faith, not by the sacraments of the church.
The Catholic church said Luther’s teaching was heresy. Luther quoted the Bible to support his teachings. Catholic church leaders claimed to be the official interpreters of scripture. They told Luther his interpretation was mistaken and held him accountable to teach and preach according to the official Catholic tradition of biblical interpretation. Luther responded:
“Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason — I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other — my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”
Luther claimed to be directly accountable to God for how he interpreted scripture. Then he translated the Bible from Latin into German so others could read the scriptures and decide for themselves what the Bible said.
When the scriptures were taken from the exclusive domain of church leaders and given to all Christians to read and interpret, the biblical doctrine that all believers are priests was reclaimed.
Click here to learn more about the Protestant Reformation.
Luther and most of the other reformers, emphasized the priesthood of believers to buttress support for the teaching of salvation by grace. A small group of reformers insisted that the doctrine also had profound implications for the life of the church.
This small group of reformers maintained that every believer had the right and responsibility to directly relate to God and to act as a priest of God. These reformers were labeled “radicals” because they wanted to pattern church life in accord with the New Testament where every member was commissioned and gifted for service.
Click here to learn more about the Radical Reformation.