505 years ago today Martin Luther stood before the most powerful court in the world and refused to back down. He had been called to Worms, Germany to appear before the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and recant everything he had written against the Catholic Church. He was given one night to think about it. The next morning he stood up and said: unless I am convinced by scripture or clear reason I cannot and will not recant. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. He was declared an outlaw on the spot. Every person in the empire was legally permitted to kill him without consequence. He was smuggled out in secret and hidden in a castle for a year. He survived. The Church he defied still exists. So does everything he started.
Interesting Fact While hiding in Wartburg Castle Luther translated the entire New Testament into German from scratch in just 11 weeks. He did it so ordinary people could read it themselves without the Church as an intermediary. It changed the German language permanently. Words he invented are still used today.
