Similarities Between Martin Luther And Luther

During the premodern period in Europe, it was largely accepted that the Catholic Church had ultimate authority. At that time, there was no real division between church and state. Instead, all matters were heavily intertwined. However, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Francis Bacon, and Rene Descartes questioned the authority of the church and lead many people to consider that the church might not be the only authoritative figure to rely on. These men presented ideas that characterized a shift in authority that also is known as the shift from the premodern period to modernity. Significant questioning of the premodern era lead people to believe that many of their beliefs were centered on assumptions and there

Though Calvin agreed with Luther in some respects, they had their differences. But before comparing him to Luther, one must look at the foundational beliefs of Calvin’s teachings. His teachings are perhaps best summarized by debaters following his death. Calvin’s fundamental beliefs, as defined by these debaters, follow the acronym TULIP. First, Calvin argues that man is doomed with total depravity because of the original sin committed by Adam and Eve. Second, he believes in unconditional election that determines who will be saved and who will be condemned. Third, he understands there to be limited atonement, meaning that Jesus did not die for everyone. Fourth, Calvin argues that irresistible grace is offered to God’s chosen elect. And last, he states that there is a perseverance of saints, therefore all who are saved are saved for eternity. Calvin expressed these ideas in the Institutes of the Christian Religion. This work of his was received with both criticism and intrigue. Calvin’s ideas were very radical, but he sought to back each of them up with what he believed was the ultimate authority of the Scripture. Calvin combats the idea that the church gives Scripture its authority because he believes that the Bible offers “as clear evidence of its truth, as white and black things do of their color, or sweet and bitter things of their taste” (31). He was constantly searching for ways to prove the consistency of the Bible, so he could further establish how authoritative it was. Calvin and Luther did not agree on the sacraments or the use of the law, but both were very influential theological figures of the Protestant Reformation and they both claimed that Scripture, not the church, was the true